Brain aging mainly manifests as decreased memory capacity, reduced learning speed and reduced cognitive flexibility. But what molecular mechanisms underlie these symptoms?

So far, studies have identified several molecular processes such as DNA mutations, reduced RNA and brain protein synthesis, loss of soluble RNA and epigenetic changes. These phenomena occur simultaneously, and it is to date unclear which initially causes brain ageing and which is a subsequent effect.

According to a study conducted by an international team coordinated by the Scuola Normale with its Bio Laboratory Bio@SNS, the Leibniz Institute on Aging and Stanford University, a stalling in protein synthesis could be the first cause of brain ageing. The study was done in collaboration with the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station.

The UniTS Laboratory of Synaptic Homeostasis, which specialises in the study of brain regulation mechanisms during aging, has also contributed to this important work. The team led by Eugenio Fornasiero provided support for a detailed analysis of protein turnover in the brain.

The insight behind the study was obtained by observing the process of brain aging in the Nothobranchius furzeri (turquoise killifish), a small East African fish known for its very short lifespan in captivity (less than one year). Professor of Physiology Alessandro Cellerino, one of the study coordinators, had the brainwave of introducing the fish as a new model for the study of aging 25 years ago at the Scuola Normale. The very short lifespan of these small fish and the fact that their brain physiology is similar to that of all vertebrates greatly reduces the time and cost of ageing studies, without losing relevance for humans.

"We observed that as age progresses, ribosomes no longer flow freely but stall or lock in precise positions along RNA strands, generating incomplete proteins,” Cellerino explains. "These proteins, 'lost in translation', have a low solubility and therefore tend to precipitate inside the cell. The surprising finding is that not all RNAs are subject to this phenomenon in the same way: the proteins affected are those that comprise the ribosomes themselves, which therefore decrease in number and generate a vicious cycle.

The stalling of ribosomes, therefore, could be the mechanism linking the different molecular changes related to brain ageing.

The next step will be to use Killifish to test whether treatment with substances capable of reducing the stalling of ribosomes is sufficient to slow cognitive impairment. If this were confirmed, new avenues in the medical field would be opened up.”

Published in Science, the paper is entitled ‘Altered translation elongation contributes to key hallmarks of aging in the killifish brain.’ 

The University of Trieste is expanding its course catalogue with three new master's degree courses starting in the academic year 2025-2026. The new courses are designed to respond to current challenges, with programmes that are open to internationalisation and geared towards providing solid career prospects.

Applied Social and Cognitive Psychology (PSCA)

Languages: Italian and English
Location: Trieste

This master's degree trains students to become professionals capable of promoting mental well-being and addressing the dynamics of human behaviour in non-clinical settings. The course integrates knowledge and tools used in social and cognitive psychology with a practical approach aimed at the needs of contemporary society. 

The curriculum includes four compulsory core courses and offers students the opportunity to personalise their studies by choosing two of the following areas of application: 

• Community and Wellness

• Work and Organisations

• Ergonomics and Technologies

• People, Animals, Environments and Society

Each area of application provides students with specific educational activities, two of which are delivered in English. Students will develop advanced skills in the design and implementation of psychological interventions in organisational, technological and social contexts, promoting individual and collective well-being, inclusion, sustainability and innovation. 

Graduates will have the knowledge base required to take the national examination to qualify as a psychologist in Italy. With the skills developed during the course, graduates will be able to work as freelancers, consultants or employees within public bodies, private companies and third sector organisations. Job opportunities include, among others, personnel selection, managing group dynamics, cognitive ergonomics, social design, digital communication, sport and environmental well-being. 

The degree course in PSCA has been renewed, providing students with greater flexibility when selecting course content and an unprecedented integration between the social and cognitive dimensions of psychology. At a national level, there are currently no equivalent courses in terms of structure and setting, making this degree course unique among Italian universities.

Rehabilitation for Healthcare Professionals

Language: Italian
Location: Trieste

This master's degree provides advanced training in rehabilitation with the aim of developing skills in the fields of care, management, teaching and research. The course has been designed for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in an area of healthcare, including physiotherapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists, orthoptists, professional educators and technicians in psychiatric rehabilitation. 

