Roberto Di Gesù

Scopus Publications

Tissue engineering for tendon and ligament repair: Insights and advances
Francesca Romano, Francesco Lopresti, Roberto Di Gesù, Vincenzo La Carrubba
View, 2025
Diseases and injuries affecting tendons (Ts) and ligaments (Ls) are among the most frequently diagnosed musculoskeletal disorders. Although many of these are not life threatening, they can cause severe debilitation, ultimately leading to substantial reductions in the patients’ mobility and quality of life. Even though the relevant advances in surgical and rehabilitative approaches to treat T/Ls diseases, the incidence of complications associated with those approaches is still too high, making T/Ls diseases an unmet clinical need. Currently, there is no consensus on an effective therapeutic strategy able to promote a complete T/Ls healing process. Over the past decade, there has been a growing interest in developing tissue‐engineered T constructs as viable graft alternatives. In this review, we aim to delve into the latest advancements in the field of tissue engineering for T repair. The most advanced technologies such as electrospinning, 3D printing, melt electrowriting, and hybrid fabrication techniques have been discussed, adopting critical connections with biological and biomolecular aspects. Furthermore, this review provides comprehensive insights into current strategies, and future directions, of T/Ls regeneration using tissue engineering approaches, thus paving the way to the development of new effective approaches to T/Ls diseases.
Engineering a Human-Sized Common Bile Duct Prototype with Regenerative Potential: In Vitro Evaluation of Mechanics, Function, Degradation, and Immune Modulation
Mattia Pasqua, Marianna Barbuto, Matteo Calligaris, Roberto Di Gesù, Duilio Pagano, et al.
Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2025
Tissue engineering offers new hope for treating biliary defects. Several scaffolds have been proposed, but their properties have not been fully investigated. In this study, the design, fabrication, and characterization of a novel common bile duct (CBD)‐like prototype are described. This prototype combines two biocompatible biomaterials, methacrylated type I collagen (CollMA) and poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL), along with biliary epithelial cells. CollMA supports the organization of biliary epithelial cells into a functional biliary‐like epithelium, as shown by histological, functional, and proteomic assays, while PCL provides mechanical strength. The biological and mechanical phases of the prototype are integrated into a multiphasic tubular scaffold using molding and electrospinning techniques. The final CBD‐like prototype consists of three interpenetrating phases: from innermost to outermost, these are biliary epithelial cell‐laden CollMA, PCL, and CollMA. This design overcomes challenges seen in multilayer constructs, such as interlayer delamination and lack of homogeneity. The prototype remains stable under physiological conditions, enables bile flow without leakage, and exhibits bile acid transport and modification activities, warranting future in vivo preclinical evaluation. In an ex vivo human blood assay, the acellular prototype elicited a favorable immune response, limiting inflammation and promoting sustained release of epidermal growth factor (EGF), indicating its potential to support regenerative processes.
Engineered collagen-coated scaffolds for tendon regeneration: a multifunctional drug delivery approach
Chiara Di Marco, Francesca Romano, Francesco Lopresti, Simona Campora, Albert Comelli, et al.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2025
Biofabrication of an in situ hypoxia-delivery scaffold for cartilage regeneration
R Di Gesù, A Palumbo Piccionello, G Vitale, S Buscemi, S Panzavolta, et al.
Biofabrication, 2025
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating joint condition affecting millions of people worldwide, triggering painful chondral defects (CDs) that ultimately compromise the overarching patients’ quality of life. Currently, several reconstructive cartilage techniques (RCTs) (i.e.: matrix-assisted autologous chondrocytes implantation has been developed to overcome the total joint replacement limitations in the treatment of CDs. However, there is no consensus on the effectiveness of RCTs in the long term, as they do not provide adequate pro-regenerative stimuli to ensure complete CDs healing. In this study, we describe the biofabrication of an innovative scaffold capable to promote the CDs healing by delivering pro-regenerative hypoxic cues at the cellular/tissue level, to be used during RCTs. The scaffold is composed of a gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) matrix doped with hypoxic seeds of GelMA functionalized with a fluorinated oxadiazole (GelOXA), which ensures the delivery of hypoxic cues to human articular chondrocytes (hACs) embedded within the scaffold. We found that the GelMA/GelOXA scaffold preserved hACs viability, maintained their native phenotype, and significantly improved the production of type II collagen. Besides, we observed a reduction in type I and type X collagen, characteristic of unhealthy cartilage. These findings pave the way for the regeneration of healthy, hyaline-like cartilage, by delivering hypoxic cues even under normoxic conditions. Furthermore, the GelMA/GelOXA scaffold’s ability to deliver healing signals directly to the injury site holds great potential for treating OA and related CDs, and has the potential to revolutionize the field of cartilage repair and regenerative medicine.
