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.

The Department of Humanities (DiSU) of UniTS has been invited by Princeton University to participate in a prestigious international research project aimed at creating repositories of all numismatic databases. The project, called NOMISMA, involves the collaboration of top-level institutions, including Dumbarton Oaks in Washington and the University of Oxford. The UniTS Nomismata platform has been recognised as being of exemplary value, able to contribute to the development of an innovative tool for the definition and analysis of Byzantine monetary typology.

The ultimate goal is therefore the creation of a digital, accessible and interactive platform that will enable scholars and enthusiasts to obtain up-to-date and detailed information at a glance, especially regarding the places of discovery and circulation of the centuries-old Byzantine issues. These sources will promote the understanding of economic history, relations between territories even outside the borders of the empire, the study of the functioning of the mints and above all the statistical calculation of the volume of the monetary stock coined in a well-defined historical period. The involvement of UniTS highlights the scientific value and importance of the work carried out by our university in the field of numismatic research, which is internationally recognised.

In particular, the contribution of UniTS / DiSU will be fundamental in updating and defining the dataset on the typology of Byzantine coins for the period from Anastasius I to the Byzantine emperor Phocas. The data will be digitised and integrated according to the standards defined by the UniTS Nomismata platform, dedicated to the chronological and geo-referencing of coin finds from the Byzantine era, developed by DiSU also as part of a PRIN grant that has Prof. Bruno Callegher, a former professor of Numismatics, as its leader, and Prof. Andrea Gariboldi as its reference person, Giorgio Donato and Jordan Piščanc as computer designers and developers, with the collaboration of researchers Kateryna Sorochan, Giulio Carraro and Cristiano Rossetti for research and data implementation.

The study, published in the prestigious journal Science Advances, presents a simple and innovative method for making new materials that combine the extraordinary properties displayed by single metal atoms with the strength, flexibility and versatility of graphene.

Graphene is a material consisting of a two-dimensional network of carbon discovered in 2004 that has had a huge impact on the scientific community, leading to its discoverers being awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010.

The proposed method consists of depositing metal atoms, such as cobalt, in a controlled manner during the formation of the graphene layer on a nickel surface. Some of these atoms are incorporated into the carbon network of graphene, creating a material with exceptional properties of strength, reactivity and stability even under critical conditions.

The new material can be detached from the substrate while retaining its original structure and is therefore potentially usable in applications in catalysis, spintronics and electronic devices.

The work presented is the result of an international collaboration between researchers from CNR-IOM (Materials Foundry), the University of Trieste, the University of Milan Bicocca and the University of Vienna.

Giovanni Comelli, UniTS: ‘The contribution of different and complementary skills was decisive in demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach, which is both simple and powerful at the same time.’

Cristina Africh (CNR-IOM): ‘It is still a preliminary result, but already very promising, the result of an original idea born in our laboratory that initially seemed unfeasible.’

Cristiana Di Valentin (University of Milan Bicocca): ‘We have applied this method to trap nickel and cobalt atoms, but our calculations say that the use could be extended to other metals for different applications.’

Jani Kotakoski (University of Vienna): ‘We have shown that this material survives even critical conditions, including the electrochemical environments used for fuel cell and battery applications.’

Published article

V. Chesnyak, D. Perilli, M. Panighel, A. Namar, A. Markevich, T. An Bui, A. Ugolotti, A. Farooq, M. Stredansky, C. Kofler, C. Cepek, G. Comelli, J. Kotakoski, C. Di Valentin, C. Africh. Scalable bottom-up synthesis of Co-Ni-doped graphene. Science Advances vol, issue (2024). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ado8956

UniTS has never registered such a high number of students for its bachelor's degrees: 3,920 students have started the 2024-2025 academic year.

Numbers that testify to a growth of 15% compared to last year and 40% compared to pre-pandemic (2019-2020).

And it is still possible to enrol in History and Philosophy, Humanities and Foreign Languages, and Literature by 11th November, in Political and Administrative Sciences by 30th November.