The course gives graduates access to management roles in healthcare facilities and also qualifies them to direct professional teaching activities in bachelor degree courses, teach in health science degree courses, and participate in research projects in the public and private sectors. The degree also gives graduates the qualification required to apply for PhDs and second-level master degrees. 

Offered by UniTS in the past, the course has been re-designed with a strong focus on innovative teaching and applied research. The educational design spans management, teaching and research, while also leaving space for optional activities, seminars and targeted traineeships for each of the eight professional profiles envisaged. 

New features include cutting-edge content such as active learning, remote rehabilitation, the use of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and robotics in healthcare as well as looking at sustainable models for health systems and the fundamentals of clinical neuroscience.

Joint Master's Programme in Political Science – Integration & Governance (PoSIG)

Language: English
Location: Gorizia

This joint master's degree is an two-year international programme delivered entirely in English and involving universities from eight European countries. Students have the opportunity to study in at least two different locations, choosing from Austria, Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Italy, North Macedonia and Kosovo, and will receive a joint degree recognized by all participating universities. 

The course includes modules in: 

• Comparative policy

• European integration

• International relations

• Administration and public policies

• Political theory

PoSIG is aimed at students with a bachelor’s degree in political science or international relations who are highly motivated to take part in an international mobility experience over the two-year period. 

The course combines a solid theoretical background with emphasis on research into decision-making processes and public policies, and a focus on issues of governance and integration in national and international contexts. 

The programme also includes traineeships in international partner organisations such as the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), the Central European Initiative (CEI), the Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE), UNODC and the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO). 

PoSIG follows a European education model in multilateral policy and offers a unique opportunity to students who want to become experts in integration and governance in international contexts.

EMPLOYMENT DATA, INTERNSHIPS AND MOBILITY OF UNITS GRADUATES

The strength and effectiveness of the UniTS course catalogue was confirmed in the latest AlmaLaurea report, which shows employment rates above the national average. One year after graduation, the employment rate of UniTS graduates stood at 86.9% (compared to the national average of 78.6%), with an average net monthly salary of €1,607 (compared to €1,488 average in Italy). Five years after graduation, 93.0% of UniTS graduates were employed, with an average salary of €1,988, higher than both the regional average (€1,923) and the national average (€1,847). 

The indicators related to the quality of education also paint a very positive picture. 75.8% of two-year master’s degree graduates have completed a curricular traineeship. This figure rises to 87.6% if professional experience gained during a bachelor’s degree is taken into account. Finally, UniTS boasts excellent data on international mobility, with 13% of students going on mobility during their master's degrees or 18.7% if mobility periods completed during their bachelor’s degree are included. 

Full details here: https://portale.units.it/en/study/application

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

UniTS provides comprehensive support to help prospective students make informed decisions about their time at university. The Unit for Prospective Student Support and School Liaison offers personalised advice, information sessions and dedicated initiatives — both in person and online — to assist students at every stage of the decision-making process.

Contacts: +39 040 3473 787 – orientamento@units.it

In response to rising summer temperatures caused by climate change, the Occupational Medicine Unit of the University of Trieste is launching an innovative study aimed at protecting the health of wine workers in the Collio Goriziano area. 

The project, funded by Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Gorizia, continues what was already started last summer in central Friuli. The aim is to assess the effects of high temperatures on outdoor workers, prevent avoidable heat-related illnesses and develop simple strategies to optimise workplace wellbeing.

Two days of research will begin shortly, taking place on Monday and Friday, with sessions lasting approximately 30 minutes on the first day and approximately 10 minutes on the second. Participants will undergo examinations including a cardiovascular check-up, body composition analysis and kidney function testing. In other words, a free, personalised update on their health.

Through the collaboration of volunteers, the study is also an important opportunity to raise awareness and promote good health, contributing to work sustainability and high-quality products in a sector known for its excellence in local wine-making. 

The organisers are currently collecting registrations from volunteers, on the basis of which the survey days will be decided.

For more information and to participate, please send an email to: mmauro@units.it (prof. Marcella Mauro).

