The University of Trieste has been fitted out with a new ‘Simulated Pharmacy’ laboratory, which will be available to students from the integrated master’s degrees in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology.

This type of laboratory, which can be found in only three other universities in Italy, will enable students to carry out exercises extremely useful for their entry into the world of work. This is in line with growth in the pharmacist profession in recent years and new healthcare services provided by local pharmacies. The aim is to supplement the theoretical courses in the 4th and 5th years of Pharmacy and PCT programmes with practical experience in the field.

The Laboratory is a physical space, equipped like a real pharmacy open to the public, where learning focuses on experiencing the ‘pharmacy’ environment, aspects of pharmaceutical technology, socio-economics, pharmaceutical legislation and self-medication management. 

In the ‘Prescription Area’ there is a counter with two workstations equipped with management software. In the ‘Health and Wellbeing Area’ there is another counter and displays of health products. In the ‘Service Booth’, students will instead find equipment for ECG analysis, spirometers, pulse oximeters, sphygmomanometers, a vaccine injection simulator and much more. The area is also equipped with a refrigerator and a section for preparing medicines. There is also a classroom area equipped with a projection system.

The creation of the Simulated Pharmacy was made possible thanks to the collaboration of Telaro, Aboca and the Consorzio Farmacisti Riuniti.

The objective of KNIGHT (Knowledge base for Nile Geo-Hazards Tackling) is to strengthen resilience to geo-hazards and climate challenges along the Nile corridor, increasing the capacity to manage emergencies. It is a project promoted by the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS) that sees participation from the Department of Engineering and Architecture (DIA) at the University of Trieste.

The project, co-financed by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, was officially launched on 20th January. It will last two years and counts among its partners the Municipality of Lignano Sabbiadoro, Cooperative Shoreline, the Faculty of Science at the Damietta University (Egypt) and the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG, Egypt).

KNIGHT is aimed at natural disaster mitigation and emergency management. More specifically, it aims to strengthen the resilience of the natural, economic and cultural heritage along the Nile River and its delta. It does so by supporting the review of the national plan for natural hazard mitigation with data, models and innovative technologies.

Within this highly multi-disciplinary project, a research team from the University of Trieste composed of Chiara Bedon (DIA), Marco Fasan (DIA) and Fabio Romanelli (MIGe) will focus on advanced structural and seismological analysis, also using innovative methods and technologies. Their goal is to characterise and assess the seismic risk and vulnerability of some case-study buildings that will be identified along the course of the Nile. All this will contribute to drawing up natural risk exposure maps, the identification of optimal strategies for the prevention of natural disasters, and the establishment of emergency management procedures.

The collaboration between the partners will allow for the sharing of data that will be analysed, standardised and integrated into a database using a GIS platform, making it possible to identify the areas most subject to anthropic and/or natural stress (and therefore most vulnerable), and to assess natural hazards and possible cascading risks in order to mitigate them.

‘There are three main activities that will be carried out. First of all, work will be done to develop a data and knowledge base for the integrated assessment of geological and environmental risks at selected sites along the Nile, the delta and the surrounding coastal areas. At the same time, new methodologies for integrating multi-hazard scenarios and environmental monitoring will be tested at key sites along the course of the Nile, ranging from the Aswan Dam to the coastal areas of the delta, with a special focus on the area of Damietta, a city of significant economic and social interest. Finally, specialised training, technology transfer, citizen-science and awareness-raising activities will also be carried out,' says Antonella Peresan, seismologist at OGS and coordinator of the project.

‘These activities,’ concludes Peresan, ’will over the 24 months of the project lead to concrete and useful products for the future: the creation of an archive of data and knowledge and the development of shared guidelines to improve the resilience of the natural and environmental heritage in the area of intervention, an area where natural events and climate change can significantly affect socio-economic growth.’

The University of Trieste presented at the Urban Center the five winning projects of ‘Call4Ideas’, which, in addition to allocating 75,000 euros in funding, aims to build a bridge between university research and the world of production in order to increase the technological readiness of local businesses.

