Paola Luciani, Ph.D./ Full Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Bern
Paola Luciani, Ph.D./ Full Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Bern
Biography
Paola Luciani has been a Full Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Bern since 2019 and Director of Studies of the Bachelor in Pharmaceutical Sciences since 2020. Before moving to Bern, she was Associate Professor for Phospholipids in Drug Development at the University of Jena, Germany, and had research positions at the University of Florence and ETH Zurich under the mentorship of Profs. Piero Baglioni and Jean-Christophe Leroux, respectively. She obtained her M.Sc. (2002) and Ph.D. (2006) in Chemical Sciences from the University of Rome La Sapienza, where she started extruding liposomes for the first time. Prof. Luciani is President of the Controlled Release Society Local Chapter Germany/Switzerland/Austria and Vice-President Science of the Swiss Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences. She serves as an external Specialist for Pharmaceutical Quality at Swissmedic and as an Expert for the Nanomedicine Working group of the European Pharmacopoeia. Since 2019, she's been a member of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Phospholipid Research Center. In 2023, she co-founded the Center of Extracellular Research at the University of Bern. A strong advocate for gender equality, diversity, and inclusion, she has served on the Equal Opportunity Commission of her Faculty in Jena and in Bern, and mentored for the SCS Swiss Women in Chemistry, the YCS Mentoring program and the European Pharmaceutical students' associations EPSA. Prof. Luciani’s research focuses on the design and characterization of lipid-based delivery systems for drug delivery and diagnosis, with a focus on treatments for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases, also related to women’s health, such as endometriosis. Her scientific contributions have earned her various recognitions, including an ERC Synergy Grant, the Breaking Barriers Breakthrough Award from the Controlled Release Society's Skin and Mucosal Delivery Focus Group, and the Emerging Investigator recognition from the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Interview
NanoSphere: Tell us a bit about yourself—your background, journey, and what led you to where you are today.
Paola: Throughout my professional journey, I’ve always embraced a guiding principle: not to chase a specific job or position, but to feel passionate about what I do. I was lucky enough to end up doing the most beautiful job in the world: being a scientist! I decided to study chemistry because I wanted to become a forensic specialist, driven by my love of crime novels and solving mysteries. But eventually I developed a deep fascination with understanding biological mechanisms, especially at the biointerface. When I had the opportunity to work on liposomes during my Master thesis, I realized this was my true calling. From that point onward, I progressively transitioned from the plain characterization of colloidal systems to their design as nanocarriers for therapeutic applications, expanding my research interests to a range of lipid-based drug delivery systems. Now, I have the pleasure of leading a team of talented scientists at different stages of their academic journeys. They are the beating heart of research in drug delivery at the University of Bern. As I often say, it takes a village, and I feel incredibly grateful to be part of “my” village! Being a university professor also involves mentoring very young students who are approaching the field of pharmaceutical sciences and nanomedicine for the first time in their lives. Seeing the spark in the students’ eyes when teaching the principles of nanomedicine is priceless.
NanoSphere: You’ve worked extensively on liposome-based and depot injectable systems. What do you believe still limits their broader adoption: formulation complexity, delivery precision, or regulatory uncertainty? How do you approach endosomal escape and cellular targeting, are there particular bio-derived materials or formulation principles your lab finds especially promising besides liposome based ones?
Paola: Depot systems offer the beautiful opportunity to improve medical adherence. For patients with chronic illnesses, often polymedicated, non-compliance is really a silent epidemic. Our approach for liposome-based injectable systems can be considered “bottom-up” as we introduce a trigger to aggregate large unilamellar vesicles to simplify manufacturing, while at the same time we build up micron-sized systems for sustained release. This design may facilitate the streamlining of the regulatory process, particularly concerning quality controls. I have worked with cellular targeting using liposomes in the past. I believe that there is a whole world related to understanding the biomolecular corona and how it might affect the interaction with recipient cells. We are not there yet, but many brilliant colleagues are relentlessly putting together the many, many pieces of the puzzle. Soon we will have more and more breakthroughs. While waiting for it, I opted for one of the best targeting systems in nature: extracellular vesicles. With colleagues at the Medical Faculty of the University of Bern, we have now established a Center with cutting-edge technology and comprehensive expertise in diverse EV sources and pathologies, and I look forward to seeing where this Center will take us.