On Friday 1st August, the final meeting of the first cycle of seminars entitled ‘A scuola di cittadinanza, un percorso condiviso’ will take place at Gorizia Prison as part of the University of Trieste’s Public and Social Commitment Project, conceived and coordinated by Prof. Elisabetta De Giorgi of the Department of Political and Social Sciences. 

The project is aimed at inmates at Gorizia Prison. Its aim is to tackle the issue of legality and try to understand why respecting the rules is so important, since living within a community involves having rights which we often ignore and duties which we sometimes perceive only as obligations. 

During this first cycle of seminars, academic speakers addressed various topics. These included rules in general, who makes them and why they exist, with Prof. Elisabetta De Giorgi, democracy, participation and the right to vote, with Prof. Mattia Zulianello, equality and social rights, with Prof. Chiara Bergonzini, and labour law and the right to work, with Prof. Roberta Nunin. The starting point for each meeting was the binomial rights/duties, in order to highlight the relevance of legal norms in everyday life through the concrete experiences of the participants. 

The feedback given by participants was extremely positive, demonstrating how much interest was aroused by the proposed topics and the opportunity to discuss them with experts. Attendance remained constant over time, despite the fact that the sessions sometimes coincided with other more practical courses, which are abundant at Gorizia Prison, a prime example of the good management and treatment of prisoners.

It is with a special mention of the Gorizia Prison that this first phase of the University of Trieste's collaboration with a penal institution comes to a close. It is thanks to the prison administration, and especially the prison director, Caterina Leva, and Margherita Venturoli, head of the education department, that it has been possible to start this valuable project, which will continue in the autumn with another series of seminars whose topics will be decided with the prisoners. Finally, special recognition goes to Massimo Bressan, a tireless volunteer at the prison, whose support has been fundamental throughout the process.

At such a dramatic time for Italian prisons, it is significant to recall the words of President Sergio Mattarella during his meeting at the Quirinale with the Head of the Department of Prison Administration and a delegation from the prison police: 'Prisons must not become training grounds for new crimes, nor places of hopelessness, but must be effectively geared towards the rehabilitation of those who have made mistakes. Every rehabilitated prisoner is an advance in security for the community, as well as being the goal of a commitment that is well known and constitutional.'

Universities can and must also play a role in achieving this goal.

The collection of 20th-century paintings on display in the Rectorate's halls has just been enhanced with new lighting. 

Two levels of light interact and illuminate the space, creating a skilful balance of contrasts: general lighting to guide visitors through the exhibition, and lighting focussed on each individual work to show it at its best. 

Thanks to this new lighting, reflections are no longer visible on the paintings, and through wireless controls, the amount of light can be adjusted according to the maximum annual illuminance requirements of each work, optimising their conservation. 

The high-quality LEDs do not emit UV or infrared rays, making them particularly suitable for preventing deterioration of the works, ensuring maximum colour rendering, energy saving and prolonging their life. 

The project was overseen by Ilaria Garofolo, former Deputy Rector for Energy and Building Management, under the supervision of UniTS Office for Utilities and Facilities.

“Starting September 1st, ARDIS – the Regional Agency for the Right to Education – will manage the complex of the former Military Hospital in agreement with the University of Trieste. The site will become a new Student Residence within the Trieste university campus. The agreement aims to increase the number of accommodations for talented and financially disadvantaged students on regional scholarship rankings, even before the major renovation works at Residence E4 are completed. Meanwhile, we are also working on the construction of a new large student housing complex in the former Rossetti Barracks, which will offer at least 50 beds along with communal living spaces.”

These were the words of Alessia Rosolen, Regional Councillor for Education, commenting on the additional resources allocated in the budget adjustment for university housing.

“The regional investment in student accommodation totals around €50 million,” she specified, “plus an additional €3.5 million approved yesterday with the budget amendment.”

“These are strategic interventions for our university system,” Rosolen added, “that concretely strengthen the right to education and respond to the increasing demand for student housing, helping make Friuli Venezia Giulia more and more attractive for those choosing to study in our region.”

