Prof. Pierangelo Gobbo’s research group from the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Trieste has taken an exciting step forward in the creation of artificial tissues that respond to light, which they have called ‘photonastic prototissues.’

Synthetic biology is a discipline which straddles the border between engineering and biology, and was created in order to build artificial biological systems by combining chemistry, biotechnology and engineering. The work of Prof. Pierangelo Gobbo’s research group addresses a key challenge in the field: to create artificial tissues that not only mimic the structure of living systems, but also integrate movement and biochemical functions. The UniTS research group has created a powerful platform for designing materials that do not merely exist passively, but react and actively adapt to their environment.

The potential applications will have a significant impact on scheduled drug delivery techniques, the field of bioinspired materials and the field of soft robotics, a discipline which uses soft and flexible materials to create robots that can bend, deform and adapt to their environment.

The researchers, inspired by how real tissues convert energy into movement and function, have designed synthetic tissue-like materials that can contract and switch off their internal reactivity when exposed to light.

The secret of these dynamic proto-tissues lies in the combination of two elements: gold nanoparticles that convert light into heat and a polymer ‘proto-cortex’ that is sensitive to thermal changes. Similar to the cortex of living cells, this is nothing more than a polymer layer that covers the inside of the protocell membrane and gives the protocell greater mechanical strength. When exposed to light, the gold nanoparticles generate heat and trigger the contraction of the proto-cortex. This causes the individual proto-cells that make up the material to contract just like a small muscle. When the light is switched off, the structure promptly relaxes.

In addition to movement, they have shown that these contractions can regulate the enzymatic metabolism of the tissue, blocking or allowing access to small substrate molecules. In other words, light intensity can be used to induce reversible contractions that can modulate a biochemical process housed within the material.

The work, now published in Advanced Materials, https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202502830 was developed in collaboration with Professors Piero Pavan and Silvia Todros (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padua; Tissue Engineering Lab, Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Città della Speranza).

The research was supported by the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant PROTOMAT, 101039578), the Next Generation EU (PRIN project NRRP 3D-L- INKED, P2022BLNCS; PRIN project SAMBA 2022285HC5_002; PNRR project ‘Metabolic and cardiovascular diseases’ CN000041) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship ‘SAPTiMeC’ (101023978).

The Italian Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, promoted by the Ministry of Culture's Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity, will be entitled ‘Terrae Aquae. L’Italia e l’Intelligenza del Mare’ (Terrae Aquae. Italy and the Intelligence of the Sea)’ and curated by Guendalina Salimei. It will include a video presentation of the Architecture thesis ‘From Waterscape to Nautopia: global warming scenarios and stories of radical architecture, spaces and habitats’, written by two UniTS graduates. 

Giulia Piacente and Giulia Toscano's thesis explores an imaginative future in which cities may exist on water, and was supervised by Thomas Bisiani, professor of Architectural and Urban Composition at UniTS.  It will be exhibited in the area of the pavilion dedicated to products of academic studies until 23rd November.

Guendalina Salimei, curator of the Italian Pavilion, described it as a ‘contribution from the field of education, demonstrating how academic research can provide us with insights which help us engage with challenges in both the present and future’.

The work was chosen for the quality of its research, the originality of its approach and its relevance to the themes addressed by the exhibition project ‘Terræ Aquæ. Italy and the Intelligence of the Sea.’ 

Starting with a discussion on global warming and the resultant rising sea levels, the students conceived Nautopia, a floating village for 2000 people, able to survive submersion in bad weather and surrounded by an artificial ring of land to mitigate the impact of the waves. In the underwater plane, a special grid structure would allow people to travel across, be adjustable to limit or expand spaces, and be equipped with a physical system linking the market, trade building and cultural centre. The upper plane would be left free to allow for ease of navigation.

The passage from one plane to another would be made possible thanks to lifting platforms that allow people to travel up and down and would provide a supply of energy, water and operational drainage systems.

Nautopia would be self-sufficient with food, water, energy and waste disposal in order to meet the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.

EUT, in collaboration with other academic and scientific publishing houses, will participate in Le parole tra noi leggere, the 37th edition of the Turin International Book Fair held from Thursday 15th to Monday 19th May.  

The UniTS publishing house will exhibit its new publications at the UPI – Italian University Press stand in Room 2, Stand F28 at the ‘Lingotto Fiere’ Congress Centre. 

The theme of the 2025 edition of the Exhibition is ‘Le parole tra noi leggère’ (Words [fall] lightly between us, a line from Eugenio Montale’s poem Due nel crepuscolo), a space for reflection which aims to explore how words can help people access both their inner selves and the world around them, with a special look at the raw material of words, which are light, precise and precious.

