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3.2 Benito Casu, 1927–2016
3.2.1 Early Years
Benito Casu was born on March 27, 1927, in Brescia, Italy, the son of Luigi Casu
and Angela Porcu. He studied chemistry at the University of Pavia where, in 1950,
he earned his doctorate in carbohydrate chemistry, studying the structure of glucose
and some related carbohydrates using spectrometric techniques.
In 1951, as research fellow, Dr. Casu started his scientific career with research on
starch and cyclodextrins at the Physical-Chemistry Unit of the G. Ronzoni Institute,
a nonprofit research foundation for chemical and biochemical research under the
direction of Professor Alfredo Dansi. Two years later, Dr. Casu became a research
assistant in this institute. In May 6, 1954, Benito Casu married Marta Mancini, and
they have two children.
During more than 30 years, Professor Casu published several significant papers
on the structure of native and modified cyclodextrins using infrared and nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques (Crini 2014).
In early 1968, Dr. Casu obtained the professorship in chemical spectroscopy.
One year later, he was a Harold Hibbert Memorial Fellow (1968–1969) at the
Department of Chemistry of McGill University of Montreal, Canada, guest of
Professor Arthur S. Perlin, where they forged a lifelong friendship.
During this stage, Professor Casu studied polysaccharides and biological substances using innovative NMR techniques. He also had the opportunity to present
several conferences in the USA, where he met Professor Dexter French (Iowa State
University), one of the prestigious researchers who have contributed to the development of cyclodextrins. The two research groups then collaborated for about 10 years
(Crini and Torri 2017; Torri and Cassinelli 2018). During this “American period,”
Professor Casu also had friendly contacts and interactions with the Professors
R.H. Marchesseault, C. Dietrich, and A. Gorin.
3.2.2 Professor Casu: Director of the G. Ronzoni Institute
Professor Casu returned to Milan in 1970 and focused his work on heparin. In 1973,
he became the Director of the Istituto di Ricerche Chimiche e Biochimiche Giuliana
Ronzoni and served in this position until 1992 (Crini and Torri 2017). Professor
Casu remained the scientific consultant of the board of directors of Ronzoni Institute
until to 2015.
For over 20 years, under his direction, the institute underwent significant economic and scientific development. In the mid-1970s, the pioneer NMR studies on
the structure and conformational flexibility of heparin as well as of the heparin
active sites to antithrombin provided him an international notoriety. Through interdisciplinary and international networks and collaborations, the institute significantly
3 Professor Casu and Cyclodextrins
3.2 Benito Casu, 1927–2016
3.2.1 Early Years
Benito Casu was born on March 27, 1927, in Brescia, Italy, the son of Luigi Casu
and Angela Porcu. He studied chemistry at the University of Pavia where, in 1950,
he earned his doctorate in carbohydrate chemistry, studying the structure of glucose
and some related carbohydrates using spectrometric techniques.
In 1951, as research fellow, Dr. Casu started his scientific career with research on
starch and cyclodextrins at the Physical-Chemistry Unit of the G. Ronzoni Institute,
a nonprofit research foundation for chemical and biochemical research under the
direction of Professor Alfredo Dansi. Two years later, Dr. Casu became a research
assistant in this institute. In May 6, 1954, Benito Casu married Marta Mancini, and
they have two children.
During more than 30 years, Professor Casu published several significant papers
on the structure of native and modified cyclodextrins using infrared and nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques (Crini 2014).
In early 1968, Dr. Casu obtained the professorship in chemical spectroscopy.
One year later, he was a Harold Hibbert Memorial Fellow (1968–1969) at the
Department of Chemistry of McGill University of Montreal, Canada, guest of
Professor Arthur S. Perlin, where they forged a lifelong friendship.
During this stage, Professor Casu studied polysaccharides and biological substances using innovative NMR techniques. He also had the opportunity to present
several conferences in the USA, where he met Professor Dexter French (Iowa State
University), one of the prestigious researchers who have contributed to the development of cyclodextrins. The two research groups then collaborated for about 10 years
(Crini and Torri 2017; Torri and Cassinelli 2018). During this “American period,”
Professor Casu also had friendly contacts and interactions with the Professors
R.H. Marchesseault, C. Dietrich, and A. Gorin.
3.2.2 Professor Casu: Director of the G. Ronzoni Institute
Professor Casu returned to Milan in 1970 and focused his work on heparin. In 1973,
he became the Director of the Istituto di Ricerche Chimiche e Biochimiche Giuliana
Ronzoni and served in this position until 1992 (Crini and Torri 2017). Professor
Casu remained the scientific consultant of the board of directors of Ronzoni Institute
until to 2015.
For over 20 years, under his direction, the institute underwent significant economic and scientific development. In the mid-1970s, the pioneer NMR studies on
the structure and conformational flexibility of heparin as well as of the heparin
active sites to antithrombin provided him an international notoriety. Through interdisciplinary and international networks and collaborations, the institute significantly
3 Professor Casu and Cyclodextrins