An international study co-ordinated by the Interdisciplinary Centre of Nanoscience of Marseille, with the collaboration of organisations and research centres of excellence, including the Biology and Nanotechnology Laboratory of the Department of Engineering and Architecture at the University of Trieste, has synthesised a new antibacterial compound that promises to be an excellent candidate for the fight against antibiotic resistance, a growing global public health problem that still causes millions of deaths worldwide.

‘The main threat is posed by the eskape group of bacteria - comprising the genera Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter species - because they are particularly virulent and resistant to antibiotics introduced with treatment” explains Sabrina Pricl, one of the study's researchers and associate professor of chemical engineering at the Department of Engineering and Architecture at the University of Trieste. “Hence the need to develop new antibacterial agents that, on the one hand, are able to kill bacteria, on the other, are not toxic to the organisms that take them in and, above all, do not induce the appearance of further drug resistance.’

The molecule synthesised by the researchers - an amphiphilic dendrimer called AD1b - proved highly efficient against all Gram-negative bacteria, including drug-resistant strains such as Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii.

The compound interacts with the bacterium by an innovative mechanism of action: it binds to the phospholipids of the bacterial membrane, such as phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin, causing the destruction of the membrane itself and the consequent collapse of cell metabolism, leading to the death of the bacterium, without damaging healthy cells - even in vivo - and minimising the risk of developing new resistance, a problem that otherwise plagues traditional antibiotics.

In preclinical tests, the molecule demonstrated strong antibacterial activity as well as great safety, with very low toxicity and no haemolytic effect - results later confirmed in in vivo tests. Moreover, after thirty days of exposure to the compound, no resistance was observed; on the contrary, a drastic reduction in the bacterial load in infected animals was observed.

‘This molecule could pave the way for safer and more targeted therapies and thus give an impetus to the treatment of resistant infections: together with its efficacy, in fact, the ability to not induce resistance puts it in pole position to be further developed at the clinical translational level’ explains Professor Sabrina Pricl.

Researchers from the University of Trieste worked on the design of the AD1 molecule and took part in the computational study, using molecular dynamics simulations to study the interaction between AD1b and the bacterial membrane, applying advanced methodologies supported by CINECA's supercomputing resources.

The research project was funded with NRRP funds and was supported by ICSC, the National Research Centre in High-Performance Computing, Big Data and Quantum Computing.

Il 7 settembre è mancata improvvisamente la prof.ssa Anna Rita Bacinello, Professore ordinario di Metodi Matematici dell’Economia e delle Scienze Attuariali e Finanziarie presso il Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche, Aziendali, Matematiche e Statistiche dell’Università di Trieste, Ateneo che ha prima frequentato come studentessa e poi, a partire dal 1981, come ricercatrice e docente, fino a diventare professoressa ordinaria nel 1995 dopo una breve parentesi presso l’Università di Cassino.

La notizia della sua prematura scomparsa ha suscitato profonda commozione e cordoglio all’Università di Trieste e in tutta la comunità scientifica nazionale. La prof.ssa Bacinello si è sempre dedicata al suo lavoro con entusiasmo, impegno e dedizione. È stata docente di grande spessore e studiosa di fama internazionale.

L’attività didattica è stata ampia e variegata e ha riguardato diversi insegnamenti di ambito finanziario e attuariale. Le sue eccellenti capacità didattiche e scientifiche ne hanno fatto un’apprezzatissima docente non solo presso l’Università di Trieste, ma anche presso altre università italiane e straniere. 

Studiosa di fama internazionale nel campo delle assicurazioni sulla vita, si è in particolare dedicata alla valutazione di mercato di prodotti assicurativi sulla vita, integrando le moderne tecniche della finanza matematica con quelle tradizionali in ambito attuariale. Speciale attenzione è stata rivolta alla valutazione delle garanzie a protezione degli assicurati, alla modellizzazione del comportamento dinamico degli assicurati e alla modellizzazione stocastica della mortalità. I suoi lavori sono sempre stati caratterizzati per la loro eleganza, generalità e flessibilità nell’approccio utilizzato.