The event will be spread across 137 thousand square metres of exhibition space, with over 51 rooms and 700 stands.  220 hours of workshops will happen across more than 2,000 events at the Congress Centre, and over 500 in the general area with Salone Off, a space dedicated to training, experimentation and knowledge shares between generations. There will also be a new a lounge area reserved for professionals in the field, named the Publishers Centre.
 

Addressing pediatric emergencies such as arrhythmias and cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, severe abdominal and spinal trauma, as well as effectively managing healthcare teams—these are the central themes of a high-level scientific training activity with an international scope. The initiative is promoted by the University of Trieste and the IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, focusing on advanced management of pediatric emergencies. Approximately 60 residents from the University's Pediatric Specialization School and about 15 healthcare professionals from the Institute participated.

Leading the initiative were two world-renowned experts visiting Trieste for the first time: Professor Marc Berg from Stanford University, a specialist in pediatric simulations and a prominent member of the American Heart Association, and Professor Brent Barber from the University of Arizona, an expert in pediatric and neonatal cardiology. Both have extensive clinical experience in emergencies and are among the authors of international guidelines for pediatric resuscitation.

The event, conceived and coordinated by Dr. Stefania Norbedo, an emergency pediatrician at Burlo and a simulation instructor at the University of Trieste's Specialization School, began on Wednesday, 7 May, with an introductory seminar at Burlo. During the seminar, the two American professors presented and discussed critical clinical scenarios.

Participants engaged in high-fidelity scenarios, managing complex clinical situations in real-time, such as cardiogenic shock, major trauma, poisonings, and respiratory failure. This was made possible through the use of mannequins capable of realistically reproducing the physiological and clinical conditions of pediatric patients.

The 20th edition of the ‘Romana Calligaris’ Trophy, an international long-course (50 m) swimming competition, will take place on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May. The event promises to entertain spectators at the Bruno Bianchi Swimming Pool – Federal Centre of Trieste. Over 750 participants will compete, representing 41 clubs mainly from Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Emilia-Romagna, Apulia, Slovenia, Serbia, Hungary, Spain, England and France.

SYNERGY WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TRIESTE 

This year, researchers and students from the University of Trieste belonging to the Clinical Applied Physiology and Kinesiology research group (Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences), and the Biomedical Engineering group (Department of Engineering and Architecture), will assess the neuromuscular characteristics of some athletes participating in the Trophy. Their aim is to explore the role of shoulder and trunk muscles across different swimming strokes and conditions.

Another objective is to provide tools to support athletes’ technical and medical staff.

The research team, supported by Alessandro Mencarelli, Technical Director of Triestina Nuoto, and biomechanic expert Ivo Ferretti, is led by Alex Buoite Stella, researcher and lecturer in Physiology at the Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences at UniTS.

‘The project,’ explains Buoite Stella, ‘was born a few years ago from the spark of some physiotherapy students who encouraged us to step into the fascinating world of water and swimming sports, which has led us to develop the skills and tools needed to study athletes both in and out of the pool.’

Initial results have already been achieved, but there is still a long way to go: ‘In recent years we have published a series of articles on the role of the swimmer’s shoulder, particularly in terms of managing that joint. We intend to continue working together to study swimming sports through a translational scientific approach – combining clinical and theoretical research with fieldwork – to provide athletes and their support teams, both technical and medical, with useful information to optimise performance, reduce injury risk and aid recovery.’

ATHLETES TO WATCH

Among the most anticipated athletes are, on the men’s side, Olympic double bronze medallist Federico Burdisso and one of the greatest Italian freestyle swimmers in history, Luca Dotto; and on the women’s side, the trio composed of Paris 2024 relay swimmer Emma Virginia Menicucci, Nika Godun (a Moscow native with French citizenship), and Anja Crevar (Serbia).

The Calligaris Trophy has always stood for inclusive swimming as well, with Paralympic athletes capable of taking the spotlight at both World Championships and the Olympics. This edition will see the participation of, alongside the Triestina Nuoto team, Vittoria Bianco (representing the Paralympic Defence Sports Group, gold medallist in the 4x100 freestyle relay at the Tokyo Paralympics and bronze medallist in the 400 freestyle S9 category at the Paris 2024 Paralympics), and Giorgia Marchi (a Triestine athlete from the national Police sports team who competed in the 100 breaststroke S14 at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and won bronze at the 2024 European Championships).

Though he will not be competing, one of the most recognisable faces of the Italian Paralympic swimming team, Antonio Fantin (Police sports team), will be present at Sunday afternoon’s award ceremony. Fantin, from Latisana in Friuli, has won 7 Paralympic medals, 8 World Championship golds and 10 European Championship golds in the S6 category.

