Research infrastructures

An international study, involving the Italian National Research Council (CNR – Istituto Officina dei Materiali) and the Universities of Trieste and Milano-Bicocca for Italy, along with the University of Vienna, has unveiled a simple and innovative method for creating a new category of materials. These materials combine the exceptional properties manifested by individual metal atoms with the robustness, flexibility and versatility of graphene, for potential applications in the fields of catalysis, spintronics and electronic devices. The study is published in Science Advances: the method involves depositing metal atoms, such as cobalt, in a controlled manner, during the formation of the graphene layer on a nickel surface. Some of these atoms are incorporated into the carbon network of graphene, forming a new material with exceptional robustness, reactivity and stability. The method was developed at the CNR-IOM laboratories in Trieste: “This is still a preliminary result, but it is already very promising and the result of an original idea that arose in our laboratory and initially seemed unfeasible,” says Cristina Africh, a researcher at the CNR-IOM who led the team. The material’s ability to detach from the substrate while maintaining its original structure makes it potentially usable in various applications. “The methodology has been tested for trapping nickel and cobalt atoms, but our calculations suggest that it could be extended to other metals for different applications,” explains Cristiana Di Valentin, professor of General and Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Milano-Bicocca. Moreover, the material has proven to be stable even under critical conditions. “We have demonstrated that this material remains intact even in critical conditions, including the electrochemical environments used for applications in fuel cells and batteries,” adds Jani Kotakoski of the University of Vienna. The study, which is the result of international collaboration, made use of different and complementary skills. “This aspect was decisive in demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach, which is simple and powerful at the same time,” concludes Giovanni Comelli from the University of Trieste.

An international forum dedicated to the value and role of large research infrastructures in scientific progress and their economic, social and geopolitical impacts on a global scale. These were the central themes of the G7 conference “Large Research Infrastructures: Synergies and Impact on Science and Society”, organized by the Ministry of University and Research in collaboration with the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) under the Italian G7 Presidency, and held in Sardinia from October 28th to 30th in Su Gologone (Nuoro). The rich three-day program featured four thematic sessions, dedicated to exploring the key role of large research infrastructures in generating knowledge and value for society, promoting the sharing of ideas and best practices among policymakers, researchers, and socio-economic stakeholders. The opening remarks were delivered by the Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, and the President of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, Alessandra Todde. Among the nationally and internationally prominent speakers was also the President of Area Science Park, Caterina Petrillo, who contributed to the roundtable The Socio-Economic Benefits of Large Research Infrastructures. Here, speakers discussed the role of large infrastructures: not only centers for scientific knowledge production and high-quality FAIR data, but also true catalysts of innovative processes, which include training new generations of scientists, transferring technology to industry, and fostering regional development. During her speech, the President highlighted the importance of integrating these infrastructures into innovative ecosystems, scientific, and technological hubs, both public and private, where collaboration and shared projects can thrive. The objective of the G7 Conference on Large Research Infrastructures: Synergies and Impact on Science and Society is to stimulate dialogue to facilitate collaboration among the G7 countries, in order to optimize resources and maximize the complementarity of these large infrastructures, aiming toward a future of shared and sustainable innovation.  

The goal of the “Phenotypic Fingerprinting School,” inaugurated on October 14 at Area Science Park, is to explore the complex metabolic pathways involved in cellular responses to infections and drugs through the use of complementary and integrable approaches and techniques. Organized in collaboration with Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, ICGEB and CNR-IOM, the school is part of the “Pathogen Readiness Platform for CERIC-ERIC Upgrade” (PRP@CERIC) project. This project aims to develop a highly specialized research infrastructure, unique in Europe, integrating tools and expertise in biology, biochemistry, physics, bio-electronics, virology, genomics, bioinformatics, and data science to study human, animal and plant pathogens and respond quickly to new potential outbreaks. For four weeks, participants will engage in both theoretical and practical sessions, studying host-pathogen interactions from a multidisciplinary perspective. The program includes contributions from researchers of different PRP@CERIC partner institutions, as well as open lectures by internationally renowned experts, including Professor Piero Carninci, who will hold a seminar titled “My Travel from Genomic Technologies to Biology” on October 17 at Area Science Park. The project “Pathogen Readiness Platform for CERIC-ERIC Upgrade”– PRP@CERIC is funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) under Mission 4 “Education and Research,” Component 2 “From Research to Entreprise,” Investment Line 3.1 “Fund for the Creation of an Integrated System of Research and Innovation Infrastructures,” funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU.

