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.

“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.”

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.

A five-year agreement was signed today between the University of Trieste and the Trieste Court to allow two individuals on ‘probation’ (a legal measure offering an alternative to criminal prosecution) to carry out community service activities within the University.

The probation measure allows defendants, under certain conditions, to avoid criminal proceedings by completing a period of supervised rehabilitation, the length of which is determined by a judge. This involves making amends for the harm caused by the offence, including offering one’s time and skills free of charge in service to the community through socially useful work.

Probation is one of several ‘community-based’ measures which, in Italy and across Europe, have been shown to reduce reoffending. These measures create alternative paths to justice for defendants and convicted individuals, encouraging lawful reintegration and fostering a sense of accountability towards victims and society.

The activities agreed with UniTS will be carried out free of charge at one of the university’s sites and include reception services, support for staff and administrative work, maintenance of green spaces and cleaning of outdoor areas, minor maintenance tasks, safeguarding of libraries and internal spaces, and assistance in ensuring the accessibility and protection of the university’s cultural and archival heritage. The role may also include welcoming and assisting university users and supporting event preparation. In addition to these, participants may propose other tasks aligned with their specific skills.

The agreement was signed by the Rector of the University of Trieste, Roberto Di Lenarda, and the President of the Court of Trieste, Igor Maria Rifiorati.

The European MammoWave trial has begun at Cattinara Hospital. It involves the use of an innovative breast imaging technology based on non-ionising microwaves. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of this new system for breast cancer screening.

The study is open to asymptomatic women in the screening age group (45–74 years) who have had a mammogram within the last 30 days or have one scheduled.

Participation is free and voluntary.

The examination is carried out at the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology at Cattinara Hospital, directed by Professor Maria Assunta Cova, in the clinic dedicated to the MammoWave study.

The centre is one of ten selected across Europe to take part in this international clinical trial, which will involve over 10,000 women in five countries.

What is MammoWave?

MammoWave is a medical device that uses very low-power microwaves to create a map of breast tissue, with no need for compression or contrast agents.

The examination is quick, safe and non-invasive.

Thanks to advanced software and artificial intelligence algorithms, the system can detect any abnormalities in the tissue, classifying them as either “suspicious” or “non-suspicious”.

A step forward in prevention

Taking part in this study means actively contributing to the development of new methods for early breast cancer detection – methods that are more accessible, safer and suitable for repeat use over time.

Where and how to take part

Participation includes:

• a brief eligibility interview
• the examination (approximately 15 minutes)
• no use of ionising radiation or breast compression.

Info:

Tel. 0403994862; mammowavetrieste@gmail.com

UniTS has climbed two places in the Censis rankings of Italian universities (2025-2026 edition, based on data from academic year 2024-2025), reaching 5th place among medium-sized universities (10,000 to 20,000 enrolled students).

In particular, the University of Trieste improved its score for graduate employability and quality of facilities. Ratings for student services and internationalisation remain stable.

According to the Censis sector analysis, overall university enrolments are up 5.3 per cent compared with March 2024. The trend, however, is uneven across the country: universities in the central regions show the strongest growth (+14 per cent), followed by those in the South (+6.1 per cent). Changes in the North is more modest: +2 per cent in the North-East and -0.9 per cent in the North-West.

UniTS bucks the wider northern trend, reporting +15 per cent enrolments as of November 2024 and an impressive +40 per cent compared with the pre-pandemic year 2019-2020.

The Censis university rankings, while not a complete measure of institutional quality, provide a detailed analysis of the Italian university system. Universities (public and private) are grouped by size and assessed across key indicators: available facilities, student services, scholarships and financial support, degree of internationalisation, communications and digital services, and graduate employability. Additional rankings cover subject groupings for bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and integrated master’s degrees, based on student progression and international engagement. In total, 70 league tables are compiled from 962 variables, offering students and families a useful tool for making informed decisions about higher education pathways.