Engineered collagen-coated scaffolds for tendon repair: a novel drug delivery system
Convegno Nazionale Di Bioingegneria, 2025
Peptide direct growth on poly(acrylic acid)/poly(vinyl alcohol) electrospun fibers coated with branched poly(ethylenimine): A solid-phase approach for scaffolds biofunctionalization
Anna Liguori, Junwei Zhao, Roberto Di Gesù, Rossella De Marco, Chiara Gualandi, et al.
Colloids and Surfaces B Biointerfaces, 2024
Novel half Salphen cobalt(iii) complexes: synthesis, DNA binding and anticancer studies
Riccardo Bonsignore, Elisa Trippodo, Roberto Di Gesù, Anna Paola Carreca, Simona Rubino, et al.
Dalton Transactions, 2024
Novel DNA binding half Salphen cobalt(iii)complexes with promising anticancer activity on 3D cultured models.
A High-Throughput Mechanical Activator for Cartilage Engineering Enables Rapid Screening of in vitro Response of Tissue Models to Physiological and Supra-Physiological Loads
Elisa Capuana, Davide Marino, Roberto Di Gesù, Vincenzo La Carrubba, Valerio Brucato, et al.
Cells Tissues Organs, 2023
Articular cartilage is crucially influenced by loading during development, health, and disease. However, our knowledge of the mechanical conditions that promote engineered cartilage maturation or tissue repair is still incomplete. Current in vitro models that allow precise control of the local mechanical environment have been dramatically limited by very low throughput, usually just a few specimens per experiment. To overcome this constraint, we have developed a new device for the high throughput compressive loading of tissue constructs: the High Throughput Mechanical Activator for Cartilage Engineering (HiT-MACE), which allows the mechanoactivation of 6 times more samples than current technologies. With HiT-MACE we were able to apply cyclic loads in the physiological (e.g., equivalent to walking and normal daily activity) and supra-physiological range (e.g., injurious impacts or extensive overloading) to up to 24 samples in one single run. In this report, we compared the early response of cartilage to physiological and supra-physiological mechanical loading to the response to IL-1β exposure, a common but rudimentary in vitro model of cartilage osteoarthritis. Physiological loading rapidly upregulated gene expression of anabolic markers along the TGF-β1 pathway. Notably, TGF-β1 or serum was not included in the medium. Supra-physiological loading caused a mild catabolic response while IL-1β exposure drove a rapid anabolic shift. This aligns well with recent findings suggesting that overloading is a more realistic and biomimetic model of cartilage degeneration. Taken together, these findings showed that the application of HiT-MACE allowed the use of larger number of samples to generate higher volume of data to effectively explore cartilage mechanobiology, which will enable the design of more effective repair and rehabilitation strategies for degenerative cartilage pathologies.
A Mesoscale 3D Culture System for Native and Engineered Biphasic Tissues: Application to the Osteochondral Unit
Irene Chiesa, Roberto Di Gesù, Kalon J. Overholt, Riccardo Gottardi
Methods in Molecular Biology, 2022
Generation of hepatobiliary cell lineages from human induced pluripotent stem cells: Applications in disease modeling and drug screening
Mattia Pasqua, Roberto Di Gesù, Cinzia Maria Chinnici, Pier Giulio Conaldi, Maria Giovanna Francipane
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021
The possibility to reproduce key tissue functions in vitro from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is offering an incredible opportunity to gain better insight into biological mechanisms underlying development and disease, and a tool for the rapid screening of drug candidates. This review attempts to summarize recent strategies for specification of iPSCs towards hepatobiliary lineages —hepatocytes and cholangiocytes—and their use as platforms for disease modeling and drug testing. The application of different tissue-engineering methods to promote accurate and reliable readouts is discussed. Space is given to open questions, including to what extent these novel systems can be informative. Potential pathways for improvement are finally suggested.