È stata autrice e coautrice di numerosi articoli pubblicati su riviste internazionali, nonché membro dei comitati editoriali di diverse riviste scientifiche rilevanti negli ambiti attuariale e della finanza matematica. Alcuni dei suoi lavori hanno ricevuto autorevoli riconoscimenti. Ha tenuto numerosi seminari presso prestigiose università italiane e straniere ed è stata plenary speaker in diversi convegni nazionali ed internazionali. La sua improvvisa scomparsa interrompe un’intensa attività di relazioni internazionali che la vedevano attesa, proprio nei prossimi giorni, prima a Lisbona e poi a Bruxelles.

Ha ricoperto vari ruoli. In particolare, è stata membro del Comitato Scientifico del CISA (Comitato scientifico di Centro Inter-accademico per le Scienze Attuariali e la gestione dei rischi) e del Collegio Universitario di Merito “Luciano Fonda”. È stata Coordinatore e Membro del Collegio dei Docenti di diversi Dottorati di Ricerca, membro del Consiglio di Reggenza della Banca d’Italia con funzioni di censore, per la sede di Trieste. È stata membro di molte commissioni di Ateneo e, nel Dipartimento, era referente dell’area matematica. Era, inoltre, membro di diverse associazioni scientifiche internazionali.

La sua scomparsa lascia un grande vuoto e una profonda tristezza. Chi l’ha conosciuta la ricorderà sempre per la sua genuinità e disponibilità a condividere il proprio sapere con colleghi e studenti. Una persona brillante ma al contempo estremamente semplice, nonostante i numerosi successi che hanno coronato la sua carriera.

Matteo Parenzan ha conquistato la medaglia d'oro nel tennistavolo classe 6 alle Paralimpiadi di Parigi.

È una giornata straordinaria per l'Università di Trieste, che gioisce e si commuove vedendo Parenzan, studente di Scienze Politiche e dell'Amministrazione, salire sul gradino più alto del podio al termine di un torneo perfetto, senza sbavature, in cui non ha concesso neanche un set agli avversari.

L'atleta triestino è stato protagonista di un percorso inarrestabile che lo ha visto anche detronizzare in semifinale il campione paralimpico in carica Seidenfeld e successivamente travolgere in finale il pongista thailandese Thainiyom, davanti a 4500 spettatori.

A 21 anni Matteo realizza con il trionfo paralimpico una sorta di Grande slam del ping pong, dopo essere diventato campione del mondo a Granada nel 2022 e campione europeo a Sheffield nel 2023.

Una storia sportiva fantastica fatta di determinazione e impegno davanti ai quali restiamo ammirati.

In piazzale Europa sventola idealmente la bandiera paralimpica con i tre agitos blu, rosso e verde, simbolo in movimento attorno a un punto centrale che rappresenta lo spirito degli atleti che costantemente ispirano e smuovono il mondo con le loro performance, lottando senza arrendersi alle proprie disabilità.

Questa sera anche la nostra Minerva vuole condividere la gioia e il dolce peso al collo della medaglia d'oro, grazie Matteo per le emozioni che ci hai fatto vivere in queste Paralimpiadi.

Il 15 settembre UniTS si illumina di verde per celebrare la Giornata Nazionale SLA, istituita per ricordare il primo sit-in dei malati in Piazza Bocca della Verità a Roma, avvenuto il 18 settembre 2006.

Da allora, ogni anno, tra la metà di settembre e la prima settimana di ottobre, AISLA promuove iniziative in tutta Italia per rinnovare l’attenzione dell’opinione pubblica, delle autorità politiche, sanitarie e socio-assistenziali sui bisogni di cura e assistenza dei malati di Sclerosi Laterale Amiotrofica. 