On Thursday 17th July, the Universities of Trieste and Udine will welcome to their Gorizia campus the 32 participants of the 31st edition of the Bovec Summer School, representing seven universities from the Alpe-Adria region. This year, the school, organised by the University of Klagenfurt, focuses on the theme ‘Nation and narration in Europe: language, culture and identity in the pursuit of Europeanisation’. The initiative is international, interdisciplinary and multilingual, held in German, Slovenian, Italian, Friulian and Croatian, and involves students and lecturers from the universities of Udine, Trieste, Koper, Klagenfurt, Ljubljana, Rijeka and Osijek. The day will provide an opportunity to reflect on the role played by Gorizia and Nova Gorica, as European Capital of Culture 2025, in promoting the values of European citizenship.

The first session, at 14:00, will take place at the University of Trieste campus, in via Alviano, featuring an interactive seminar on science diplomacy led by Simone Arnaldi, Professor of Sociology in the Department of Political and Social Sciences.
‘Science diplomacy,’ explains Professor Arnaldi, ‘is a field of study that defines the bidirectional relationship between science and diplomacy, each with its own clearly defined role. In this context, diplomacy acts as a tool to facilitate scientific progress, while science becomes a resource supporting international policy.’

The University of Trieste is a national reference point in the field of science diplomacy, having recently published a strategic policy document on the subject. Within this framework, the interactive seminar will invite participants to explore the crucial role of international scientific cooperation in tackling the major global challenges facing our societies. They will also reflect on the changing institutional, economic and political landscape in which today’s scientific community operates, and on the enduring value of the universal principles science upholds in overcoming divisions and conflicts that continue to affect Europe.

At 16:00, the summer school will move to the Santa Chiara campus of the University of Udine. The session will open with remarks from Renata Kodilja, Coordinator of the degree programmes in Public Relations and Integrated Communication for Business and Organisations. Patrizia Artico, Gorizia’s Councillor for Go!2025, will bring greetings on behalf of the Municipality. 

Participants will take part in interactive activities inspired by the brain writing technique and in a multilingual focus group – a communication-based approach that fosters European citizenship. The exercise will gather and highlight the perspectives emerging from the discussion and use them to generate further insights. The workshop aims to promote informed European citizenship among young people by strengthening critical thinking and the ability to analyse contemporary social and political challenges, with particular attention to defending democratic values and encouraging active participation.

‘Universities,’ explain Professors Iris Jammernegg and Renata Kodilja, who coordinate the session at the University of Udine, ‘play a key role in promoting research and education that strengthen human rights, diversity and European citizenship. The Bovec Summer School is an opportunity to inspire awareness and active participation among students within the European community.’ 

The Bovec Summer School

This year, the summer school aims to critically examine the role of national narratives in shaping European identity, with a focus on the intersections between language, culture, memory and belonging. In an era marked by the increasing fragility of the European project, the programme offers a space for interdisciplinary and cross-cultural dialogue, exploring how public discourse and collective representations influence democratic cohesion, social inclusion and the safeguarding of fundamental rights.

Drawing on contributions from scholars across multiple disciplines, the programme addresses key issues such as the relationship between language and power, memory politics, the construction of otherness and the current resurgence of identity-driven narratives.

‘The geographical and cultural context of the Alpe-Adria region, historically characterised by linguistic diversity and a dense network of cross-border relations, provides particularly fertile ground for reflecting on the potential of the European project,’ notes Cristina Beretta, Professor at the University of Klagenfurt and Scientific Director of the Summer School.

‘In this respect, the example of Gorizia and Nova Gorica, united by a fruitful and collaborative relationship, epitomises this complexity and richness,’ adds Fiorenza Ninin, Project Manager of the initiative. ‘The Summer School is therefore not only an educational experience but also,’ Ninin stresses, ‘a critical laboratory where participating students can develop intellectual and civic tools to face the challenges of our time with greater awareness.’