PhD scholarships funded through the 5x1000 scheme allow young UniTS researchers to develop high-impact projects. In this interview, five of them share their goals, perspectives, and visions for the future.

Alma K. – PhD Scholarship in Nanotechnology

What is the aim of your research?
The goal of my PhD project is to develop innovative polymeric nanoparticles with a dual function—diagnostic and therapeutic—for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. This tumor accounts for over 90% of all pancreatic cancers and is highly aggressive and difficult to treat, with a 5-year survival rate of just 9%, dropping below 5% after ten years from diagnosis. With these nanoparticles, I aim to improve early diagnosis and therapeutic effectiveness, making treatments more targeted and less toxic for patients. A portion of my project also focuses on creating a more complex in vitro model compared to those currently available, enabling more realistic testing of nanoparticles and other therapies, thus enhancing preclinical validation.

How can your research impact people’s lives?
Pancreatic cancer is the seventh leading cause of cancer-related death globally, with around 459,000 new cases diagnosed in 2018 alone. My work could help change this reality by developing more accurate diagnostic tools and more effective therapies. Polymeric nanoparticles could improve tumor detection at early stages and allow the targeted release of therapeutic agents directly into cancer cells, reducing side effects and increasing survival chances. Beyond improving prognosis, this project also aims to lessen the impact of current treatments—which are often toxic and ineffective—not just on patients but also on their families and caregivers, who face significant emotional and financial burdens. Moreover, by making treatments more targeted, less invasive, and less debilitating in the long term, this research could also reduce healthcare costs related to prolonged care and hospitalizations, positively impacting public health spending.

What would you like to do after your PhD?
I haven’t fully decided yet, but I would like to continue working in research, whether in academia or in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry. My goal is to contribute to the development of new therapeutic strategies, translating scientific progress into concrete solutions for patients and making cancer treatments increasingly effective and personalized. Also, through working closely with some professors at UniTS, I’ve started to appreciate teaching and the opportunity to share knowledge with future generations of scientists and researchers. This has led me to consider a career that combines research and education, to contribute to the scientific training of future students.

Beatrice R. – PhD Scholarship in Personalized Medicine and Innovative Therapies

What is the aim of your research?
I’m a PhD student in Personalized Medicine and Innovative Therapies, within the Department of Medical Sciences. My research focuses on mechanobiology, particularly in relation to biomaterials.

How can your research impact people’s lives?
Biomaterials are transforming various fields, improving daily life, and offering alternatives that enhance patients’ quality of life while promoting more sustainable research models.

What would you like to do after your PhD?
I’m not entirely sure yet what I want to do after my PhD. I would like to continue working as a researcher.

Luca M. – PhD Scholarship in Personalized Medicine and Innovative Therapies

What is the aim of your research?
My research focuses on the side effects of ketamine, specifically investigating the correlation between post-sedation vomiting and agitation and certain epigenomic variants.

How can your research impact people’s lives?
Beyond further clarifying the pathways involved in ketamine administration, this project aims to identify potential biomarkers to predict the onset of adverse effects—thus contributing to the field of personalized medicine.

What would you like to do after your PhD?
Since I’m only in my first year, it’s hard to say. At the moment, I’d like to continue in research and pursue an academic career, but three years is a long time and a lot can change.

Marta R. – PhD Scholarship in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture

What is the aim of your research?
In today’s context of growing economic and social instability, the housing crisis is becoming more entrenched. Housing policies are weakening, cities are becoming less accessible, and homes are losing their role as stable, lifelong spaces.
In light of these shifts, my research explores the theme of housing accessibility more broadly, aiming to identify potential solutions to the ongoing housing crisis. I investigate new forms of living that go beyond the domestic sphere and extend into the urban fabric, with a particular focus on transience—because, in the end, “we are all travelers in search of a place to call home” (Kamera Film. 2021. The Passengers. Documentary).

How can your research impact people’s lives?
My research can have a significant impact because the right to housing, access to cities, and the availability and quality of services concern everyone. Cities, neighborhoods, and homes are the stages on which our lives unfold—deeply personal spaces. By exploring new housing models, the goal is to find more equitable, sustainable, and accessible living solutions, improving quality of life and responding to the universal need for stability and security.

What would you like to do after your PhD?
This question is always a bit tricky for me—it's hard to predict the future. A year ago, I wouldn’t have imagined being where I am now. I’m trying to live in the present and embrace the opportunities that come with my academic path.
What will I do in the future? Who knows!
Certainly, the profession of architecture offers many possibilities and directions, which can also coexist. Right now, the idea of continuing along the academic path really interests me—so we’ll see where it leads!

Riccardo M. – PhD Scholarship in Physics

What is the aim of your research?
I work in high-energy astrophysics with the goal of studying and identifying the most extreme phenomena in the Universe. Using Machine Learning, I search for high-energy electromagnetic transients detected by the Fermi telescope—particularly Gamma-ray Bursts (GRBs), which can originate from the merger of two neutron stars or the collapse of a massive star into a supernova or black hole. Specifically, I focus on GRBs at high redshift, meaning those that occurred in the early Universe.
I also apply Machine Learning techniques to study high-energy emissions from nearby stars, aiming to understand the processes behind these phenomena and assess the potential habitability of the orbiting planets.

How can your research impact people’s lives?
By enriching our understanding of the Universe and its fundamental laws—even in its earliest stages. When it comes to emissions from nearby stars, this research can help determine the potential for life to develop on orbiting planets.

What would you like to do after your PhD?
Once I finish my PhD, I’d like to continue working in research, ideally within the academic world.