I fondi raccolti nelle piazze italiane, dove è possibile aderire all’iniziativa “Un contributo versato con gusto”, è fornire aiuti concreti per migliorare la qualità di vita delle persone con SLA e delle loro famiglie. Dal sostegno finanziario per garantire l’assistenza domiciliare continua, al trasporto con mezzi attrezzati, dal supporto ai progetti di vacanze accessibili, fino alla consulenza e il supporto per le pratiche burocratiche, legali e previdenziali.

GIORNATA NAZIONALE SLA 2024

As part of the activities of SiS FVG, the Scientific and Innovation System of Friuli Venezia Giulia, which coordinates 17 regional research and innovation entities, Area Science Park in collaboration with the University of Trieste is promoting for the second year a series of seminars on the topics of intellectual property and the exploitation of research results, making use of the experience of expert speakers in technical and legal aspects from the GLP group.

The initiative, created to disseminate knowledge of intellectual property to students, faculty and researchers at the University, is open to all interested parties.

The seminars will be held at the UniTS CLab, 40 F. Severo Street (Former Military Hospital), in Trieste.

Participation in the seminars is free of charge, after registering at the following link   

PROGRAM:

• Module 1 - Overview of Intellectual Property Rights - Patent Focus

  September 26, 2024 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

  Speaker: Stefano Ligi

• Module 2 - New discipline of inventions in the academic field (art.65 C.P.I.)

  October 9, 2024 from 16:00 to 18:00 hours

  Speaker: Lorenzo Fabro

• Module 3 – NDA e Licensing

      October 14, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

      Speaker: Lawyer Erika Poletti

• Module 4 - Copyright e Creative Commons

      November 13, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

      Speaker: Lawyer Carmela Barilà

For information:  clab@units.it 

The ‘Mille e una Vela Cup’ (thousand and one sails cup) university trophy will be held in Trieste from 25th to 29th September, with the UniTS AUDACE team among the participants with its three boats ‘Lina’, ‘Dedalo’ and ‘Bai - Lina Rossa’.

The University sailing team's laser-focus objective is simple: to consolidate the victories of the previous three editions.

Hosted by the ADRIACO Yacht Club and organised with the cooperation of the University of Trieste in the year of its 100th Anniversary, the international regatta will see sailboats designed, built and sailed by university students.

Only boats made with materials that guarantee a high degree of recyclability and environmental sustainability will be admitted to the competition.

During the three-day regatta, the ‘1001VELAcup’ Challenge Trophy and the ‘Paolo Padova’ Trophy will be awarded. The first is contested with boats designed and built by students and with crews formed exclusively by them. The second features crews formed by a teacher and a student.

The ‘Mainaldo Maneschi Prize’ will also be awarded for the best boat project, combining the evaluation of the competing projects with the results of the regattas.

Seminars and in-depth lectures on design techniques are also planned.

1001 Vela Cup

A journey that followed in the footsteps of the digital revolution, in the place that is the global symbol of technological innovation, of the visionary and courageous creativity of the start-ups that have conquered markets and transformed the world over the last thirty years.

This is the summary of the California Tech Tour undertaken by Silvia De Cleva, Nicandro Alberto di Salvia and Francesco Zamar, the University of Trieste students who won the 2023 edition of the CLab Think Tank.

The stimulating week-long educational experience allowed the three young people to visit institutions and centres of excellence, among the most important and influential places of innovation development and entrepreneurship culture in the world.

The trip, organised by the UniTS Innovation Office, began in San Bernardino at the ESRI-Environmental System Research Institute and the University of Redlands, where they met leading figures from academic governance and the business world. 

Later, in San Francisco, they were welcomed by Consul Sergio Strozzi at the Consulate General of Italy. In the same city, the clabbers got to know the reality of INNOVIT, thanks to a presentation by Director Alberto Acito, who illustrated the possibilities offered to Italian start-ups in the US.

A highlight of the trip was the seminar at the UC Berkeley University Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology, where the UniTS students were able to learn advanced entrepreneurship strategies. 