The University confirms its ‘pink’ status with 60% of women among those enrolled in the bachelor's degree programmes. In detail, the courses with the largest increase in the female proportion are the degrees in Physics, Chemistry, Statistics and Computer Science for Business, Finance and Insurance, Political and Administrative Sciences, Humanities and Education.

Female students are in the majority in all degree courses in the departments of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Life Sciences; Legal, Language, Interpreting and Translation studies; Political and Social Sciences; Humanities (with the exception of the course in History and Philosophy) and the Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences (with the exception of the course in Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety).

The attractiveness of the university has also been confirmed. Since 2019-2020 there has been a steady and significant upward trend, confirmed by the 700 enrolled students from abroad this year.

Taking a look at the numbers of Italian enrolled students, students from Friuli Venezia Giulia constitute a fundamental part of the university community with Trieste the province naturally most represented, with 25% of enrolled students, followed by Udine, Gorizia and Pordenone. Arrivals from other regions (40% of the total) confirm that the most numerous representations come from Veneto, Lombardy, Sicily, Puglia and Emilia Romagna.

These are the degree courses with the most significant increase in enrolments compared to last year: in first place is the Speech Therapy course (+87%), followed by Electronic Engineering and Computer Science (+49%), International Economics and Financial Markets (+40%) and Business Administration and Management (+35%). The latter two courses grow by 80% and 154% respectively compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Also significant is the growth for Psychiatric Rehabilitation (+28%), Humanities (+23%), Civil and Environmental Engineering (+26%), Psychology (+22%) and Physics (+21%).

The courses consolidating a big leap in enrolments compared to academic year 2019-2020 are Chemistry (+104%), History and Philosophy (+59%), Nursing (+57%), Psychology (+44%) and Science and Technology for the Environment and Nature (+43%).

The integrated master’s degree courses, all of which have a competitive admission, saw all available places filled.

For master's degree courses, there is still time: enrolments will close with various deadlines between December 2024 and March 2025.

UniTS students Francesco Benda, Claudia Depalma and Soraya Temporini are the winners of the 2024 edition of X - Culture. An exceptional result also made possible by the financial support that the Pietro Pittini Foundation has guaranteed since 2018.

X-Culture is an international competition, coordinated for UniTS by Prof. Donata Vianelli, in which the students' business-plan development skills are put to the test, as well as their commitment to consistently carrying out the steps of the competition.

After passing an initial test, the students are placed in virtual teams of 6-8 students from universities in different countries.

In 2024, a total of 5,377 students from 131 universities in 70 countries on six continents participated in the project. They worked in 1,289 global virtual teams. The best 50 students from the teams ranked in the top 10% in the initial phase of the project were admitted to the international finals. The latter were again divided into multicultural teams to prepare for the international finals held at the University of St. Louis (USA).

This year, two teams were equal winners, with three UniTS students from the Department of Economics, Business, Mathematics and Statistics (2 in one team and 1 in the other): Claudia Depalma and Francesco Benda, attending the Master's Degree in Marketing and Management, and Soraya Temporini, a third-year student in the Bachelor's Degree in Business & Management (taught in English).

Here is a description of the two winning Business Plans:

International team of Francesco Benda

The project focused on the impact of the World Congress of Dermatology 2031 in Cape Town, offering an innovative solution to transform the city into a dermatology hub for advanced research. Its excellence lies in its integrated approach between economic growth, sustainable innovation, promotion of technological advances in the field of dermatology and community involvement. It aims to enhance local resources, promote medical tourism and improve international collaborations, ensuring long-term economic and scientific benefits for Cape Town.

International team of Claudia Depalma and Soraya Temporini

The project aims to make Dublin a global dermatology hub, with a real social impact for the city. They came up with specific activities for the hypothetical client's event and permanent initiatives, such as skin scanners in the most frequented spots. The #LoveYourSkinDublin campaign promotes inclusion and normalisation of skin diseases. Thanks to a cost-cutting strategy, services will be free of charge, making dermatological examinations more accessible and incentivising innovation.

At X - Culture, the evaluation of the best business plans is based not only on the quality of the content (market analysis, marketing and communication, operational processes, logistics, human resources) but also on the innovativeness of the ideas and solutions proposed and on clarity of presentation.