A theoretical and practical training opportunity that, through the use of complementary and integrable approaches and techniques, allows the discovery of fingerprints of cellular metabolic pathways disrupted by infections and drug response. This opportunity is offered by the training school in “Phenotypic Fingerprinting” promoted by Area Science Park in collaboration with Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology – ICGEB and the National Research Council – CNR, as part of the activities of the “Pathogen Readiness Platform for CERIC-ERIC Upgrade” – PRP@CERIC*. The course will be held in English and will take place in Trieste at the laboratories of Area Science Park, Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, ICGEB and the CNR – Istituto Officina dei Materiali. It is structured in two sessions for a total of about 150 hours. Several topics are covered: from cellular models of host-pathogen interaction to RNA sequencing, from micro- and nano-processing for biology to chemical cytology, data analysis, integration and management. The “Phenotypic Fingerprinting School” training course was created to strengthen the skills of researchers and technologists employed within the PRP@CERIC project, but it also includes the participation of an external quota of STEM graduates interested in developing their skills in the study of phenotypic fingerprinting. Area Science Park is inviting expressions of interest for two positions. The call is open until July 26, 2024. The requirements for applying are: 1) master’s or specialist degree or old-school degree in STEM subjects; 2) knowledge of the English language; 3) possession of civil and political rights in the State of nationality or origin. For each participant in the training programme, a reimbursement will be provided for lunches during the lesson days (which can be used in the Area Science Park canteens on the Basovizza and Padriciano campuses), while, exclusively for students coming from outside Trieste, a reimbursement will also be provided for the overnight stay and other meals. — *The project “Pathogen Readiness Platform for CERIC-ERIC Upgrade” – PRP@CERIC is financed under the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) under Mission 4 “Education and Research”, Component 2 “From Research to Enterprise”, Investment Line 3.1 “Fund for the creation of an integrated system of research and innovation infrastructures”,” funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU.

Regenerative Symphony, the installation created following the artist residency in Area Science Park, was presented during the fifth edition of the New Atlas of Digital Arts, an international event that took place from 20 to 21 June at the MEET Digital Culture Center in Milan, and which aims at promoting and investigating digital creativity scenarios, highlighting the potential of immersive creative experiments as possible drivers of cultural, social and economic innovation. During the event, part of the S+T+ARTS in the City project, in addition to the presentation of the work, a series of European institutions and actors participated, offering an overview of the state-of-the-art and technological developments related to immersive experiences. With Regenerative Symphony, the German artist Daria Jelonek, and the Englishman Perry-James Sugden, of Studio Above&Below created an interactive audiovisual installation generated by an artificial intelligence model that uses self-analysis, mineral monitoring, and market analysis of the northern region of Italy as input data to recognise, decide on, and predict the output of an immersive modular installation. The work was created thanks to the direct involvement of Area Science Park researchers who collaborated with the artists during the weeks of residency, providing them with inspiration, materials and resources starting from their own research. In particular, the teams from the LAME Laboratory were involved; they illustrated their research results in the field of innovative materials and nanotechnologies; Francesca Cuturello and Tommaso Rodani from the LADE Data Engineering Laboratory were also involved, and along with them, the artists actually elaborated the mathematical model underlying the immersive work. Furthermore, during the weeks of residency in Area Science Park, the artists drew inspiration from a visit to the Elettra Sincrotrone laboratories, where they heard from the researchers about the Institution’s most challenging research projects in the materials sector. “Regenerative Symphony is a work of art that explores a future (2030-2050) in which critical minerals, rare elements essential for modern technologies, are recycled instead of extracted – explain the authors – This scenario challenges current difficulties in the recycling of these minerals. The installation uses a model of artificial intelligence that works with data from synthetic and natural materials to visualize this regenerative future. The work of art manifests itself as a generative projection, which reveals the beauty of reuse through the metaphor of sound symphonies. Visitors can interact with the installation, adjusting the view through predictive data of material resources on an iPad.” The public can, in fact, interact with the work by creating new objects, starting with the recycling of others and thanks to sustainable energy sources. The AI ​​model reacts to requests, identifying various solutions, including recycling critical materials from unused e-waste or making alternative design decisions. During computation, the digital experience in the space is rearranged, leading to a new and different immersive environment. Confirming how our every gesture can have a concrete impact on the health of our Planet.

