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.