‘Call4Ideas’, promoted by the University of Trieste in cooperation with the Polo Tecnologico dell'Alto Adriatico, is an initiative financed by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NNRP) through NextGenerationEU that is being implemented as part of the North-Eastern Innovation Ecosystem iNEST - Spoke 8 (coordinated by UniTS), specifically in the cross-sector activity CC2 ‘Lab Villages’.

In the first phase, the call for proposals saw local companies propose research trajectories, identified as priorities for the development of their activities consistent with the strategic areas of iNEST: blue economy, life sciences, digital, sustainability and material sciences.

Subsequently, the research teams of the University of Trieste proposed projects aimed at verifying the application potential of the research trajectories identified by the companies, in order to foster an increase in the level of technological readiness (TRL) and accelerate their transfer to the market.

The winning projects

After a rigorous selection process, five projects were chosen for funding, confirming their strategic relevance and high innovation potential:

Development of innovative biomedical systems to restore the functions of the masticatory apparatus. Gianluca Turco collaborated with Advan srl to develop a project to characterise the mechanical resistance to fatigue and the maintenance of the connection between the components of dental implants.

Development of a Sustainable Predictive Model for Fishing Through the Integration of Artificial Intelligence Data. Luca Bortolussi, together with Doz Guido - Cooperativa Fra Pescatori of Monfalcone, proposed FishAI, a predictive artificial intelligence system for sustainable fishing in the Gulf of Trieste.

Digital Twin and BI for the Advanced Digitisation of Port Processes in the Port of Trieste. Giuseppe Borruso in partnership with Prodigys Technology srl, developed a Digital Twin and business intelligence project for the advanced digitisation of port processes in the Port of Trieste.

Analysis and feasibility study for the Intermodal Terminal of the Gorizia Freight Village. Giuseppe Borruso, in collaboration with Adriafer Rail Services srl, conducted a feasibility study for the Intermodal Terminal of the Gorizia Freight Village.

Application of Generative Artificial Intelligence for the Analysis of Treatment Protocols of Cardiovascular Diseases. Luca Bortolussi, with Beantech srl, developed ChatMED, an innovative chatbot based on generative artificial intelligence to support the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

On this occasion, the Polo Tecnologico dell'Alto Adriatico presented the development actions of Lab Village, which will be located in the spaces of the Urban Center, to enable the meeting and collaboration between business and research. 

In the future of innovation and lab villages – which include some active experiments in Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto – it is expected that there will be an increasing number of market entry, brokerage and life-long learning services for researchers, entrepreneurs and human resources involved in shared technology transfer processes, where the public sector and business will operate in synergy.

Today the University of Trieste presented four degree courses on the Gorizia Campus during the UniTS ‘Open Day’ event, aimed at final-year high school students. It took place in the Main Hall of the campus on via Alviano 18.

Four courses, which will also be based in Gorizia in the academic year 2025-2026, have been confirmed: the five-year integrated Master’s Degree in Architecture and the bachelor’s degrees in International Relations and Diplomatic Studies, Health Care and Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety.

The initiative registered a significant increase in attendance compared to previous editions (up by15% compared to 2024). More than 400 young people took a day off from preparing for their high school exams to gather useful information on the courses offered by the University of Trieste in Gorizia and to understand how to manoeuvre everything required of their future university lives: from enrolment to fee reduction, from scholarships to accommodation.

The young participants, who over the course of the morning visited the laboratories and talked with lecturers from degree courses, for the most part came from the provinces of Friuli Venezia Giulia. More than sixty came from outside the region, particularly from Veneto, but there were also participants from Brescia, Mantua and Bergamo, and from as far as Ancona, Lecce and Syracuse.

At present, 632 students enrolled in the four degree courses gravitate around the UniTS Gorizia campus, a significant number which has grown in recent years with the establishment of the two healthcare degree courses. 20% of the students enrolled in the UniTS university hub in Gorizia come from outside the region.

