INGenIO

INGenIO aims to create an integrated national ecosystem for translational research on rare diseases, based on strengthening the CERIC-ERIC infrastructure, to accelerate diagnosis, develop personalized therapies, and drive technology transfer to the healthcare system and the productive sector, with particular attention to Southern Italy. Specifically, the objectives can be summarized as follows:

1. Accelerate the diagnosis and molecular understanding of rare diseases through the integration of multi-omic technologies, artificial intelligence, and computational modeling for precision medicine.
2. Develop an integrated translational pipeline that supports the entire pathway from the discovery of biomarkers and therapeutic targets to preclinical validation, drug discovery, and the development of innovative drug delivery systems.
3. Strengthen and expand the CERIC-ERIC infrastructure by integrating new technological platforms, multidisciplinary expertise, and an interoperable digital ecosystem for FAIR data management and access to research services.
4. Promote technology transfer and public–private collaboration, facilitating access for companies, especially SMEs in Southern Italy, to advanced research services, co-development, and innovation.
5. Contribute to the competitiveness of Italy’s research and industrial system by fostering the transformation of research into innovative diagnostic and therapeutic solutions and supporting the growth of the biotech, pharmaceutical, and health technology sectors.

EXPECTED RESULTS

The INGenIO project will strengthen the CERIC-ERIC research infrastructure by expanding its scientific and technological capabilities through the integration of new platforms dedicated to multi-omic technologies, computational modeling, structural biology, drug discovery, and drug delivery. The enhanced infrastructure, also thanks to the new affiliation of institutions or university departments such as CERM at the University of Florence, ENEA, and DISTEM at the University of Naples Federico II, will provide a benchmark for translational research on rare diseases, offering the scientific community and industry integrated access to top-level expertise, technologies, and services.

Scientifically, the project will enable the development of a complete translational pipeline capable of linking the molecular characterization of rare diseases with the identification of biomarkers, therapeutic targets, and new drug candidates, through to their experimental and preclinical validation. The integration of multi-omic and phenotypic data, AI tools, and computational models will help accelerate diagnostic processes and support the development of increasingly personalized therapeutic approaches.

Another outcome will be the creation of an interoperable digital ecosystem, based on FAIR principles, enabling integrated data management, information sharing among partners, and simplified access to infrastructure services through dedicated digital tools. This will result in a more efficient research pathway, fostering collaboration among scientific institutions, healthcare facilities, and companies.

The project will also significantly strengthen technology transfer by making advanced research services, co-design tools, and opportunities for collaborative development available to the productive system. In particular, companies—with specific attention to SMEs in Southern Italy—will be able to access highly specialized expertise and technologies, encouraging the emergence of new products, processes, and collaborations in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and precision medicine.

PROJECT PHASES

WP1 – eCOESIONE: Coordination and digital infrastructure. Project management and FAIR data management, HPC, AI, interoperability, communication, and dissemination.

WP2 – Omni-Omics: Diagnosis and molecular characterization. Production of multi-omic data (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, lipidomics, single-cell, spatial omics), biomarker identification, and screening.

WP3 – IMBIOSCALE: Computational analysis and AI. Data integration via AI, multi-scale modeling, identification of therapeutic targets, prediction of genetic variant effects, and virtual screening.

WP4 – VALIBIO: Experimental validation. Experimental confirmation of targets and drug candidates using NMR, Cryo-EM, crystallography, biosensors, biophysics, and structural biology.

WP5 – APD: Drug discovery and optimization. Compound synthesis, chemical optimization, ADMET studies, and preclinical evaluation of efficacy and safety.

WP6 – PRECISE: Precision drug delivery. Development of innovative delivery systems (nanoparticles and nanosystems) to improve bioavailability, selectivity, and therapeutic efficacy.

WP7 – INDEED: Technology transfer and valorization. Access to services, collaboration with companies, digital catalog, collaborative calls, dissemination, and infrastructure sustainability.

The project has received financial support from the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund, under the objective “Investment for jobs and growth” for the less developed regions of Southern Italy, as defined in Article 108, paragraph 2, letter a) of Regulation (EU) No. 2021/1060, implemented through the national plan PON RIC 2021–2027, Action 1.1.1 – “Strengthening public Research Infrastructures (RI) operating in the S3 domain aimed at the technological advancement of enterprises.”