Klebsiella pneumoniae lipopolysaccharides serotype o2afg induce poor inflammatory immune responses ex vivo
Matteo Bulati, Rosalia Busà, Claudia Carcione, Gioacchin Iannolo, Giuseppina Di Mento, et al.
Microorganisms, 2021
Application of a Hyperelastic 3D Printed Scaffold for Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Fabrication of a Bizonal Tendon Enthesis-like Construct
Riccardo Gottardi, Kim Moeller, Roberto Di Gesù, Rocky S. Tuan, Martijn van Griensven, et al.
Frontiers in Materials, 2021
Design and in vitro study of a dual drug-loaded delivery system produced by electrospinning for the treatment of acute injuries of the central nervous system
Luisa Stella Dolci, Rosaria Carmela Perone, Roberto Di Gesù, Mallesh Kurakula, Chiara Gualandi, et al.
Pharmaceutics, 2021
3D printing for tissue engineering in otolaryngology
Roberto Di Gesù, Abhinav P. Acharya, Ian Jacobs, Riccardo Gottardi
Connective Tissue Research, 2020
Endothelial cells support osteogenesis in an in vitro vascularized bone model developed by 3D bioprinting
Irene Chiesa, Carmelo De Maria, Anna Lapomarda, Gabriele Maria Fortunato, Francesca Montemurro, et al.
Biofabrication, 2020
Biodegradable electrospun fibers enriched with struvite crystal seeds for the recovery of phosphorous and nitrogen
Roberto Di Gesù, Chiara Gualandi, Andrea Zucchelli, Anna Liguori, Laura Paltrinieri, et al.
European Polymer Journal, 2020
Biofabrication and characterization of a biphasic construct to study osteochondral tissue in vitro
Convegno Nazionale Di Bioingegneria, 2020
Electrospun scaffolds in tendons regeneration: A review
R. Di Gesù, G. Amato, R. Gottardi
Muscles Ligaments and Tendons Journal, 2019
Advances in multidrug delivery from electrospun nanomaterials
Roberto Di Gesù, Andrea Merlettini, Chiara Gualandi, Maria Letizia Focarete
Core Shell Nanostructures for Drug Delivery and Theranostics Challenges Strategies and Prospects for Novel Carrier Systems, 2018
Correction to: Entrapment of an EGFR inhibitor into nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) improves its antitumor activity against human hepatocarcinoma cells [Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 12, (2014), (21)] Doi: 10.1186/1477-3155-12-21
Roberto Di Gesù, Maria Luisa Bondì, Antonina Azzolina, Emanuela Fabiola Craparo, Chiara Botto, et al.
Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 2018
Controlled and sustained release of a corticosteroid drug from block copolymers synthetized by ATRP
Graziella Valenti, Stefania La Carta, Giovanni Mazzotti, Marco Rapisarda, Stefania Perna, et al.
Polymer Engineering and Science, 2017
Controlled release of cortisone drugs from block copolymers synthetized by ATRP
G. Valenti, S. La Carta, G. Mazzotti, M. Rapisarda, S. Perna, et al.
Aip Conference Proceedings, 2016
Entrapment of an EGFR inhibitor into nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) improves its antitumor activity against human hepatocarcinoma cells
Maria Bondì, Antonina Azzolina, Emanuela Craparo, Chiara Botto, Erika Amore, et al.
Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 2014
Lipid nanocarriers containing ester prodrugs of flurbiprofen preparation, physical-chemical characterization and biological studies
M. L. Bondì, E. F. Craparo, P. Picone, G. Giammona, R. Di Gesù, et al.
Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology, 2013
Lipid nanoparticles for drug targeting to the brain
Maria Luisa Bondì, Roberto Di Gesù, Emanuela Fabiola Craparo
Methods in Enzymology, 2012
Lipid nanoparticles as delivery vehicles for the Parietaria judaica major allergen Par j 2.
