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# Lombardi Research Lab

Therapeutic peptides at biological barriers and interfaces

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [News and Events](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/news-and-events/)
- [AISUK 10th Anniversary Event with ESA Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/samantha-cristoforetti/) - AISUK – the Association of Italian Scientists in the UK – celebrated its 10th anniversary with a special event hosted at the Residence of the Ambassador of Italy in London. The event was organised by Lucia Lombardi, Co-Director of AISUK, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in London and the European Space Agency, and
- [Congratulations, Angelina!!!](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/congratulations-angelina/) - Our lab manager, Dr Angelina Madden, received the Queen’s Technician Award 2026 for Contribution to Sustainability. The award recognises exemplary actions to support the implementation of sustainability practices within the labs, and across wider University operations, teaching, and research.
- [PhD Scholarships for Students from China](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/phd-scholarships-for-students-from-china/) - Queen’s University/CSC PhD Scholarships 2026 are now open for applications. If you are looking for a PhD position, are a citizen of the People’s Republic of China at the time of application (PRC passport), and are either permanently resident in China or currently studying overseas, we would be pleased to hear from you about potential
- [Sabanci University International Seed Collaboration Project](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/sabanci-university-international-seed-collaboration-project/) - We are very grateful to Sabanci University for funding the project "AI-Guided Discovery and Validation of Human Blood–Brain Barrier Peptide Shuttles" that will now support the collaboration with Oznur Tastan and Nur Mustafaoglu. This is only the beginning, and we are sure we will do great things together. A special thank you to Daryl Williams
- [Peptides: more than a trend](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/peptides-more-than-a-trend/) - Peptides are everywhere right now, yet many people still do not really know what they are. Until recently, peptides remained largely the language of scientists, discussed mainly in laboratories and specialist journals. Today, they appear in news headlines, in doctors’ offices, in skincare products, and even in everyday conversation. People talk about peptides for weight
- [A Conversation with the European Synthetic Cell Community](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/a-conversation-with-syncelleu/) - In her interview with Joanne Chauveau, communication advisor for the European Synthetic Cell Initiative (SynCellEU), Lucia discusses her research on peptides, her passion for synthetic cells and the technological opportunities they offer, as well as the personal motivations driving her quest to find treatments for neurological diseases. She also shares her vision for future collaborations—not
- [Guest of the day: Dr Mohamed Elsawy, University of Manchester](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/guest-of-the-day-dr-dr-mohamed-elsawy-university-of-manchester/) - We were delighted to welcome back to Queen’s Dr Mohamed Elsawy, Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Manchester. Dr Elsawy leads the Peptide BioNanomaterials Group. His seminar focused on self-assembling peptide nanomaterials and their potential as an innovative strategy to tackle antimicrobial resistance.Our thanks to Dr Elsawy for his engaging and thought-provoking contribution.
- [In conversation with the American Peptide Society](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/in-conversation-with-the-american-peptide-society/) - In her conversation with the American Peptide Society, Lucia shared a research vision that bridges peptide-based drug delivery across biological barriers with antimicrobial design against resistant pathogens. At Queen's University Belfast, she is building not just a lab, but a culture. One where scientific rigor and genuine human connection are inseparable. Her story is about
- [Guest of the day: Prof Ljiljana Fruk, University of Cambridge](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/guest-of-the-day-prof-ljiljana-fruk-university-of-cambridge/) - We are delighted to welcome Prof Ljiljana Fruk, University of Cambridge, to our School today.Prof Fruk gave an insightful talk covering her work on nanoengineered tools for disease detection and therapy, highlighting the exciting potential of these approaches in advancing early monitoring and diagnosis. Many thanks to Prof Fruk for a thought-provoking contribution to the
- [Lucia joins BBSRC People and Talent Advisory Pool](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/lucia-joins-bbsrc-people-and-talent-advisory-pool/) - Lucia has been invited to join the People and Talent Advisory Pool. In this role, she will provide feedback on consultations, surveys, and policy questions to help BBSRC support the research and innovation workforce.