The international scientific collaboration Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), which also includes a group of researchers from the University of Trieste, has observed and studied at different wavelengths a spectacular flare from the powerful relativistic jet of the supermassive black hole at the centre of the galaxy Messier 87 (M87*), the subject of the first ‘photo’ of a black hole. The study, coordinated by the EHT-MWL group and in collaboration with institutions such as INAF (Italian national institute of astrophysics), INFN (Italian national institute of nuclear physics) and ASI (Italian space association), has been accepted for publication in the prestigious journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. 

The event was documented during EHT's second observation mission in April 2018, involving more than 25 ground- and space-based telescopes and collecting data at different wavelengths. For the first time since 2010, a gamma-ray burst at very high energies, up to trillions of electron volts, was detected, lasting about three days. ‘We were fortunate to detect a gamma-ray burst from M87* during the Event Horizon Telescope's multi-wavelength mission. The observations will provide us with further insights and an incredible opportunity to investigate the physics around the supermassive black hole M87*, explaining the connection between the accretion disk and the emitted jet, as well as the origin and mechanisms responsible for the emission of gamma-ray photons,’ comments Giacomo Principe, lead author of the paper, UniTS researcher and INAF and INFN associate. 

The relativistic jet, extending over dimensions that exceed millions of times those of the black hole's event horizon, has been observed with leading telescopes such as Fermi-LAT, MAGIC and HESS. Francesco Longo, head of the Gamma Astrophysics group for the University and INFN of Trieste, says: ‘Observations made simultaneously at different wavelengths are fundamental for contemporary astrophysics. The availability of an instrument like Fermi-LAT, capable of continuously monitoring the sky in the gamma band, is crucial for detecting rare phenomena, such as the gamma flare from M87. In addition, ground-based gamma-ray instruments, capable of observing the sky at higher energies, allow the emission mechanism of gamma-ray sources to be studied with greater sensitivity'.

The data published in the paper also show a significant variation in the position angle of the ring asymmetry (the so-called ‘event horizon’ of the black hole), helping to solve scientific questions such as the origin of cosmic rays and the formation of relativistic jets. Principe concludes: ‘These observations may shed light on some major astrophysical questions that are still unresolved: how do the powerful relativistic jets observed in some galaxies originate? Where are the particles responsible for gamma-ray emission accelerated? What phenomenon accelerates them to energies of TeV (trillions of electron volts)? What is the origin of cosmic rays?’ 

The full study is available here : “Broadband Multi-wavelength Properties of M87 during the 2018 EHT Campaign including a Very High Energy Flaring Episode”

A group of researchers from the University of Trieste, in collaboration with the CIMeC (Interdepartmental Centre for the Mind and Brain) of the University of Trento, has identified signs of intentional behaviour in insect larvae, traditionally thought to be guided exclusively by reflexes to external stimuli. 

The results of the study, published in Scientific Reports (Nature Group), raise interesting questions about the criteria for attributing intentionality to different animal species, how far we can go - phylogenetically and in terms of the complexity of the neural system - and how far we can recognise forms of volition.

The researchers, in particular, studied larvae of the beetle Tenebrio molitor. Also known as the mealworm, it is the first insect to have been officially approved for marketing in Europe as an affordable, sustainable and advantageous alternative source of protein to traditional ones such as meat and fish.

Cinzia Chiandetti, associate professor of cognitive neuroscience at the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Trieste and head of the Animal Cognition Laboratory: ‘As the results indicate, these animals possess a higher level of cognitive capacity than previously intuited and hypothesised; although they do not imply that all the larvae's behaviour is intentional, they emphasise the complexity of their mental life. They reveal, that is, that these insect larvae - traditionally considered automata, i.e. creatures that would not be able to perform voluntary actions, but would merely respond to external stimuli through reflexes - are capable of articulated decision-making processes, are able to weigh different options, weigh costs and benefits and choose which action to take, demonstrating flexibility to achieve desired results. With a changed and increased sensitivity in the general public to issues such as pollution and environmental impact of intensive livestock farming, anti-speciesism, and animal exploitation, we hope that this discovery will help influence virtuous attitudes in humans.’