Open Science methodologies, FAIR-by-design data management and data FAIR-ification, use of tools and software for metadata acquisition and enrichment and tools and methods for preliminary analysis of data and metadata; these are the main skills that the participants of the Master Data Management and Curation (MDMC)  will acquire at the end of the course organized by Area Science Park, the Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati – SISSA and the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Istituto Officina dei Materiali (CNR-IOM), as part of the activities of supporting projects NFFA-DI and PRP@CERIC,  funded by the PNRR* to enhance digital research infrastructures  in materials science and life science. This is a first pilot edition of an advanced course dedicated to young researchers interested in developing skills on FAIR data management in research infrastructures. The course, which lasts about a year, is structured in two parts: the first dedicated to in-presence lessons (six weeks, September – October 2024) and the second with experimental training to be carried out at the Area Science Park laboratories (seven months – from November 2024 to May 2025). Area Science Park promotes participation in the Master through an expression of interest published on the institutional website to identify two students who will receive a flat-rate reimbursement of 15,000 euros to cover the participation costs. The requirements to apply are: 1) to have at least a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in scientific topics, engineering,  computer science or related or equivalent subjects; 2) to be unemployed; 3) to know the English language. Deadline: May 31, 2024.   FOR DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES:  Download the pdf presentation Watch the video registration of the Presentation Meeting: — * funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (“PNRR”) within “Missione 4, Istruzione e Ricerca – Componente 2, Dalla ricerca all’impresa – Linea di investimento 3.1, Fondo per la realizzazione di un sistema integrato di infrastrutture di ricerca e innovazione”, with funds from the European Union – NextGenerationEU.

The 2023 edition of M&M Microscopy & MicroAnalysis  took place in Minneapolis (USA) on 23-27 July. The annual meeting of the Microscopy Society of America and the Microanalysis Society brings together scientists, technologists and researchers, with the aim of sharing knowledge, networking, and looking at scientific and technological innovations in the world of microscopy. Area Science Park attended the international event for the first time, represented by Regina Ciancio, Head of the Electron Microscopy Laboratory (LAME). Regina moderated the symposium entitled “Machine Intelligence in Action: Delivering Resilient, Sustainable, and Reconfigurable Microscope Ecosystems,” in which the new frontiers of microscopy in discovering and designing material, chemical and biological systems were discussed. During the congress, a special session was also held on the IMPRESS project, which Regina coordinates. Funded by the European Union and coordinated by CNR-IOM, the project aims to revolutionise the field of transmission electron microscopy by bringing together scientists, companies and industry experts to co-develop new interoperable prototypes. IMPRESS has 19 partners from some 11 European countries, and aims to develop an interoperable platform based on standardised modular components, designed to be flexible and adaptable to different microscopes and other types of equipment. The platform will be used to perform a wide range of multimodal correlative experiments using methodological options not currently accessible with commercially available electron microscopes, to meet the needs of a wide range of users. To achieve this, IMPRESS will make use of Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP): an innovative tool through which companies with different competences can compete to contribute, together with scientists, to designing and building prototypes for different innovative applications. The “IMPRESS Supplier” event provided the platform for announcing the PCP Open Market Consultation, inviting companies to become an integral part of the project. The event was attended by around 80 people and provided an opportunity to showcase the various aspects of the European project and the PCP process, and to answer numerous questions from the audience of international scientists and leading companies in the field of electron microscopy. The next IMPRESS and PCP meeting will be held on 1 September 2023 in Düsseldorf. See full details.

Can the three intelligences – human (research, skills), natural (materials) and artificial – work together to solve one of the most complex challenges of the digital and green transformation? This is the challenge that Area Science Park, in partnership with MEET Digital Culture Centre in Milan, is launching as part of the wider European project S+T+ARTS in the City. A new call has been launched to find an art project able to translate and interpret the paradox of “twin transformation”, i.e. the ever-increasing need for rare and critical materials and minerals for making microchips, batteries, and tools and tech for generating renewable energy (solar panels, photovoltaic installations, wind turbines, etc.). We walk and live in cities rich in these materials which can be mined (“urban mining”), only the recycling or extraction processes can have a significant impact on the environment. How can we escape this vicious cycle? Finding new extraction techniques or recycling methods which have less of an impact, or researching and identifying new materials that are easier to extract and in larger quantities are three possible ways forward that are being explored. The call represents an opportunity to reflect on the symbiotic processes between nature, artificial intelligence and human intelligence, as part of one greater form of “city intelligence”. It may give rise to a utopian scenario, in which human intelligence mediates and integrates the other two forms of intelligence (artificial and natural), or a dystopian one, whereby humans are sidelined by the other two forms of intelligence that operate autonomously. The artistic prototype should emerge from creative speculation surrounding the concepts of sustainability, circularity and generative IA, aligning with the New European Bauhaus initiative. The residency is organised in partnership with MEET Digital Culture Center, a partner in the European programme S+T+ARTS (Science + Technology + Arts), with Area Science Park Trieste acting as co-host. Area Science Park will provide the artist with access to open data, as well as technology resources and platforms focused around the materials, data and life sciences.  The artist will also receive invaluable scientific support and guidance from the Institution’s researchers and from researchers in the network it coordinates. The deadline for submitting a project is 25 August 2023. >> Apply now

