Technologies

A biosensor based on magnetic microspheres functionalized with a DNA-aptamer was developed for the specific biomonitoring of biological contaminants (mycotoxins) in urine.

The technology, developed by CNR-ICB, is based on an innovative bioprocess called "Caphnophilic (CO2-requiring) Lactic Fermentation (CLF)”, developed in the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga neapolitana (EP patent: EP2948556B1), which allows the production of "green" hydrogen and capture and valorization of CO2 in L -lactic acid (98% e.e.).

AIDD is an integrated tool and a radically new way to discovery new drugs for neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, Epilepsy, Ageing, etc.).

Leishmaniasis is a zoonosis caused by the protozoan of the genus Leishmania, which affects both humans and animals through a phlebotomist. After malaria and lymphatic filariasis, leishmaniasis is the third most common disease on a global scale. Leishmania infantum is the species spread in the European continent and the Mediterranean basin. In Italy, from the hilly coastal areas and major islands, the infection has spread to many pre-Alpine areas and northern Italy.

The development of genome editing tools has revolutionized the way we think and deal with genetics. The use of Cas9 or its variants allows modifications of specific sites in the human genome by inducing deletions and insertions in a more or less controlled way. In recent years, a new class of tools for genome editing has emerged: the base editors (BE), which result from the fusion of a modified Cas9, which serves to direct the BE to the target, and an active deaminase acting on the DNA, which mediates the C> T or A> G editing.

Aptamers, short structured single-stranded oligonucleotides binding at high affinity to a given target protein, are selected from large combinatorial libraries through repeated cycles of incubation of the library with the target, recovery and amplification of target-bound oligonucleotides (SELEX technology, Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment). SELEX can be applied to select aptamers against a known target protein or against a specific cell phenotype, without any prior knowledge of the specific target, leading to new biomarkers discovery.

Time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) is regarded as the “gold-standard” method for fluorescence lifetime measurements. However, TCSPC requires using highly sensitive detectors, not suitable for measurements under bright light conditions, thereby making the use impractical in clinical settings. The invention described here solves this problem by synchronizing the fluorescence detection with an external light source.

B-ME developed the first thermoplastic composite electrode film based on bio-derived and biodegradable polyesters and carbon nano-fibers. It is metal-free, highly electrically conductive and possess good thermo-mechanical properties, a challenging combination of three features in a single product. This is the first-of-its-kind product, as, to the best of our knowledge, no thermoplastic biobased electrode film has been effectively produced and used so far.

A virtuous multi-step biorefinery platform to convert urban biowaste into valuable molecules, not disregarding renewable energy and digestate production. The strategy is based on the integration of a thermal pretreatment capable of significantly increasing the fraction of fermentable organic carbon, in order to furthermore change the status of the feedstock to become more suitable for production of a) high-value bio-based molecules, b) biomethane and c) hygienized digestate to be recycled as biofertilizer.

Nowadays, to properly design and develop advanced materials capable to preserve for long times their performance under aggressive environments such as power generation plants, renewables, nuclear reactors and electronics of new generation, transport on ground and on space, aeronautics, catalysis, biomedical implants, the optimization of metallurgical processes involved is crucial.

The dramatic global health emergency due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic requires new diagnostic devices capable of identifying the presence of virus particles in patient biological samples. In this direction, the development of an innovative low-cost test, which provides the result within a few minutes, which is reproducible and which can reveal the direct presence of even a few viral particles, would be of fundamental importance for the monitoring and containment of the pandemic.

The compact-GC platform is a MEMS-based analytical module for the purge&trap pre-concentration and (gas)-chromatographic separation of a sample. The two analytical MEMS (pre-concentrator and GC column) are interconnected by means of a MEMS microfluidic manifold. The microfluidic manifold interconnects the analytical MEMS, but it also acts as injector through the integrated micro-valves.

A distributed micro-cogeneration system has been developed for continuous and programmable autonomous production of thermal (between 25 and 70 kW_th) and electrical (between 5 and 10 kW_el) energy starting from heterogeneous biomasses.

The proposed technology is based on the micro-fabrication of electrodes in order to generate surface acoustic waves (SAW) with well-defined frequencies, on piezoelectric substrates. The operating principle of a surface acoustic wave sensor is linked to the variation of the characteristics of the acoustic wave that propagates on the device (e.g. wave velocity on the substrate, etc.) caused by the interaction with the environment (e.g. interaction of an analyte on the surface of the device, deformation of the substrate, etc.).

Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are 1D structures with diameter ranging from few tens to hundreds of nanometers and length varying from few tens of nanometers to millimiters. SiNWs are fabricated in the labs of the IMM-CNR, Rome Unit,  by using bottom-up technologies such as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) at low growth temperature ((≤350°C), allowing the use of plastic and glassy substrates. Their electrical properties can be tuned by controlling the p/n doping during the growth.