In a 3D Y-shaped, specially printed maze (as shown in the figure), the research team trained Tenebrio molitor larvae to prefer one arm to the other in order to gain access to food, observing their ability to learn and, therefore, to head for the side associated with the reward. In the second stage of the study, the researchers applied the so-called ‘reinforcer devaluation paradigm’: i.e. in a different environment, they paired the food with an aversive stimulus, exacerbating it by adding lemon. In a third and final stage, the larvae were tested again in the Y-maze to assess their willingness to choose the target branch where they had received the food reward during initial training. What emerged was that, after devaluation of the reward, the larvae significantly reduced their visits to the target branch: that is, they formed a mental representation of the action-consequence relationship, demonstrating flexible control of actions to obtain desired results and avoid unpleasant ones. 

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Full study published in Scientific Reports

Goal-directed behavior in Tenebrio molitor larvae

Five UniTS PhD graduates were awarded € 3,000 each in the inaugural edition of the PHD Innovation Award, the prize designed to celebrate the merit, innovation and creativity of young scientists in the year of the University of Trieste’s 100th Anniversary.

The winners are:

Francesco Armillotta, PhD Course in Physics, with a thesis entitled ‘Mono and Bi-metallic Tetra Pyridyl Porphyrin Monolayers from Uhv to Near - Ambient Conditions’, supervisor Erik Vesselli;

Beatrice Bartolomei, PhD Course in Nanotechnology, with a thesis on ‘Carbon Nanodots: from Purification Strategies to Multifunctional Materials’, supervisor Maurizio Prato and coordinator Alberto Morgante;

Luca Grisetti, PhD Course in Molecular Biomedicine, with a thesis entitled ‘The role of Aurora Kinase A in the Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and in the Regulation of Programmed Death - Ligand 1’, supervisors Claudio Tiribelli and Devis Pascut, coordinator Germana Meroni;

Silvia Mauri, PhD Course in Nanontechnology, with a thesis on ‘Operando Soft X - Ray Absorption Spectroscopy Applications for the Investigation of Surface Reactivity of Heterogeneous Catalysts for Methanol Valorization’, supervisor Piero Torelli, coordinator Alberto Mogante;

and

Paola Tesolin, PhD Course in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, with a thesis on ‘Phenotypic High Throughput Screening Highlights Promising Molecules for the Treatment of SLC7A8 Dependent Age - Related Hearing LO’, speakers Paolo Gasparini and Giorgia Girotto, coordinator Paolo Gasparini.

The response from the call for applications for the first PHD Innovation Award was exceptional. Out of 220 eligible applicants, as many as 95 students applied (56% women), demonstrating their self-belief in the excellence of their work. 

The awards ceremony was opened with greetings from the Rector Roberto Di Lenarda, the Director of the UniTS Doctoral School Alessandro Baraldi, and speeches from the three external judges of the award: Maurizio Manzin, Professor at the University of Trento, with a speech on ‘Innovation and technoscience in the post-thinking era’, Silvia Gross, Professor at the University of Padova, with ‘Chemistry between past, present and future: a versatile tool for the green transition' and Anna Cereseto, Professor at the University of Trento, on ‘The genome editing revolution in the life sciences: from advanced therapies to the new agrifood’.

‘In recent years, UniTS has shown a firm commitment to strengthening higher education. Since 2019/2020, we have significantly increased the number of scholarships funded directly by the University, reaching almost 200 places in the latest call for applications for the 13 PhD courses,’ emphasised Prof. Baraldi. ’Not only have we increased the number of places available, but we have also seen an increase in course popularity. This year, for the 40th round of PhD grants, applications exceeded 1,000, marking an increase of 21% over the previous year and 53% over two years ago.’

In the photo: Prof. Alessandro Baraldi with the three winners present at the award ceremony

For the first time, direct evidence of the use of psychotropic substances in ancient Ptolemaic Egyptian rituals has been uncovered: researchers have uncovered details invisible to the naked eye inside a ritual vessel dating back over 2,000 years. 