- [Happy New Year](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/happy-new-year-2026/) - Happy New Year to colleagues, collaborators, students, and friends. Thank you for your support and engagement over the past year. Wishing you a positive start to 2026, and we look forward to what we can achieve together.
- [The EDI event series is coming to QUB!](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/the-edi-event-series-is-coming-to-qub/) - Lucia is leading the organisation of a new EDI event series at QUB: "Voice of Inclusion". This five-part series, supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry, is dedicated to breaking down barriers in the chemical sciences. The initiative originates from the School of Biological Sciences, in collaboration with the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering,
- [Open Fellowship Scheme](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/open-fellowship-scheme/) - Are you a postdoctoral researcher interested in the gut-brain axis? I am seeking to host a talented, motivated postdoctoral researcher who plans to apply for an independent fellowship in the gut–brain axis area. As the host lab, I will provide mentorship and work with the candidate to develop and write a competitive proposal. Applicants should
- [PhD opportunity in our lab](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/phd-opportunity-in-our-lab/) - A PhD position is available under the supervision of Lucia Lombardi and Paulina Quintanilla (UCL). This opportunity is open to both home and international candidates. We are looking for a highly motivated student interested in working at the interface of organic chemistry, chemical biology, bioengineering and artificial intelligence. The project aims to develop engineered peptides and biomimetic systems to enable safe,
- [Academic Lead for EDI](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/academic-lead-for-edi/) - Lucia Lombardi is Academic Lead for EDI in the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast. In this role, she will help shape the School’s programmes and support a culture where people can work and learn well. As part of this commitment, Lucia will soon establish a Biological Sciences EDI Committee dedicated to promoting
- [Imperial College London - Sabanci University Workshop on Emerging Technologies!](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/imperial-college-london-sabanci-university-workshop-on-emerging-technologies/) - Wonderful experience in Istanbul! Lucia had the chance to meet amazing new people who are also excellent scientists. She is really looking forward to working with Sabancı. She is sure they will achieve great things together. A big thank you to Imperial College London and Sabanci University for organising such a fantastic workshop on Emerging
- [RSC Inclusion and Diversity Fund](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/rsc-inclusion-and-diversity-fund/) - Lucia has received funding from the Royal Society of Chemistry to support a project titled "Voices of Inclusion: Building Belonging Through Shared Stories and Open Dialogue". The initiative aims to break down barriers within the chemistry community by fostering open conversations and shared experiences. The project will support a series of five afternoon events taking
- [NEW PAPER: Advances in Peptidomimetics for Next-Generation Therapeutics: Strategies, Modifications, and Applications](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/advances-peptidomimetics-next-generation-therapeutics-strategies-modifications-pplications/) - Over the past two decades, peptide drug discovery has experienced a remarkable renaissance, with organic chemistry and biotechnology emerging as pivotal tools for developing peptidomimetics that exhibit improved stability, specificity, and bioavailability compared to conventional peptides. This review systematically examines methodologies for modifying peptide backbones to achieve targeted properties, highlighting recent advances facilitated by modern
- [NEW PAPER OUT: Peptide-Based Fluorescent Biosensing System for the Detection of the Melanoma Biomarker S100B](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/new-paper-out-peptide-based-fluorescent-biosensing-system-for-the-detection-of-the-melanoma-biomarker-s100b/) - Cutaneous melanoma, responsible for 80% of skin cancer mortality, presents urgent diagnostic challenges due to insufficient early detection methods. Current clinical methods rely on invasive biopsies, while noninvasive approaches primarily serve as adjunctive decision-support tools rather than definitive diagnostics. Here, a peptide-based fluorescent biosensing system was developed for the sensitive and rapid detection of S100B,
- [Speaking of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion...](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/speaking-of-equality-diversity-and-inclusion/) - Excellent and thoughtful talks at the EDI Afternoon at Queen’s led by Lucia. Many thanks to all the speakers: Prof Peter Robertson on personal challenges associated with disability, Prof Wafa Al-Jamal on ethnicity and religion, Dr Agnes Purwidyantri on low socio-economic backgrounds and Dr Linda Oyama on “Crazy Mum, Crazy Scientist: To Balance or Not