Maria Luisa Bondì, Montana, Bonura, Colombo, Emanuela Fabiola Craparo, et al.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2011
Curcumin entrapped into lipid nanosystems inhibits neuroblastoma cancer cell growth and activates Hsp70 protein
M. Bondì, E. Craparo, P. Picone, M. Carlo, R. Gesu, et al.
Current Nanoscience, 2010

RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

Tissue engineering for tendon and ligament repair: Insights and advances
F Romano, F Lopresti, RD Gesù, V La Carrubba
View 6 (6), 20250063 , 2025
2025
Citations: 1
TUNABLE SMART BIOMATERIAL FOR CARTILAGE REGENERATION (ULTRACART REGENERA)
R Di Gesù, G Burriesci, F Lopresti, F Romano, S Di Leonardo, ...
Orthopaedic Proceedings 107 (SUPP_8), 13-13 , 2025
2025
INNOVATIVE ELECTROSPUN SCAFFOLDS FOR TENDON REGENERATION: A NOVEL APPROACH TO PREVENT POST-SURGICAL FIBROSIS
F Romano, F Lopresti, C Di Marco, V La Carrubba, R Di Gesù
Orthopaedic Proceedings 107 (SUPP_6), 100-100 , 2025
2025
Engineering a Human‐Sized Common Bile Duct Prototype with Regenerative Potential: In Vitro Evaluation of Mechanics, Function, Degradation, and Immune Modulation
M Pasqua, M Barbuto, M Calligaris, R Di Gesù, D Pagano, R Busà, ...
Advanced Healthcare Materials 14 (21), 2501660 , 2025
2025
Citations: 1
Biofabrication of an in situ hypoxia-delivery scaffold for cartilage regeneration
R Di Gesù, A Palumbo Piccionello, G Vitale, S Buscemi, S Panzavolta, ...
Biofabrication 17 (2), 025025 , 2025
2025
Citations: 6
Engineered collagen-coated scaffolds for tendon regeneration: a multifunctional drug delivery approach
F Di Marco, C., Romano, F Lopresti, S Campora, A Comelli, R Di Gesù, ...
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 315 (144445) , 2025
2025
Citations: 4
Scaffold for cartilage regeneration
R Di Gesù, A Palumbo Piccionello, R Gottardi
IT Patent P024171IT-01 , 2024
2024
Peptide direct growth on poly (acrylic acid)/poly (vinyl alcohol) electrospun fibers coated with branched poly (ethylenimine): A solid-phase approach for scaffolds …
A Liguori, J Zhao, R Di Gesù, R De Marco, C Gualandi, N Calonghi, ...
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 241, 114052 , 2024
2024
Citations: 3
Novel half Salphen cobalt(III) complexes: synthesis, DNA binding and anticancer studies
BG Bonsignore R., Trippodo E., Di Gesù R., Carreca A.P., Rubino S., Spinello ...
Dalton Transaction , 2024
2024
Citations: 14
Implantable composition for use in cartilage defects repair in post-surgery rehabilitation
R Di Gesù, R Gottardi
US Patent WO2024251364, P023293WO-01 , 2023
2023
BIOFABRICATION OF A TRIPHASIC VASCULO-OSSEOUS-CHONDRAL CONSTRUCT TO MODEL THE OSTEOCHONDRAL COMPLEX IN VITRO
I Chiesa, C De Maria, A Lapomarda, GM Fortunato, PM Geheret, ...
TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A 28, S156-S157 , 2022
2022
A mesoscale 3D culture system for native and engineered biphasic tissues: application to the osteochondral unit
I Chiesa, R Di Gesù, KJ Overholt, R Gottardi
Organ-on-a-Chip: Methods and Protocols, 267-281 , 2021
2021
Citations: 3
Klebsiella pneumoniae Lipopolysaccharides Serotype O2afg Induce Poor Inflammatory Immune Responses Ex Vivo
M Bulati, R Busà, C Carcione, G Iannolo, G Di Mento, N Cuscino, ...