The study, co-ordinated by Enrico Greco, Professor of Chemistry of the Environment and Cultural Heritage at the University of Trieste, with the collaboration of the Tampa Museum of Art and the University of South Florida, the University of Milan and Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, was published in the journal Scientific Reports (Nature Group) and supported by the European Research Infrastructure Consortium CERIC-ERIC.   

Based on direct scientific evidence, the study represents the first documented example of the intentional use of psychedelics in Egyptian rituals to induce dreamlike visions, meditative states and communication with the divine, and demonstrates the ancient Egyptians' sophisticated knowledge of natural resources and their effects on the human mind. Although hypotheses based on iconography and texts have been advanced in the past, this research provides concrete physical evidence. The findings also link these practices to wider Mediterranean and Near Eastern traditions, suggesting cultural exchanges that influenced the ritual and medical knowledge of ancient civilisations.

Enrico Greco, Professor of Chemistry of the Environment and Cultural Heritage at the University of Trieste and coordinator of the study, emphasises: ‘This discovery was only possible thanks to a highly multidisciplinary approach: by combining state-of-the-art scientific techniques with cultural, linguistic and historical analysis, we obtained information that traditional archaeology alone could not have provided. This underlines the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in solving the mysteries of antiquity.’

The research was carried out using advanced scientific techniques: proteomics, metabolomics, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy coupled to synchrotron light (SR µ-FTIR) and metabarcoding of plant DNA. Chiaramaria Stani, CERIC-ERIC researcher at Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste's SISSI unit, emphasises: ‘These analyses made it possible to identify the ceremonial content of the vase, although the residual traces were minimal, but well preserved in the porosity of the pottery.’  

I The vase is decorated with the head of the Egyptian god Bes, a grotesque but benevolent deity often used as a protective amulet for the home. Study has also allowed the deity to be attributed a mystical role, linked to altered states of consciousness and divinatory rituals. There are about twelve other vases depicting the god Bes. 

Traces of Peganum harmala (Syrian rue), Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea (blue water lily) and a plant of the genus Cleome, all known for their psychotropic or medicinal properties, were detected in the mixture analysed. These substances were combined with fermented liquids or other ingredients such as honey or royal jelly. Furthermore, analysis revealed the presence of human fluids, such as blood and mucous membrane proteins, suggesting that the jar was used in symbolic and transformative rituals, probably related to female fertility, through the attainment of altered states of consciousness.
 

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Study published in Scientific Reports

Multianalytical investigation reveals psychotropic substances in a ptolemaic Egyptian vase

Davide Tanasi1, Branko F. van Oppen de Ruiter2, Fiorella Florian3, Radmila Pavlovic4,5, Luca Maria Chiesa4, Igor Fochi6, Chiaramaria Stani7, Lisa Vaccari8, Dale Chaput9, Giorgio Samorini10, Alberto Pallavicini3, Sabrina Semeraro11, Anastasia Serena Gaetano11, Sabina Licen11, Pierluigi Barbieri11 & Enrico Greco11

1. Department of History, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, US
2. Tampa Museum of Art, 120 W Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa, FL, 33602, US
3. Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Licio Giorgieri 5, Trieste, 34127, Italy
4. Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Milan, via dell’Università 6, Lodi, 26900, Italy
5. ProMeFa, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, via dell’Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy
6. Thermo Fisher Scientific S.p.A., Rodano, Milan, 20090, Italy
7. CERIC-ERIC, S. S. 14 - km 163,5 in AREA Science Park, Basovizza, Trieste, 34149, Italy
8. Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., S.S. 14 - km 163,5 in AREA Science Park, Basovizza, Trieste, 34149, Italy
9. Department Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
10. Independent Researcher, Bologna, Italy
11. Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, via Licio Giorgieri 1, Trieste, 34127, Italy

UniTS is one of the leading figures of the national PRO-BENE-COMUNE (i.e. for the common good) project, an initiative that involves nine Italian universities with the aim of tackling the challenges linked to the psychophysical wellbeing of university students in a holistic and multidisciplinary manner. The project aims to create a welcoming and inclusive university environment, thanks to psychological counselling, wellness promotion and awareness-raising activities on psychological distress, as well as a solid commitment to research.