The new residence hall at 76 Via Rossetti, designed primarily for medical students, will offer over 50 beds, while the former Military Hospital complex at 40 Via Fabio Severo will host an additional 176 students under the renewed agreement between the Regional Administration and the University of Trieste.

Both buildings are located near the University of Trieste and the Maggiore and Cattinara hospitals, and will be managed by ARDIS under multi-year agreements.

For the Rossetti Barracks project, the Regional Administration has already allocated €13.5 million (€10 million in 2023 and an additional €3.5 million with the newly approved adjustment law). The intervention includes the construction of new housing units featuring single rooms and shared mini-apartments, along with study rooms, shared kitchens, and a dining hall.

The Via Fabio Severo building will be managed by ARDIS through a renewable five-year agreement with the University of Trieste. It will temporarily replace the E4 Student Residence, which previously provided 124 beds. Beginning in the 2025/2026 academic year, the agreement will also allocate 63 additional accommodations to students from the Collegio Universitario di Merito Fonda.

“We are working to increase the number of student accommodations throughout Friuli Venezia Giulia,” Rosolen added. “We recently approved the Three-Year Guidelines for the Right to University Education, which foresee an increase of around 266 beds across the region in the coming years. Providing out-of-town students with access to university, along with full coverage of scholarships, remains a priority in ensuring everyone’s right to study.”

“Expanding student housing is a top priority for the University of Trieste,” stated Rector Roberto Di Lenarda. “It’s not only a valuable service, but also a way to increase the university’s appeal for talented and motivated students at a time when our institution is rapidly expanding. The new academic offerings, particularly in Master’s degree programs, are generating significant interest among students who see Trieste as one of the most appealing destinations for higher education. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Regional Councillor Rosolen for her ongoing sensitivity to the needs of our university system.”

On 28th July, the World Health Organization (WHO) marks World Hepatitis Day with the aim of raising public awareness about viral infections affecting the liver and promoting effective strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

On this occasion, Professor Lory Crocè, Professor of Gastroenterology at the University of Trieste and Heaf of the Department of Liver Diseases at the local healthcare provider (ASUGI), is promoting a free screening day open to the public.

This initiative offers everyone the opportunity to access simple but essential tests to assess liver health and detect early signs of viral hepatitis infection. Available screenings include a rapid capillary test for hepatitis C, targeted at individuals excluded from regional screening (born before 1969 or after 1989), as well as blood sampling for serological screening offered to people within the specified age group. Thanks to collaboration with Echosens, participants will also have access to FibroScan examinations, a non-invasive test measuring liver stiffness to detect signs of fibrosis.

Chronic viral hepatitis remains a significant public health threat, partly because it often remains asymptomatic for years until severe complications such as cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma develop. The spread of hepatitis C, in particular, was facilitated for decades by the lack of effective therapies and low awareness of the risks. Today, however, thanks to direct-acting antiviral drugs, over 98% of patients can be cured with short, well-tolerated, and easy-to-administer treatments. Early identification of infection is therefore crucial to halting its spread and reducing disease progression and mortality.

Regarding hepatitis B, research has also yielded important results: the compulsory vaccination introduced in Italy in 1992 has significantly reduced new cases, while nucleos(t)ide analogue therapies effectively suppress viral replication, improving the quality and life expectancy of people with chronic liver disease.

The screening event organised by the Complex Unit of Liver Diseases is made possible thanks to the collaboration and patronage of the University of Trieste, ASUGI, the Trieste Physiologists’ Association, the Trieste Nursing Professionals’ Association, the main Italian scientific societies in hepatology and gastroenterology – ASIF, FISMAD, and SIGE – as well as LILT. Patient associations including EpaC and AMAF, along with FIF health workers providing health education and information, also play a key role during the day.

Those interested can book a place by calling +39 040 3992953 on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11:00 to 12:00. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Firefighters Department, Public Rescue and Civil Defence – Provincial Command of the Trieste Fire Brigade will conduct fire prevention, firefighting, and emergency management training courses over the next three years for designated UniTS staff.

The Agreement provides both Level 3 fire safety officer training courses (formerly high-risk activities), lasting 16 hours (12 hours of theory and 4 hours of practice), and 8-hour refresher courses (5 hours of theory and 3 hours of practice).