The kick off meeting at the Area Science Park officially got the “Pathogen Readiness Platform for CERIC-ERIC Upgrade” PRP@CERIC underway, the national project funded by Italian Ministry of Universities and Research (Ministero dell’università e della ricerca — MUR) within the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza — PNRR) and coordinated by the research institute Area Science Park in partnership with the National Research Council (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche — CNR) (Institute of Materials [Istituto Officina dei Materiali] and Institute of Crystallography [Istituto di Cristallografia]), the University of Salerno, the University of Naples and the University of Salento. The project, which can count on funding of 41 million euro, aims to create a highly specialised research infrastructure, unique in Europe, which integrates instruments and expertise in biology, biochemistry, physics, bio-electronics, bio-informatics and data science to study pathogens of human, animal and plant origin and intervene quickly to prevent the spread of potential new outbreaks of diseases. A multidisciplinary approach is the key to achieving the fundamental and applied research objectives that the project aims to implement in compliance with the DNSH (Do No Significant Harm) principle, namely, not to cause significant harm to the environment. In line with practices already in place at the Area Science Park and Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste laboratories, both academic and industrial users will be provided open access to the new infrastructure for studies and analyses. PRP@CERIC provides for the construction of new laboratories, as well as the updating of existing instruments and services. In fact, the laboratories of Area Science Park, Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, CNR and ICGEB (institutes of scientific excellence collaborating to implement the project) will be potentiated. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to leverage solid scientific principles and interdisciplinary and international collaboration, which are all fundamental to successfully reducing the human, social and economic impact of potential future risks of epidemics. Research infrastructures can play a key role in understanding the fundamental aspects of pathogenicity and in the effective development of prevention and healthcare strategies. Cutting-edge instruments, methodologies and technologies on diverse and mutually integrated scales (from single molecules to whole organisms) have the potential to meet the sensitivity and selectivity requirements required by the study of complex biological systems, thus contributing to shedding new light on host-pathogen interaction mechanisms. “The PRP@CERIC project was developed based on the expertise in genomics and data science already present at the research institute, integrating these competencies with those of the Area Science Park system. I refer, for example, to the research excellence in the field of virology at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), as well as the experimental capabilities of the Electra synchrotron light source, a research centre of international importance”, commented the President of Area Science Park, Caterina Petrillo, during the project’s kick off meeting. “This consolidated scientific expertise is complemented by certain specialties at the universities of Naples, Salento and Salerno, partners with whom we have already developed projects of national importance. The integration of varied expertise and the networking of laboratories located in different geographical areas will create a unique infrastructure in Europe that will be at the service of the world of research and business, nationally and internationally”. The PRP@CERIC project, which will continue for 30 months, it also adheres to the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data guidelines, that is, the data produced will be processed in such a way as to be easily available, accessible, interoperable and reusable, in the spirit of open and collaborative science at an international level. Sustainability will also be extended to models of higher education, since the project involves the setting up of master’s course for graduates and training for the next generation of researchers. The “Pathogen Readiness Platform for CERIC-ERIC Upgrade” PRP@CERIC project is funded by the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) under Mission 4 “Education and Research”, Component 2 “From Research to Enterprise”, Investment Line 3.1 “Fund for the creation of an integrated system of research and innovation infrastructures”, funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU.