The University of Trieste today awarded an honorary master's degree in psychology to Julio Velasco, one of the most influential figures in international sport in recent decades, in recognition of the originality and consistency with which he has integrated psychological principles into training, group management and performance culture.

This is the first honorary degree conferred by an Italian university on ‘Maestro’ Julio Velasco, a coach who has led national teams to Olympic gold and silver medals, two World Championships, five World Leagues, one World Cup and six continental titles including European, Asian and Pan American Championships.

The honorary degree was awarded on the initiative of the University of Trieste’s Department of Life Sciences, which for 25 years has hosted a Laboratory of Sport Psychology.

The ceremony took place in a packed Aula Magna, also thanks to the strong presence of representatives from federations and sporting associations – a testament to the extraordinary cultural impact that the La Plata-born coach has had in his field and to what he represents, in terms of image, mindset and innovation, for the entire Italian sporting movement.

The event opened with speeches by Rector Roberto Di Lenarda, Luca Ubaldeschi, editor-in-chief of the NEM group’s publications, and Fabrizio Brancoli, deputy editor responsible for the local newspaper Il Piccolo and events. All highlighted, through the metaphor of sport, the human and cultural impact of Velasco’s vision, which has the power to speak to a wide audience with words that are both simple and profound.

In the citation read by Professor Ivan Donati, Head of the Department of Life Sciences, Velasco is recognised as a communication and management model who has succeeded in developing both individual and collective potential in sport and organisational settings, promoting a culture of performance that is conscious, ethical and sustainable. His ideas have reached well beyond the playing field, inspiring fields that may seem distant, such as business, education and managerial training.

The academic laudatio by Professor Tiziano Agostini, Professor of General Psychology and head of the Laboratory of Sport Psychology, retraced an exceptional human and professional journey: from the difficult years of post-dictatorship Argentina, to his arrival in Italy and the leadership of the ‘Generation of Phenomena’; then his return to success with national teams on three continents, culminating in the 2024 Olympic gold medal with the Italian women’s team. A powerful example of how sport can become a space for growth, responsibility and cultural transformation.

'My wish,' said Julio Velasco, addressing the students of the University, especially those studying Psychology, 'is that you may not only successfully complete your university studies, but above all, be able to fully live what you have studied. Because the real challenges begin after university, and that's where more strength is needed. My wish, therefore, is that you may truly practice your profession, practice psychology, and make it a living part of your life.'

‘With this award,’ said Rector Roberto Di Lenarda, ‘the University of Trieste recognises the value of an individual of exceptional stature, capable of combining rigour, vision, and human sensitivity. His thinking and his example have had an impact far beyond the world of sport: they have spoken to generations of enthusiasts, educators, managers, students, and citizens, contributing to a profound reflection on the role of motivation, merit, and trust in the growth of individuals and communities.’

By awarding the honorary degree to Julio Velasco, the University of Trieste not only honours a figure who, through his thinking and actions, has been able to trigger important transformations in his field, but also renews its commitment to sharing with the world of sport initiatives focused on the well-being of individuals and the growth of young people, promoting the values of education, human development, and community living.

The 14th edition of Roses, Books, Music, Wine gets underway, the cultural festival organised by the social cooperative Agricola Monte San Pantaleone and the University of Trieste. From 9th May and on each Friday of the month, the rose garden in San Giovanni Park (awarded the Certificate of Excellence by the World Federation of Rose Societies in 2015) will host meetings, walks, conversations around books, wine tastings, and musical performances.

At the heart of this fourteenth edition, the festival invites reflection on the theme What kind of power?, exploring how to recognise and promote forms of power that differ from those based on oppression, violence, and domination. This reflection is guided by the legacy of Franco Basaglia, who in 1979 observed that real change lies not in winning, but in persuading: The moment we persuade, we win, that is, we bring about a transformation that is difficult to reverse. Nearly fifty years later, this vision continues to inspire the spirit of the festival, which offers a space to nurture the belief that the impossible can become possible, that walls can be dismantled, gates opened, utopias imagined, and even realised, and that the most valuable capital a community holds is its people.

Alongside this vision comes a bitter awareness: new walls are being erected, new forms of exclusion are emerging, rights seem to be in retreat, and collective memories are fading. The power on the rise is not the one evoked by Martin Luther King, the kind that changes reality, but rather a power that subjugates, deceives, bullies, annihilates. And yet, as Italo Calvino reminded us, there is an antidote: To seek and know how to recognise who and what, in the midst of hell, is not hell, and to make it endure, and give it space.

