Dr. Gianluca Gregori

Biography

Gianluca Gregori leads a research program at the University of Oxford focused on the intersection of high energy density physics, laboratory astrophysics, and plasma science. His group employs powerful lasers and advanced diagnostics to replicate extreme astrophysical and planetary conditions in the lab, studying phenomena such as shock waves, turbulence, the generation of magnetic fields, and the formation of dense plasmas. These controlled studies allow for in-depth exploration of processes that occur in stars, galaxies, and planetary interiors. His recent experiments delve into magnetic field amplification through dynamo processes, the suppression of heat transport in magnetized plasmas, and the acceleration of particles in shock waves. With the support of the European Research Council's Frontier grant, his recent work aims to establish laboratory astrophysics as a proof-of-principle tool for probing microphysical processes in extreme astrophysical settings, including blazar jets and gamma-ray bursts, which are otherwise inaccessible to observation and simulation.

Research Interests