- [Cultural Sharing and Identity](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/cultural-sharing-and-identity/) - The second day of our EDI series has wrapped up and it was AMAZING! 🎉 We played, had a lot of fun and learned so much about other cultures.A special thanks to the PhD students, Ada Sandoval, Cecilia Bertacini, Gama Dominic, Maryam Dehbasteh and Nicole Glendinning, who designed and ran this fantastic session, Erin Spence
- [Lucia awarded the Julia Higgins Award at Imperial](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/lucia-awarded-the-julia-higgins-award-at-imperial/) - Lucia has been recognized with the Julia Higgins Award for her positive contribution to the Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London.
- [JOURNAL COVER: Advancements in Loop Cyclization Approaches for Enhanced Peptide Therapeutics for Targeting Protein-Protein Interactions](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/journal-cover-advancements-in-loop-cyclization-approaches-for-enhanced-peptide-therapeutics-for-targeting-protein-protein-interactions/) - Jiaxu Li designed the nice cover for our article “Advancements in Loop Cyclization Approaches for Enhanced Peptide Therapeutics for Targeting Protein-Protein Interactions,” which was published in The Journal of Organic Chemistry in collaboration with Robin Shattock and Luke Granger.
- [Lucia has been elected Director of AISUK](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/lucia-has-been-elected-director-of-local-representatives-at-the-aisuk/) - Lucia has been elected Director of the Association of Italian Scientists in the UK (AISUK). In this leadership role, Lucia will oversee and coordinate the association’s regional branches, strengthening connections among Italian researchers throughout the UK. AISUK Board of Directors AISUK brings together Italian scientists working across three main domains: Physical Sciences and Engineering, Social
- [American Peptide Symposium 2025 - Join us in San Diego!](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/american-peptide-symposium-join-us-in-san-diego/) - The 29th American Peptide Symposium and 15th International Peptide Symposium are coming to San Diego! From June 15th – 19th, 2025, you will have the chance to hear from world-renowned peptide scientists, emerging talents, and pioneering leaders in peptide science. We will be there and cannot wait to connect with fellow peptide enthusiasts!
- [Inside the lab: a quick look at our research](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/lombardi-research-overview/) - In this brief video, Lucia provides an overview of our ongoing research in the Lombardi Group. We hope it offers an engaging and informative glimpse into the work we are passionate about.
- [Spotlight on Lucia](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/spotlight-on-lucia/) - Career Path and Advice Tell us about your research and how your career has progressed? I am a peptide chemist focused on the synthesis, characterization, and application of peptides for healthcare, including drug delivery, sensing, and targeting. When I began my PhD in 2013, peptides were largely known only to specialists, but today they are
- [The new website is live!](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/the-new-website-is-live/) - Visit the Lombardi Lab website to know who we are and what we do.
- [Lucia is in the WG 2 and 3 of the European network SNOOPY](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/lucia-is-member-of-the-wg-2-and-3-of-the-european-network-nanostructured-or-pore-forming-peptides-for-therapy-snoopy-2/) - The COST Action SNOOPY brings together a network of experts and young researchers from diverse disciplines (chemistry, biology, biochemistry, materials science, nanotechnology, medicine, physics) to overcome existing barriers to predict and implement bioactive peptides’ ability to self-assemble into functional nanostructures, including those at the interface with membranes, potentially forming pores and channels.
- [NEW PAPER: Confinement and Catalysis within De Novo Designed Peptide Barrels](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/new-paper-confinement-and-catalysis-within-de-novo-designed-peptide-barrels/) - De novo protein design has advanced such that many peptide assemblies and protein structures can be generated predictably and quickly. The drive now is to bring functions to these structures, for example, small-molecule binding and catalysis. The formidable challenge of binding and orienting multiple small molecules to direct chemistry is particularly important for paving the way to new functionalities.
- [NEW PAPER: Peptide-Based Biomaterials for Combatting Infections and Improving Drug Delivery](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/new-paper-peptide-based-biomaterials-for-combatting-infections-and-improving-drug-delivery/) - The potential of peptide-based biomaterials to enhance biomedical applications through self-assembly, biological responsiveness, and selective targeting.
- [NEW PAPER: Advancements in Loop Cyclization Approaches for Enhanced Peptide Therapeutics for Targeting Protein–Protein Interactions](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/new-paper-peptide-based-biomaterials-for-combatting-infections-and-improving-drug-delivery-2/) - This study focuses on mimicking peptide loops as a strategy for PPI inhibition, utilizing synthetic peptide loops for replicating critical binding regions.