Microorganisms 9 (6), 1317 , 2021
2021
Citations: 36
Design and In Vitro Study of a Dual Drug-Loaded Delivery System Produced by Electrospinning for the Treatment of Acute Injuries of the Central Nervous System
BML Dolci L.S., Perone R.C., Di Gesù R., Kurakula M., Gualandi C., Zironi E ...
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics13060848 13 (6), 848-867 , 2021
2021
Citations: 17
Generation of Hepatobiliary Cell Lineages from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: Applications in Disease Modeling and Drug Screening
M Pasqua, R Di Gesù, CM Chinnici, PG Conaldi, MG Francipane
International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22 (15), 8227 , 2021
2021
Citations: 8
A High-Throughput Mechanical Activator for Cartilage Engineering Enables Rapid Screening of in vitro Response of Tissue Models to Physiological and Supra-physiological Loads
GR Capuana E., Marino D., Di Gesù R., La Carrubba V., Brucato V., Rocky S.T.
Cells, Tissues, Organs , 2021
2021
Citations: 24
Application of a Hyperelastic 3D Printed Scaffold for Mesenchymal Stem Cell-based Fabrication of a Bizonal Tendon Enthesis-like Construct
R Gottardi, K Moeller, R Di Gesù, RS Tuan, M van Griensven, ...
Frontiers in Materials 8, 21 , 2021
2021
Citations: 22
Endothelial cells support osteogenesis in an in vitro vascularized bone model developed by 3D bioprinting
I Chiesa, C De Maria, A Lapomarda, GM Fortunato, F Montemurro, ...
Biofabrication 12 (2), 025013 , 2020
2020
Citations: 127
Biodegradable electrospun fibers enriched with struvite crystal seeds for the recovery of phosphorous and nitrogen
R Di Gesù, C Gualandi, A Zucchelli, A Liguori, L Paltrinieri, ML Focarete
European Polymer Journal 122, 109389 , 2020
2020
Citations: 10
Biofabrication and characterization of a biphasic construct to study osteochondral tissue in vitro
I Chiesa, C De Maria, A Lapomarda, GM Fortunato, F Montemurro, ...
Convegno Nazionale di Bioingegneria, 155-158 , 2020
2020

MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

Endothelial cells support osteogenesis in an in vitro vascularized bone model developed by 3D bioprinting
I Chiesa, C De Maria, A Lapomarda, GM Fortunato, F Montemurro, ...
Biofabrication 12 (2), 025013 , 2020
2020
Citations: 127
Lipid nanoparticles for drug targeting to the brain
ML Bondì, R Di Gesù, EF Craparo
Methods in enzymology 508, 229-251 , 2012
2012
Citations: 68
3D Printing for Tissue Engineering in Otolaryngology
R Di Gesù, A Acharya, I Jacobs, R Gottardi
Connective Tissue Research 60 , 2019
2019
Citations: 50
Klebsiella pneumoniae Lipopolysaccharides Serotype O2afg Induce Poor Inflammatory Immune Responses Ex Vivo
M Bulati, R Busà, C Carcione, G Iannolo, G Di Mento, N Cuscino, ...
Microorganisms 9 (6), 1317 , 2021
2021
Citations: 36
Entrapment of an EGFR inhibitor into nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) improves its antitumor activity against human hepatocarcinoma cells (vol 12, 21, 2014)
R Di Gesu, ML Bondi, A Azzolina, EF Craparo, C Botto, E Amore, ...
JOURNAL OF NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 16 , 2018
2018
Citations: 32
A High-Throughput Mechanical Activator for Cartilage Engineering Enables Rapid Screening of in vitro Response of Tissue Models to Physiological and Supra-physiological Loads
GR Capuana E., Marino D., Di Gesù R., La Carrubba V., Brucato V., Rocky S.T.
