Technologies

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 containers for plants and the like have different shapes, an open top to facilitate irrigation and material supply; a base that includes one or more holes to facilitate proper water drainage and to ensure ventilation for the rooting apparatus. An inconvenience of these containers is related to their placement in outdoor environments without roofs: in the presence of "unfavorable" climatic conditions, excessive exposure to rain water rather than excessive exposure to the sun, these containers expose plants to a series of problems.

The development of functional foods is often limited by industrial manufacturing processes, for example, for the production of baked foods, the use of high cooking temperatures causes denaturation of proteins, destruction of vitamins, alteration of fatty acids, etc. The protection of these components is essential in the production of gluten-free foods as they are generally poor in proteins and vitamins.

Plants have a huge potential to contribute to the solution of a large number of issues facing the modern world, ranging from a poor crop yields and problems caused by global climate changing. Our team has been on the forefront of the PCR and NGS applications to plant responses to biotic and abiotic stress. As experts in genomics and plant pathology we are able to accelerate the understanding and use of plant genes and resources.

Celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity affect a large portion of the world population. Furthermore, the percentage of people who adopt the gluten free diet is constantly increasing because it is perceived to be healthier. We have previously developed a food grade enzymatic procedure (transamidation) for wheat flour capable of making gluten unable to induce the inflammatory response in the intestine of celiac disease patients.

The prototype uses soil moisture sensors which, through a measurement of dielectric permittivity, estimate the soil moisture based on which irrigation is started through relay-controlled solenoid valve. The system was developed using Open Source technologies. Specifically, for the hardware components, a small sized board computer Raspberry PI 3B + was used together with a 4G LTE Wi-Fi router and a Modbus rs485 / USB converter.

To the enterprises working in the field of nutrition/nutraceutics and drug development/repositioning, we offer the know-how and state-of-the-art instrumentation of our labs to monitor multiple relevant biological parameters at the cellular level: metabolic activity, vitality, health, but also stress and toxicity. The use of advanced imaging techniques based on fluorescent/bioluminescent probes together with the availability of time-lapse acquisitions, guarantee the cutting-edge analysis of different biological parameters over time.

The study of proteins is typically limited to notions, sometimes with the aid of virtual 3D models, obtained from visualization programs. A knowledge of this type, although useful, limits the ability to acquire a more direct knowledge, almost never leads to awareness of dimensions, and is particularly difficult for those who do not have a strong capacity for three-dimensional imagination.

Safe, efficient and specific nano-delivery systems are increasingly needed for precision and regenerative medicine and targeted therapies (e.g. anticancer and antimicrobial therapies), as well as for  the cosmetic and nutraceutical sectors’ applications. Despite the appreciable success of synthetic nanovectors, like for example liposomes, their clinical and market application is hampered by some limitations: • large scale production, • low cost production • intrinsic toxicity • limited cellular uptake • limited consumer acceptance.

VOLIS is an online platform that contains various tests for assessing Italian Sign Language (LIS) comprehension skills in signing children, from 4 to 11 years of age. The consequences of some difficulties such as deafness, cognitive impairments and autism spectrum disorder may affect learning, social interaction and broad communicative skills. The use of LIS may support children that have difficulties in acquiring and using a using spoken languages.