Primary activity: The research activity is in the field of optical microscopy and microspectroscopy, instrumental and applicative and as a support to other research groups, especially in the biomedical and cultural heritage areas. The main interest is in the field of confocal and nonlinear microscopy and all the related techniques.
With regard to the activity of instrumental type, for example in the past, we realized various configurations of autocorrelators for the measurements of the temporal width of the excitation laser pulse in a non-linear microscope. We made a monochromator and a spectrometer with an axial dispersion symmetry, particularly suitable in the context of confocal microscopy where use is made of fibers for the transport of the optical signals. A system for FLIM (Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy) microscopy was developed, for the acquisition of ”images” of fluorescence decay times. A supercontinuum source was made by using a photonic crystal fiber. Such radiation was then employed for applications in confocal microscopy, FLIM and FLIM-FRET measurements with single-photon excitation.
Regarding the activities in the field of conservation and valorization of cultural heritage, a campaign of spectroscopic measurements of textile samples treated with natural dyes was carried out in order to implement a database of reference spectra. In the biomedical field, for example, studies were conducted, with the FLIM technique, on the lipid domains in artificial membranes. We applied FLIM-FRET techniques to study the interaction of proteins (Cx43 and CDOs) involved in skeletal muscle differentiation. It was carried out microscopic diagnostics of organic matrices colonized by stem cells of various kinds for application protocols in regenerative medicine.
Activity in the diffusion of science. Franco Quercioli was principal investigator of projects funded by MIUR for the dissemination of scientific culture. As part of this activity, a website (www.scienzaludica.it) was created dedicated to the dissemination of science through play. Were carried out thesis. We participated in various events and exhibitions including the “festival of creativity” (Florence 2010), “ScienzEstate” (Florence, 2010, 2011, 2012), “Inside the microscope” (Pisa, 2011), “Under a new optics” (Florence, 2011), and various editions of the “festival of science” in Genoa, the two most recent, in 2009 and 2010 with interactive workshops on optical topics.

Main experiences acquired: Franco Quercioli received his Physics degree at the University of Florence, Italy in 1980. He joined the National Institute of Applied Optics in 1983 and afterwards from 2005 to 2010 he moved to the Institute of Complex Systems of the Italian National Research Council. Now he is back to INO. He is a senior research scientist. His competences are in the fields of coherent optics, interferometry, optical metrology, holography, Fourier optics, surface inspection, scanning probe microscopy, confocal and multiphoton microscopy and education. His current research interests are biophotonics and optical techniques applied to the inspection of works of art.

Scientific manager for INO of Funded Projects:
Ottimizzazione dell’efficienza di un microscopio confocale con eccitazione a due fotoni per misure di FLIM e FRET su cellule tumorali

Others Funded Projects in which he/she participates:
Studio di superfici dipinte mediante tecnologie ottiche avanzate: dal rilievo 3D all’analisi della struttura interna

Publications, Research Results, now, in INO’s database are: 81
  –   Papers JCR/ISI Journals, are: 79
  –   Books or Chapters, are: 11
  –   Papers in Journals not indexed JCR/ISI, are: 17
  –   Conference proceedings, are: 65
  –   Abstract, are: 25

Bibliometric indices are calculated USING ONLY THE INO DATABASE and the number of citations from “WEB OF SCIENCE” (of Thomson Reuters) is updated at 2024-11-17
  –   maximum number of citations for an article: 146
  –   maximum impact factor (IF) for a journal when an article is published: 6.739
  –   H-INDEX: 22   G-INDEX: 35   HC-INDEX (contemporary): 9 
  –   List of TopTen papers in citations  –   List of TopTen journals in Impact Factor