Specifically, UniTS will recruit two new part-time psychologist-psychotherapists, with a minimum commitment of ten hours per week. A further three psychologists will be engaged in awareness-raising and training activities, thus expanding the offer of support and prevention. 

In addition, in January 2025, the University will launch a multidisciplinary research project on students' mental health concerns, identifying the main risk and vulnerability factors, as well as the protective factors that foster good psychological adaptation. A mental health information and education programme will also be implemented, aimed not only at students, but also at teaching and technical and administrative staff, with a focus on the prevention of addictions and the promotion of mental and physical wellbeing. The activities, which will start at the beginning of next year, will include film forums, sporting initiatives and social events.

The University has long been committed to promoting the well-being of those who study and work within its community. In particular, the Department of Economics, Business, Mathematics, and Statistics (DEAMS) has proven to be a leader in implementing various initiatives designed to support its students. These efforts aim to foster cohesion among the student body through peer support activities and assistance in academic pathways, ultimately creating a sense of well-being within the department.

In 2022, DEAMS established the role of Department Delegate for Student Relations, tasked with addressing students' needs and promoting activities focused on the well-being of the department’s student community. Since 2023, the Delegate has been supported by a new student Tutor for Student Relations, who is training in the field of psychology. This tutor provides a listening space for students dealing with issues related to their academic journey, study methods, or psychophysical well-being and university life. To date, the three tutors who have served in this role have engaged with over 35 students.

Against this background, on 27th November UniTS will host the workshop ‘Possibilities and Limits of Tutoring’, with the participation of Rosanna Ayton, an expert in inclusion and wellbeing, and Julia Pointon-Haas, head of counselling and wellbeing, both from King's College London. The event will focus on the role of tutoring in the university environment and will represent an opportunity for discussion and growth for the University, which once again demonstrates its ability to attract prestigious international collaborations and to position itself as a point of reference in promoting the well-being of the university community.

The event, promoted by DEAMS, will focus on the role of tutoring in the university environment and will serve as an opportunity for dialogue and growth for the University. Once again, it demonstrates its ability to attract prestigious international collaborations and position itself as a reference point in promoting the well-being of the university community.

The workshop will take place at 2:00 PM in the conference room of Building D (Economics) in Piazzale Europa and will be followed by a round table where the speakers will meet with working groups composed of students and staff from the University of Trieste.

The University of Trieste, together with the Strategic Management of ASUGI, expresses its warmest wishes for a happy retirement to Prof. Roberto Luzzati. His extraordinary professional contribution represented a strong point for the University and for the local health services (ASUGI), enhancing its role on a national and international level. A leading figure on the medical scene, Prof. Luzzati has left an indelible mark on the management of infectious diseases over the last twenty years, distinguishing himself particularly during the COVID-19 emergency.

After obtaining two specialisations in Paediatrics and Infectious Diseases and completing his training at Boston University, Prof. Luzzati started working in Trieste in 2000 as Head of the Infectious Diseases Department at ASUGI. In 2005, he was appointed Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Trieste, contributing to the transformation of the Department into a jewel in the university’s crown.

His unwavering commitment led to the establishment of the School of Specialisation in Infectious and Tropical Diseases in 2022, creating expanded training opportunities for future generations of doctors. Since 2018, he has served as the Coordinator of the Integrated Master’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery, steering this vital program with dedication to advance health education at the University.

Prof. Luzzati was Director of the Department of Specialist Medicine from 2005 to 2022 and, since 2022, he has been leading the Department for Antibiotic Stewardship at ASUGI. Author of numerous publications in scientific journals of international standing, he has been able to combine academic rigour and humanity, forming a group of students ready to carry on his work with the same principles of empathy, respect for the patient and commitment to research.