The next edition of the international Big Science Business Forum (BSBF) will be held in Trieste in the autumn of 2024. The focus of the event is technological innovation, a crossroads between research and industry, bringing together Europe’s major research infrastructures. Following in the footsteps of Copenhagen in 2018 and Granada in 2022, Trieste will be the city of the Big Science Common Market in 2024. Important international players involved in designing and building equipment using latest-generation technologies will be able to meet with technologists, researchers and managers of large research organisations. The Forum will be held at Trieste’s Porto Vecchio conference centre. Attendees will meet to discuss cutting-edge tech issues and needs in Big Science, including in light of the major investments in research infrastructure through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). Trieste’s winning bid had the full backing of local authorities in the form of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia and is the result of the combined efforts of Area Science Park, ILO Network Italia – the Industrial Liaison Officers for Italy at the major international Big Science organisations (CNR, ENEA, INAF and INFN) – and PromoTurismoFVG. The announcement and subsequent handover took place today in Granada at the closing ceremony for the 2022 edition, which was attended by over 1,100 participants and 190 exhibitors. Picking up the baton for Trieste was Friuli Venezia Giulia’s Councillor for Labour, Training, Education, Research, University and Family, Alessia Rosolen, who commented: “This is an important achievement for Friuli Venezia Giulia, and the city of Trieste, which will take centre stage for another prominent international event. Finding and facilitating the crossover between development goals in industry and the objectives of large research organisations is a way of turbocharging innovation and economic development.” Friuli Venezia Giulia’s candidate project chosen from a shortlist of proposals from different European countries. “The project’s success represents the success of Trieste as ‘the city of Science,’ with its interconnected network of scientific institutions, universities, and international research bodies and organisations. The real driving force behind research and innovation in a pivotal, central and eastern European region like Friuli Venezia Giulia is the collaborative network created among these institutions,” said Caterina Petrillo, President of Area Science Park, following the announcement. She added: “The Region has always been attentive to promoting everything the local area has to offer and was fully behind the candidacy, submitted thanks to the collaboration and expertise of institutions including Sincrotrone Elettra Trieste, home to the international headquarters of the CERIC-ERIC European infrastructure, and the Free Electron Laser FERMI, at the cutting edge of European research. And this is just the beginning. We will be working together with other scientific institutions in the area to organise the event and we hope that it will provide an opportunity for research and industry to meet and discuss key issues on an international scale.” Research infrastructure is a particularly strategic sector for Italy, which is involved in numerous large international research infrastructures and often contributes in-kind by building and installing technologically advanced equipment and services. This type of exchange has an important positive impact on national industry and the companies in the supply chain invited to submit a tender, who not only benefit from a direct return, but also have the chance to qualify as listed suppliers for the international research infrastructure market. “We also mustn’t forget that, during the building phase, research infrastructure is first and foremost a form of ‘construction site’ for implementing innovative technological ideas as regards engineering, design, the choice of materials and energy sustainability,” said President Petrillo. “The recent major investments in infrastructure as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan – which implies a commitment to keeping the facilities operational for at least ten years – make having a network in place that effectively links the needs of infrastructure to the relevant suppliers even more pressing. BSBF will tackle these issues, providing an effective platform for research infrastructures and businesses to meet and exchange ideas in Trieste.”

The Sentinel Immune Self is an immersive artwork, set inside an aquatic science-fiction world, that invites viewers to explore its different levels: it is a real-time simulation inspired by the human immune system and recent scientific investigation into the possible reactions of our organism with microplastics present in our blood. “The Sentinel Immune Self” is a project by Danish artist Sissel Marie Tonn, inaugurated on 4 October in Milan at MEET Digital Culture Center, an international center for art and digital culture funded by Fondazione Cariplo. Created in the context of the “:REWORLD”  collective, the work is the result of the artistic residency hosted this year by MEET Digital Culture Center and Area Science Park. The artist had the opportunity to collaborate with researchers at the Laboratory for Genomics and Epigenomics and the Orfeo Data Center of the National Research Body (lear more here), with support from the European programme S+T+ARTS, an initiative exploring potential collaboration between science, technology and art. The work, which will remain on display in Milan until 30 October 2022, unfolds with an interactive narrator that accompanies the public on a simulated journey within their own body. In the end, it is revealed that humans are not only transforming the world but have also been transformed. Click here to read more: > https://www.meetcenter.it/en/event/reworld-repairing-the-present/ > https://www.meetcenter.it/en/reworld-the-artists-on-show/

Apostolia Karamali, Head of the R&I Actors and Research Careers Unit within ERA & Innovation at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation visited Area Science Park today to find out more about the institution’s main areas of work and to see some of the on-campus research infrastructures. She was welcomed by Area Science Park President Caterina Petrillo and by Head of the Research and Innovation Division Stephen Taylor. Ms Karamali also met with Lawrence Banks, Director-General of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB); Alfonso Franciosi, President and CEO of Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste; Giorgio Paolucci, Italian Ministerial Representative at the CERIC-ERIC General Assembly; Giorgio Rossi, Coordinator of the nanoscience research infrastructure NFFA-Trieste and NFFA-Europe; and Salvatore La Rosa, Head of the Technical Secretariat at the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR). The meeting was an opportunity to explore the ecosystem of infrastructures, labs and businesses at Area Science Park, as well as to discuss opportunities and strategies to be developed at the European level. Ms Karamali presented the priorities and next steps that the European Commission intends to take to strengthen the role of research and innovation infrastructures and their integration with technology platforms. At the end of the visit, the delegation looked round the Genomics and Epigenomics Laboratory at Area Science Park’s Basovizza Campus, as well as Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste and the Fermi Free-Electron Laser facility.