Upon completion of each course, the Provincial Command will issue a technical qualification certificate.

With the coordination of its Prevention and Protection Service and in a perspective of continuous improvement of safety standards, the University of Trieste has appointed over 130 Level 3 Fire Safety Officers across its facilities. Thanks to this Agreement, staff will attend the required refresher courses at the scheduled five-year intervals. Further appointments are planned in the near future to cover staff turnover.

In the field of health safety and first aid emergency management, the University has also appointed and trained, in close collaboration with ASUGI, 160 employees as First Aid Officers, qualified to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use semi-automatic defibrillators (BLS-D). The University currently provides around 60 defibrillators, some of which are located in mobile surveillance vehicles.

Completing the emergency management framework, UniTS has a 24/7 professional security service, with staff trained to handle various types of emergencies.

Andreina Contessa, former Director of the Historical Museum and Park of Miramare Castle and member of the Board of Directors of the University of Trieste since November 2022, has been appointed Director of the new museum complex uniting the Galleria dell’Accademia and the Bargello Museums in Florence.

An accomplished museum curator, art historian, and expert in digital cataloguing and sustainability in museums, Contessa led the profound transformation and enhancement of the renowned cultural site in Trieste, which saw its visitor numbers double. Since 2020, she has also headed the Regional Directorate of Museums in Friuli Venezia Giulia.

In her new prestigious role, which also includes the Medici Chapels, Orsanmichele, Palazzo Davanzati, and Casa Martelli, Contessa will oversee the preservation of some of Italy’s greatest artistic treasures, from Michelangelo’s David to masterpieces by Donatello, Giotto, Cellini, and Ghiberti.

The Rector, Roberto Di Lenarda, and the General Director, Luciana Rozzini, on behalf of the entire academic community, congratulate Dr. Andreina Contessa on this significant appointment, which highlights her outstanding professional and scientific profile and is a source of pride for the University, which has long valued her contribution as a Board member.

The University of Trieste is hosting the second edition of the international Summer School "Sustainability and Digitalization in the Blue Economy", organized by the University as part of the iNEST – Interconnected Nord-Est Innovation Ecosystem (funded by the PNRR – NextGenerationEU) and Interreg Italy–Croatia MareSkill projects.

The initiative involves the Departments of Economics, Business, Mathematics and Statistics “Bruno de Finetti” (DEAMS), Engineering and Architecture (DIA), and Mathematics, Computer Science and Geosciences (MIGe), with the support of OGS – National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics, and the Port Network Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea.

Entirely held in English, the Summer School welcomes 28 participants, including master’s and doctoral students, from Iran, Croatia, Serbia, Pakistan, Ghana, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Morocco, Moldova, and Italy. The initiative offers multidisciplinary training on sustainability and digitalization in the Blue Economy, with a focus on port systems, shipbuilding, maritime transport, and marine resource management.

The program includes lectures, workshops, group activities, and technical visits to the Port of Trieste, the Groupe Beneteau Italia shipyard, the Fincantieri SpA shipyard in Monfalcone, the San Giovanni di Duino water system, and the wastewater treatment plant managed by AcegasApsAmga.

These visits give participants the opportunity to explore technologies, processes, and sustainable strategies adopted by leading industrial and infrastructure centers in the Blue Economy.

Lectures are delivered by professors and experts from the University of Trieste and OGS on topics such as digital innovation in ship design, port intermodality, decarbonization in maritime transport, marine Digital Twins, and artificial intelligence applied to the Blue Economy. The week will conclude with a project workshop, where participants will present innovative ideas inspired by the topics addressed.

This initiative is a tangible example of international cooperation, networking, multidisciplinarity, and the connection between academia, industry, and institutions, which are at the core of the iNEST project.

The INEST Summer School is funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.5 – Creation and strengthening of “Innovation Ecosystems for Sustainability,” project iNEST – Interconnected Nord-Est Innovation Ecosystem, Cross-Cutting Activity CC4 “Education & Lifelong Learning” – CUP J43C22000320006 – Funded by the European Union, NextGenerationEU.