Atomic Force Microscopy Laboratory
DiFi Laboratory
Laboratory directed by: Prof. Maurizio Leone

AFM technique uses the tip as a sensor and relies on a scanning technique to produce, in a non destructive way, very high resolution 3-D images of sample surfaces. Furthermore, by appropriate choice of the acquisition scheme, it is able to discriminate among materials of different nature disposed on the same surface. AFM technique plays a key role in any context in which nanometer size objects have to be characterized. For this reason in our laboratories it is of fundamental importance for the morphological characterization of protein aggregates. Indeed, it permits very easily evaluation of the protein aggregate’ shape distinguishing among globular and fibrillar aggregates, the details of its surface morphology, their degree of aggregation and/or agglomeration, etc. Moreover, AFM measurements, characterize the morphology of the supramolecular assemblies during the aggregation pathway.

This laboratory is integrated in MeSIAM - Regional Laboratory of CNISM