Research · Selected Papers · Perspectives · About
Francesco Sannino — Theoretical physicist
My research centres on quantum field theory, particularly strong dynamics and the structure of fundamental interactions. I use effective field theories, semiclassical methods, lattice field theory, and artificial intelligence to investigate these questions and their implications for particles, cosmology, and gravity. I also study complex systems, including epidemic dynamics.
Research
Quantum field theory
Strong dynamics, the conformal window, fixed points, and asymptotic safety. Conformal field theories and the spectrum of composite operators. Methods include effective field theories, semiclassical approaches, lattice field theory, and artificial intelligence.
Particles and cosmology
The Standard Model and beyond, dark matter, composite Higgs dynamics, electroweak symmetry breaking, and strong CP. Cosmological phase transitions, gravitational waves, and inflation. Solitons, domain walls, and a developing interest in cosmic strings.
Gravity and quantum black holes
Effective descriptions of quantum effects in black holes and their observational consequences.
Complex systems and epidemiology
Mathematical modelling of infectious-disease dynamics using renormalisation group methods, scaling, and effective descriptions. This work connects microscopic spreading processes, compartmental models, and epidemic waves within the broader study of complex systems.
Selected Papers
Selected contributions to quantum field theory, particle physics, cosmology, and the physics of complex systems.
Asymptotic safety
Asymptotic safety guaranteed
Daniel F. Litim and Francesco Sannino · 2014
Establishes controlled ultraviolet fixed points in four-dimensional gauge–Yukawa theories.
Vacuum stability of asymptotically safe gauge–Yukawa theories
Daniel F. Litim, Matin Mojaza, and Francesco Sannino · 2016
Establishes vacuum stability along asymptotically safe renormalisation group flows.
Radiative symmetry breaking from interacting UV fixed points
Steven Abel and Francesco Sannino · 2017
Connects interacting ultraviolet fixed points to calculable symmetry breaking at low energies.
Fundamental Composite Dynamics
Fundamental Composite Dynamics
Giacomo Cacciapaglia, Claudio Pica, and Francesco Sannino · 2020
Reviews composite Higgs and dark matter models, lattice results, and experimental tests.
Minimal Walking Technicolor: Set Up for Collider Physics
Roshan Foadi, Mads T. Frandsen, Thomas A. Ryttov, and Francesco Sannino · 2007
Connects walking technicolor’s effective theory and composite spectrum to collider and precision tests.
Fundamental Composite (Goldstone) Higgs Dynamics
Giacomo Cacciapaglia and Francesco Sannino · 2014
Unifies gauge-theory descriptions of the Higgs as a pseudo-Goldstone boson or a massive composite excitation.
Semiclassical methods for quantum field theory
Exact results for scaling dimensions of neutral operators in scalar conformal field theories
Oleg Antipin, Jahmall Bersini, and Francesco Sannino · 2025
Resums leading operator-size contributions to scaling dimensions across perturbative orders.
Semiclassical spectrum of the Ising CFT
Oleg Antipin, Jahmall Bersini, Jacob Hafjall, Giulia Muco, and Francesco Sannino · 2026
Combines semiclassical and perturbative methods to obtain five-loop scalar scaling dimensions.
Semiclassical Canovaccio for Composite Operators
Oleg Antipin, Jahmall Bersini, Jacob Hafjall, Giulia Muco, and Francesco Sannino · 2026
Relates heavy neutral composite operators to periodic classical dynamics.
Lectures on Semiclassical Methods for Composite Operators
Francesco Sannino · 2026
Graduate lectures connecting conformal symmetry, the state–operator correspondence, and semiclassical quantization.
Conformal dynamics and gauge-theory phase structure
Orientifold theory dynamics and symmetry breaking
Francesco Sannino and Kimmo Tuominen · 2005
Studies near-conformal gauge dynamics and its implications for electroweak symmetry breaking.
Conformal window of SU(N) gauge theories with fermions in higher dimensional representations
Dennis D. Dietrich and Francesco Sannino · 2007
Maps estimates of conformal windows across colours, flavours, and fermion representations.
Conformal Dynamics for TeV Physics and Cosmology
Francesco Sannino · 2009
Reviews conformal windows and walking dynamics, with applications to particle physics and cosmology.
Strong CP and the QCD axion
Strong CP and the QCD axion
Francesco Sannino · 2026
Graduate lectures on vacuum structure, strong CP, and the QCD axion through effective field theory.
The Physics of the θ-angle for Composite Extensions of the Standard Model
Paolo Di Vecchia and Francesco Sannino · 2013 preprint
Connects QCD vacuum structure and axion physics to new strongly coupled sectors.
The θ-angle and axion physics of two-color QCD at fixed baryon charge. Part I
Jahmall Bersini, Alessandra D’Alise, Francesco Sannino, and Matías Torres · 2022
Studies θ dependence, axion dynamics, and phases of two-color QCD at nonzero baryon charge.
Cosmological phase transitions and gravitational waves
Gravitational Waves from Composite Dark Sectors
Roman Pasechnik, Manuel Reichert, Francesco Sannino, and Zhi-Wei Wang · 2023
Examines gravitational-wave signals from phase transitions in composite dark sectors.
Testing the dark SU(N) Yang-Mills theory Confined Landscape: From the Lattice to Gravitational Waves
Wei-Chih Huang, Manuel Reichert, Francesco Sannino, and Zhi-Wei Wang · 2021
Combines lattice field theory and effective descriptions to predict gravitational waves from dark confinement.
Gravitational Waves from Pati-Salam Dynamics
Wei-Chih Huang, Francesco Sannino, and Zhi-Wei Wang · 2020
Probes Pati-Salam extensions of the Standard Model through cosmological phase transitions.
Epidemiology and complex systems
Renormalization Group Approach to Pandemics: The COVID-19 Case
Michele Della Morte, Domenico Orlando, and Francesco Sannino · 2020
Introduces the epidemic renormalisation group approach and applies it to COVID-19 data.
Second wave COVID-19 pandemics in Europe: A Temporal Playbook
Giacomo Cacciapaglia, Corentin Cot, and Francesco Sannino · 2020
Models second-wave scenarios across Europe using first-wave data and regional interactions.
Renormalisation Group Methods for Effective Epidemiological Models
Stefan Hohenegger and Francesco Sannino · 2024 preprint
Connects epidemic models across spatial and temporal scales using renormalisation group methods.
Information Theory Unification of Epidemiological and Population Dynamics
Baptiste Filoche, Stefan Hohenegger, and Francesco Sannino · 2024 preprint
Connects epidemic and population dynamics through probability distributions and Fisher information.
Perspectives
Browse research essays explaining our work and its open questions. Follow research updates on LinkedIn.
About
I am a theoretical physicist and Director of the Quantum Theory Center at the University of Southern Denmark, and Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Naples Federico II. My work combines analytical and computational approaches to fundamental physics, alongside interdisciplinary research on complex systems.
Affiliations
Quantum Theory Center (QTC), Department of Mathematics and Computer Science (IMADA), and Danish Institute for Advanced Study (D-IAS), University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Dipartimento di Fisica “Ettore Pancini”, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Scuola Superiore Meridionale, Naples, Italy.
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Napoli, Italy.