Cells, Tissues, Organs , 2021
2021
Citations: 24
Application of a Hyperelastic 3D Printed Scaffold for Mesenchymal Stem Cell-based Fabrication of a Bizonal Tendon Enthesis-like Construct
R Gottardi, K Moeller, R Di Gesù, RS Tuan, M van Griensven, ...
Frontiers in Materials 8, 21 , 2021
2021
Citations: 22
Curcumin entrapped into lipid nanosystems inhibits neuroblastoma cancer cell growth and activates Hsp70 protein
ML Bondì, EF Craparo, P Picone, MD Carlo, RD Gesu, G Capuano, ...
Current Nanoscience 6 (5), 439-445 , 2010
2010
Citations: 21
Design and In Vitro Study of a Dual Drug-Loaded Delivery System Produced by Electrospinning for the Treatment of Acute Injuries of the Central Nervous System
BML Dolci L.S., Perone R.C., Di Gesù R., Kurakula M., Gualandi C., Zironi E ...
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics13060848 13 (6), 848-867 , 2021
2021
Citations: 17
Novel half Salphen cobalt(III) complexes: synthesis, DNA binding and anticancer studies
BG Bonsignore R., Trippodo E., Di Gesù R., Carreca A.P., Rubino S., Spinello ...
Dalton Transaction , 2024
2024
Citations: 14
Lipid nanoparticles as delivery vehicles for the Parietaria judaica major allergen Par j 2
ML Bondì, G Montana, EF Craparo, R Di Gesù, G Giammona, A Bonura, ...
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2953-2962 , 2011
2011
Citations: 14
Advances in multidrug delivery from electrospun nanomaterials
R Di Gesù, A Merlettini, C Gualandi, ML Focarete
Core-Shell Nanostructures for Drug Delivery and Theranostics, 405-430 , 2018
2018
Citations: 13
Biodegradable electrospun fibers enriched with struvite crystal seeds for the recovery of phosphorous and nitrogen
R Di Gesù, C Gualandi, A Zucchelli, A Liguori, L Paltrinieri, ML Focarete
European Polymer Journal 122, 109389 , 2020
2020
Citations: 10
Electrospun Scaffolds in Tendons Regeneration: a review.
R Di Gesù, G Amato, R Gottardi
Muscles, Ligaments & Tendons Journal (MLTJ) 9 (4) , 2019
2019
Citations: 10
Lipid nanocarriers containing ester prodrugs of flurbiprofen preparation, physical-chemical characterization and biological studies
ML Bondì, EF Craparo, P Picone, G Giammona, R Di Gesù, M Di Carlo
Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology 9 (2), 238-246 , 2013
2013
Citations: 9
Generation of Hepatobiliary Cell Lineages from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: Applications in Disease Modeling and Drug Screening
M Pasqua, R Di Gesù, CM Chinnici, PG Conaldi, MG Francipane
International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22 (15), 8227 , 2021
2021
Citations: 8
Biofabrication of an in situ hypoxia-delivery scaffold for cartilage regeneration
R Di Gesù, A Palumbo Piccionello, G Vitale, S Buscemi, S Panzavolta, ...
Biofabrication 17 (2), 025025 , 2025
2025
Citations: 6
Engineered collagen-coated scaffolds for tendon regeneration: a multifunctional drug delivery approach
F Di Marco, C., Romano, F Lopresti, S Campora, A Comelli, R Di Gesù, ...
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 315 (144445) , 2025
2025
Citations: 4
Controlled and sustained release of a corticosteroid drug from block copolymers synthetized by ATRP
P Valenti, G., La Carta, S., Mazzotti, G., Rapisarda, M., Perna, S., Di Gesù ...
Polymer Engineering and Science , 2017
2017
Citations: 4
Peptide direct growth on poly (acrylic acid)/poly (vinyl alcohol) electrospun fibers coated with branched poly (ethylenimine): A solid-phase approach for scaffolds …
A Liguori, J Zhao, R Di Gesù, R De Marco, C Gualandi, N Calonghi, ...
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 241, 114052 , 2024
2024
Citations: 3

Roberto Di Gesù

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Scopus Publications

RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS