160
linear and cyclic dextrins, and polysaccharides such as starch, using the then highly
innovative spectrometric techniques (Reggiani and Casu 1957; Crini 2014).
In the mid-1950s, Professor Casu investigated in details the structure and conformation of the two components of starch, i.e., amylose and amylopectin. At that time,
the studies on amylose conformation were even marred by hot debate between the
different laboratories. At the same time, Professor Casu studied the structure, chemistry, and inclusion properties of cycloamyloses-cyclodextrins, mainly α-cyclodextrin
and β-cyclodextrin and their methylated and acetylated derivatives. Indeed, there
was a lack of sufficient knowledge about their structure (Crini 2014; Crini et al.
2018). In the mid-1960s, the works of Professor Casu on the structure and the conformations of amylose and cycloamyloses, using infrared and nuclear magnetic
resonance techniques, were acknowledged to have made an important contribution
(Crini 2014). Significant collaborations have been put in place by Professor Casu
with American, e.g., Professor Dexter French; Hungarian, e.g., Professor József
Szejtli; and French, e.g., Professor Michel Morcellet, groups in the 1960s, 1970s,
and 1990s, respectively.
During more than 30 years, Professor Casu occupied a central place in the scientific knowledge of cyclodextrins. His first article on cyclodextrins entitled “Infrared
spectra of amylose and its oligomers” was published in 1964 in Journal of Polymer
Science (Casu and Reggiani 1964). This work, supported by a grant from the US
Department of Agriculture, was presented in preliminary form at the International
Conference on the IR Spectra of High Polymers in July 1963 (Milan, Italy). In 1965,
Professor Casu gave an invited lecture on this work at the Starch Round Table
Conference, Pocono Manor, Pa., USA. From the 1970s, as Director of the Ronzoni
Institute, Professor Casu mainly focused the research on heparin. However, he continued to publish several articles and reviews on cyclodextrins and worked on several International, European, and National projects related to cyclodextrins. His last
article entitled “Disruption of micellar aggregates of ganglioside GM-1 by complexation with alpha-cyclodextrin” was published in 1994 in the International
Journal of Pharmaceutics (Ahmed et al. 1994).
Throughout his scientific career, Professor Casu has given numerous conferences
around the world, particularly in North America. He has published an impressive
number of articles and patents, and his name is very often cited in the bibliographic
references of articles on these topics. Until his death, Professor Casu was still
Scientific Consultant of the President of the G. Ronzoni Institute (Crini and Torri
2017; Torri and Cassinelli 2018).
This chapter is a tribute to his scientific oeuvre. First, it gives an overview of his
exceptional scientific career. Next, we highlight some important work on cyclodextrins published by Professor Casu.
G. Torri et al.
linear and cyclic dextrins, and polysaccharides such as starch, using the then highly
innovative spectrometric techniques (Reggiani and Casu 1957; Crini 2014).
In the mid-1950s, Professor Casu investigated in details the structure and conformation of the two components of starch, i.e., amylose and amylopectin. At that time,
the studies on amylose conformation were even marred by hot debate between the
different laboratories. At the same time, Professor Casu studied the structure, chemistry, and inclusion properties of cycloamyloses-cyclodextrins, mainly α-cyclodextrin
and β-cyclodextrin and their methylated and acetylated derivatives. Indeed, there
was a lack of sufficient knowledge about their structure (Crini 2014; Crini et al.
2018). In the mid-1960s, the works of Professor Casu on the structure and the conformations of amylose and cycloamyloses, using infrared and nuclear magnetic
resonance techniques, were acknowledged to have made an important contribution
(Crini 2014). Significant collaborations have been put in place by Professor Casu
with American, e.g., Professor Dexter French; Hungarian, e.g., Professor József
Szejtli; and French, e.g., Professor Michel Morcellet, groups in the 1960s, 1970s,
and 1990s, respectively.
During more than 30 years, Professor Casu occupied a central place in the scientific knowledge of cyclodextrins. His first article on cyclodextrins entitled “Infrared
spectra of amylose and its oligomers” was published in 1964 in Journal of Polymer
Science (Casu and Reggiani 1964). This work, supported by a grant from the US
Department of Agriculture, was presented in preliminary form at the International
Conference on the IR Spectra of High Polymers in July 1963 (Milan, Italy). In 1965,
Professor Casu gave an invited lecture on this work at the Starch Round Table
Conference, Pocono Manor, Pa., USA. From the 1970s, as Director of the Ronzoni
Institute, Professor Casu mainly focused the research on heparin. However, he continued to publish several articles and reviews on cyclodextrins and worked on several International, European, and National projects related to cyclodextrins. His last
article entitled “Disruption of micellar aggregates of ganglioside GM-1 by complexation with alpha-cyclodextrin” was published in 1994 in the International
Journal of Pharmaceutics (Ahmed et al. 1994).
Throughout his scientific career, Professor Casu has given numerous conferences
around the world, particularly in North America. He has published an impressive
number of articles and patents, and his name is very often cited in the bibliographic
references of articles on these topics. Until his death, Professor Casu was still
Scientific Consultant of the President of the G. Ronzoni Institute (Crini and Torri
2017; Torri and Cassinelli 2018).
This chapter is a tribute to his scientific oeuvre. First, it gives an overview of his
exceptional scientific career. Next, we highlight some important work on cyclodextrins published by Professor Casu.
G. Torri et al.