The trip concluded with a visit to Silicon Valley, where they were given access to Google, one of the companies symbolising the technological revolution and the web economy, and NASA, the world's most important aerospace agency and a leader in technological innovation. 

For our clabbers, it was an exciting experience in an international network of extraordinary dynamism, from which they returned with an injection of knowledge and expertise in business development.

The University of Trieste is currently participating in the EAIE (European Association for International Education) Conference, Europe's most important fair dedicated to international education. The event, which takes place in Toulouse, France, is a meeting point for academic professionals from all over Europe and beyond.

With a dedicated stand, UniTS has the opportunity to strengthen relations with existing partner universities and initiate new international collaborations.

‘EAIE represents a strength and a necessity in the education of the future ruling class. Thanks to various international education programmes students come into contact with different cultures and different countries, strengthening their awareness as citizens of the world. And the strengthening of international education programmes is one of the goals of UniTS!’ These were the words of Prof. Barbara Milani, Deputy Rector for International Relations and Mobility, who attended the event.

The new Major Project of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs nad International Cooperation (MAECI) entitled ‘CoReng - Conservation of the Religions Complex in Old Cairo through the integration of geosciences and earthquake engineering’ has been launched.

The Italy-Egypt bilateral scientific and technological collaboration project, coordinated by Chiara Bedon, involves UniTS with researchers and lecturers from the Department of Engineering and Architecture (DIA) and the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Geosciences (MIGe). 

CoReng's theme is ‘New Technologies applied to Cultural and Natural Heritage’.

The objective is to develop new methodologies for monitoring, assessing the vulnerability, hazard and seismic risk of the monumental buildings of the Religious Complex in Old Cairo. These are highly specialised and multidisciplinary activities, which demonstrate the strong synergy between the various fields of civil engineering and geosciences.

For DIA, in addition to Chiara Bedon, Marco Fasan, Raul Berto, Alessio Bortot, Stefano Bozza, Alessandro Mazelli (PhD student) and Franco Vaccari (with a CoReng research grant) are involved. Fabio Romanelli is collaborating on the project for MIGe.

The joint activities will be carried out in cooperation with colleagues at the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG) in Cairo, coordinated by Hesham Mossa.

CoReng is one of the four projects (out of more than 100 applications) selected for the new 2024-2026 Executive Programme, and provides funding of €200,000

The sixth edition of CFC - Climbing for Climate, promoted by the Network of Universities for Sustainable Development (RUS) and the Italian Alpine Club (CAI), has just come to an end in the beautiful setting of the Marmolada glacier. 

The main objective was to raise public awareness to the rapid melting of glaciers by emphasising the need to rethink our relationship with the mountain environment. In this specific case, a different usage model of the Marmolada has been proposed, one that no longer sees it exclusively as a perfect mountain for mountaineering and skiing – as defined by Dino Buzzati – but rather as a master mountain capable of teaching and guiding towards a more conscious and respectful approach to the fragile Alpine ecosystem.

The Marmolada, one of the most iconic glaciers in the Dolomites, is today at the centre of an accelerated melting process. During the two-day event, participants took part in a ‘participatory glaciological campaign’, promoted by the Italian Glaciological Committee and the Museum of Geography of the University of Padua, which allowed them to observe at first hand the dramatic effects of climate change and the gradual shrinking of the glacier.

The Manifest for another Marmolada.

At the end of the two-day event, the Manifest for another Marmolada was officially presented, a document created to trigger a concrete trend reversal regarding the intensive exploitation of natural resources.

Signatories of the manifesto included the University of Trieste, which joined the initiative with the participation of Prof. Ilaria Garofolo, who emphasised the importance of giving continuity to the work of Prof. Maurizio Fermeglia, who passed away before his time. Fermeglia, who had always been a passionate mountaineer and promoter of concrete actions against climate change, participated in the first edition of Climbing for Climate on the Adamello glacier in 2019.

For more details on the event and to download the Manifest for another Marmolada, please visit the RUS site