## Pages

- [Welcome](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/) - Therapeutic peptides at biological barriers and interfaces
- [Publications](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/publications/) - Publications from the Lombardi Group
- [Chemical personalities in the lab](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/chemical-personalities-in-the-lab/) - Which chemical personality are you? In many ways, I probably have something of a free radical in me: curiosity, energy and a tendency to challenge stable assumptions. Lucia Lombardi I probably have something of a cross-linker in me: I naturally bring people together, strengthen connections and help build something more cohesive and stronger when we
- [Join us](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/opportunities/) - We welcome enquiries from talented and dedicated researchers to join our group and conduct research at the interface of chemistry, biology and bioengineering We are always excited to supervise MPhil, MRes, MSci and MSc students. If you are interested, please contact Lucia for more information. Funded PhD and Postdoctoral positions will be advertised here under
- [Contact](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/contact/) - Lab address
- [EDI](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/edi/) - Creating a supportive culture for students and staff. Building a place where everyone belongs! Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is our shared commitment to creating an environment where everyone can participate, contribute, and thrive—regardless of background, identity, or lived experience. At Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) School of Biological Sciences, EDI is not an “add-on”; it
- [Team members](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team-members/) - Lucia Lombardi Group members
- [Research Overview](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/research-overview/) - Therapeutic peptides at biological barriers The Lombardi Lab is building an interdisciplinary research programme focused on therapeutic peptides at biological barriers. Peptides are increasingly important as medicines, biological tools and delivery agents, but their therapeutic potential is often limited by poor stability, restricted transport and complex interactions with biological interfaces. These challenges are particularly important
- [Gallery](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/gallery/) - March 2026 We posed for photos to go with Lucia’s interview with the American Peptide Society, with expert help from Erin Spence behind the camera. Read the interview HERE. From left to right: Ellie Anderson, Charlotte Hamilton, Angelina Madden, Megan Carey, Lucia Lombardi. From left to right: Angelina Madden, Charlotte Hamilton, Ellie Anderson, Megan Carey,
- [Learning Corner](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/learning-corner/) - Research & Skills fff ggg fff ggg
- [Current Projects](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/current-projects/) - Engineering endogenous peptides for brain-targeted therapeutics and drug delivery systems Funder: NI Department for the Economy Dates: 2026 - 2029 PI: Dr Lucia Lombardi (Queen's University Belfast) Collaborators: Dr Paulina Quintanilla (University College London), Dr Sophie Morse (Imperial College London), Dr Yuval Elani (Imperial College London) Abstract: The project aims to develop engineered peptides and
- [Previous Projects](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/previous-projects/) - Page will be available soon.

## Team

- [Megan Carey](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team/megan-carey/)
- [Dr Celia Jimenez Lopez](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team/dr-celia-jimenez-lopez/)
- [Kavya Kanishka Tadela](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team/kavya-kanishka-tadela/)
- [Luke Weatherald](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team/luke-weatherald/)
- [Francesco Tammaro](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team/francesco-tammaro/)
- [Ellie Anderson](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team/ellie-anderson/)
- [Charlotte Hamilton](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team/charlotte-hamilton/)
- [Dr Lucia Lombardi](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team/dr-lucia-lombardi/) - Lucia is an Assistant Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast and in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London. She is also Academic Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Race Equality Charter Champion at Queen’s University Belfast. Other Professional Activities 2024 - present, Expert peer reviewer for
- [Dr Angelina Madden](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team/dr-angelina-madden/)

## Social Icon Sets

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## Categories

- [news](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/category/news/)
- [past events](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/category/past-events/)
- [publications](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/category/publications/)
- [funding](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/category/funding/)
- [outreach](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/category/outreach/)
- [interviews](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/category/interviews/)
- [equality, diversity and inclusion in science](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/category/equality-diversity-and-inclusion-in-science/)
- [awards and prizes](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/category/awards-and-prizes/)
- [recruitment](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/category/recruitment/)

## Designations

- [undergraduate student](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team_designation/ug/)
- [technician](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team_designation/technician/)
- [principal investigator](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team_designation/pi/)
- [postgraduate taught student](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team_designation/pgt/)
- [alumni](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team_designation/alumni/)
- [visiting scientist](https://lucialombardi-researchlab.com/team_designation/visiting-scientist/)