Donata Vianelli will be the first female Rector of the University of Trieste!

An economist born in Vicenza and full professor of Business Economics and Management, she secured 552 votes, surpassing the absolute majority threshold of 505 in the first round.

The second candidate, Ilaria Garofolo, received 341 votes.
Vianelli is currently Director of the Department of Economic, Business, Mathematical and Statistical Sciences and served as the Rector’s Delegate for Student Orientation and Job Placement from 2013 to 2019.
Voter turnout reached 89.20%, marking a 10% increase compared to the 2019 elections, a sign of strong engagement and participation from the academic community.

“I wish to extend my sincere congratulations to the new Rector, Professor Vianelli, the first in the history of the University of Trieste. I will be handing over the baton to her on 1st August 2025,” commented outgoing Rector Roberto Di Lenarda. “We leave behind a healthy, dynamic and efficient University, well equipped to support the new governance through the challenges that lie ahead over the next six years. The exceptionally high turnout is further testament to the strength of our community, which over the years has shown an ability to renew itself, to come together and to actively contribute to the growth of our university. I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to the other candidate, Professor Garofolo, for her willingness to take part in this highly democratic and participatory process.”

All information on the electoral process: https://amm.units.it/elezioni/ele-53036 
 

During GO!2025 - European Capital of Culture, the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) will present ‘Between skin and heart: the emotions of science in the fight against cancer’, a cycle of five theatre performances scheduled between May and October 2025 in Trieste, Udine, Gorizia and Nova Gorica. The initiative is financed by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.

The University of Trieste is also a partner in the project, with participation from Serena Zacchigna, professor of Molecular Biology at UniTS and head of the ICGEB Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory. Together with Prof. Domenico Prattichizzo (University of Siena and IIT Genoa), Zacchigna brings a story which is both scientific and personal to the stage, inspired by an innovative challenge in research: to develop new anti-cancer therapies inspired by the heart, an organ rarely affected by cancer, using wearable robots that mimic a heartbeat.

The project interweaves science, storytelling and theatre to bring the public closer to the world of biomedical research, through an accessible, emotional and engaging language. On stage, researchers retrace each phase of their scientific adventure: hypotheses, obstacles, eureka moments, failures and progress, told in the first person and without the aid of slides. The show will be performed in Italian, with Slovenian subtitles and translation into sign language, making it accessibile to all.

The texts and script are by Alessandra Cotoloni and Sarita Massai, with participation from Davide Costabile, Giuseppe Di Mauro, Maryen Vasanthakumar and Alberto Villani.

Calendar of events

• 10th maggio 2025 at 15:00 – Trieste
  Scienza e Virgola Festival (SISSA) – Miela Theatre
  (event for schools)
• 11th May 2025 at 16:00 – Udine
  Vicino/Lontano Festival – Chiesa di San Francesco
  (with sign-language interpreters)
• 27th September 2025 – Trieste
  Trieste Next – Miela Theatre
  (with sign-language interpreters)
• 24th October 2025 at 18:00 – Nova Gorica
  University of Nova Gorica – Palazzo Lanthieri
  (in Italian with English subtitles)
• 25th October 2025 at 11:00 – Gorizia
  University of Trieste – Gorizia Campus – Main Hall
  (event for schools)

A prestigious international award for Federico Rosei, Professor of Industrial Chemistry at the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Trieste, is among the winners of the Nano Energy Award 2025. This is one of the most important international prizes in the field of nanoenergy, awarded every two years during the International Conference on Nanoenergy and Nanosystems (NENS). The official ceremony will take place on 30th June 2025 in Beijing, where Professor Rosei will also give a plenary lecture.

The prize was awarded for his pioneering contributions to the study of innovative nanomaterials, such as multiferroic materials and quantum dots. More specifically, Professor Rosei analysed the relationships between the structure and properties of these materials, using them as building blocks in nanoscale energy conversion devices, including photovoltaic cells, photoelectrochemical cells for hydrogen production and solar windows. His research has revealed new perspectives for the development of advanced solar technologies and innovative electronic devices.

Over the course of his career, Federico Rosei has won several important international awards. Among the most recent are the Nanotechnology Recognition Award 2024 from the American Vacuum Society (AVS), appointment as Fellow of the Materials Research Society, Fellowship Award 2024 from the Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) and election as Foreign member of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science.

His scientific work focuses on next-generation energy technologies based on nanomaterials, with an emphasis on the production, transformation and application of inorganic, organic and biocompatible materials. Professor Rosei is also internationally recognised for his commitment to training young researchers and promoting scientific excellence on a global scale.