The research activities are devoted to the understanding at different levels of complexity of the pathogenesis of diseases with high social impact or aging, the development of innovative drugs, and methodologies for detecting pathogens and cell diagnostics. These activities range from the characterization of the interaction between biological moieties and nanostructured materials to studies on the development of novel scaffolds for cell cultures suitable for regenerative medicine.

This is an intrinsically multidisciplinary and rapidly developing field in which, often, concepts developed for a certain discipline, for example condensed matter, find application in very different contexts, such as neuroscience or optimization problems. The impact of this strategic area is on various fields such as Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, epidemiology, engineered materials, plasmas, biological systems and soft matter.

Of particular importance in this area is the Human Brain Project (HBP), having as the main objectives the development of new methodological and technological tools for the study, diagnosis and treatment of brain diseases and dysfunctions, such as autism, epilepsy, cognitive process deficits, neurodegenerative diseases, human interfaces machine, neural modeling, low-power intelligent technologies, and brain-enabled robots.

Nanotechnological approaches are used to investigate single cells and biomolecules, to identify the microscopic mechanisms active in physiological and pathological conditions, also aimed at the development of innovative pharmacological strategies.

The development of diagnostic tools beyond the state of the art using nanotechnology methods and techniques and bio-inspired strategies for nanotechnology applications, is also included.

The self-assembly of biomolecules (proteins, nanostructured biomaterials and nanofibers, biopolymers) and the interaction of biomolecules with nanostructured inorganics is another main topic. Nanoscale engineered biomaterials are investigated for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

Recently, combined in silico and in vitro studies are performed to develop fluorescent sensors based on minimal virus fragments (SARS-CoV-2), which are extendable to different / mutated viruses, to address and limit any future pandemics. Also, novel therapeutic paradigm, based on chimeric proteins, are focused on the protection of cells from viral invasion.

See also: Bio@Nano, Green@Nano, HPC@Nano.