NanoSphere: As an expert in the EDQM’s NANO Working Group, what’s your perspective on the current pace of regulatory harmonization, are we any closer to consistent definitions and standards for nanomedicines across Europe? What are some pharmaceutical quality issues that developers of nanomedicines still tend to underestimate?
Paola: Regulatory harmonization in the nanomedicine field is happening. Slowly but surely, regulatory experts across the globe started working together to optimize resources and streamline decision-making and guidelines. Patients’ safety is always the absolute priority (luckily!), and, for this reason, regulatory bodies tend to be more conservative in ensuring the quality and effectiveness of medical products. An erroneous approval may set back nanomedicine development by half a century. Therefore, my suggestion to developers is to engage with regulatory authorities at the earliest stages of product development. Regulatory experts encourage early contact, particularly concerning “special” products such as nanomedicine. Developers should also be mindful not to underestimate the importance of thoroughly and convincingly characterizing new nanomedicine products and providing mechanistic explanations.
Paola: Regulatory harmonization in the nanomedicine field is happening. Slowly but surely, regulatory experts across the globe started working together to optimize resources and streamline decision-making and guidelines. Patients’ safety is always the absolute priority (luckily!), and, for this reason, regulatory bodies tend to be more conservative in ensuring the quality and effectiveness of medical products. An erroneous approval may set back nanomedicine development by half a century. Therefore, my suggestion to developers is to engage with regulatory authorities at the earliest stages of product development. Regulatory experts encourage early contact, particularly concerning “special” products such as nanomedicine. Developers should also be mindful not to underestimate the importance of thoroughly and convincingly characterizing new nanomedicine products and providing mechanistic explanations.
NanoSphere: You’re deeply involved in national and international scientific networks, how do you see the role of organizations like the CRS and Swiss Academy in accelerating translational success for nanomedicine platforms?
Paola: Organizations like the CRS serve as invaluable platforms that connect scientists from diverse backgrounds and sectors, helping to advance drug delivery to new heights. Global conferences, webinars, local chapters’ activities bring visionary scientists together, not only to inspire younger scientists to bravely explore uncharted territories but also to foster connections with industry professionals, who are fully dedicated to turning bold ideas into real therapies. This feedback loop is essential for accelerating translational success. The Swiss Academy operates similarly at regional level, but on a broader scale: it represents not just drug delivery but the entire spectrum of pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy. From drug discovery to patient care, it is truly a privilege to be part of such a comprehensive organization that brings this knowledge to benefit society. It also connects experts from highly diverse fields who share a common goal: improving patients’ lives – also with nanomedicines.
Paola: Organizations like the CRS serve as invaluable platforms that connect scientists from diverse backgrounds and sectors, helping to advance drug delivery to new heights. Global conferences, webinars, local chapters’ activities bring visionary scientists together, not only to inspire younger scientists to bravely explore uncharted territories but also to foster connections with industry professionals, who are fully dedicated to turning bold ideas into real therapies. This feedback loop is essential for accelerating translational success. The Swiss Academy operates similarly at regional level, but on a broader scale: it represents not just drug delivery but the entire spectrum of pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy. From drug discovery to patient care, it is truly a privilege to be part of such a comprehensive organization that brings this knowledge to benefit society. It also connects experts from highly diverse fields who share a common goal: improving patients’ lives – also with nanomedicines.
NanoSphere: If there’s one key message or insight you’d like to share with readers about the future of nanomedicine, what would it be?
Paola: Acting at different depth levels and bridging disciplines will help progress: translational success often relies on very simple principles, sometimes even from other fields, discovered by thinking outside the box. Simplicity aids in ensuring robustness, reproducibility, and ultimately a smoother regulatory process. Simple systems may still exhibit very complex biological outcomes once we transition from in vitro to in vivo - this is where we must remain open-minded and brave to close the translational gap in nanomedicine.
NanoSphere: Finally, how do you see communities like NanoSphere contributing to the field? What could platforms like ours do better to support meaningful dialogue, and what types of conversations or content do you believe the field needs more of right now?
Paola: I have been following NanoSphere since the start. What drew me in was its fresh perspective, which makes complex scientific, business, and regulatory topics accessible while still offering in-depth resources for those who want to explore further. The rapidly expanding community confirms that this kind of space was needed, and conversations naturally unfold around important topics and a variety of voices. I can only suggest keeping up your excellent work!