Technologies

Bivalve mollusc shells are made mainly of CaCO₃ (ca 95%), with a small fraction of organic material. If from these shells this mineral is retrieved, they could become a renewable and sustainable “mine” of a “blue” CaCO₃. Bivalve mollusc shells, also after the removal of the animal flesh, maintain a certain quantity of organic substances, part in the muscle and part in the shell.

4Ts Game was born in ITD in 2017 to indicate a board game for teacher training, which aims to develop skills in designing collaborative learning activities. The game was originally conceived as a 'tangible' game, consisting of a board and 4 decks of paper cards which contain inputs that guide the teachers/players' design process. Subsequently the game evolved and was developed in its digital version. In this version, developed in Unity and with an underlying knowledge base in Prolog, the game is able to provide feedback to teachers regarding the design/game choices made.

Ageing characterization of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (BVM) and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (TBVM) by the combined use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and multivariate statistical analysis. Our database allows to differentiate BVM from TBVM samples. Moreover, within BVMs, samples with ageing <3/>3 years can be discriminated and within TBVM, samples with ageing between 12 and 25 years as well as >25 years can be discriminated.

The proposed technology consists of a portable device for monitoring the freshness of fish, based on its smell. The device is based on a gas sensor and pattern recognition software to correlate the sensor signal to the freshness of the food. The technology is designed for its integration into domestic or industrial refrigerators.

Combined use of High-Resolution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and multivariate statistical analysis for the differentiation of PDO Parmigiano Reggiano samples according to ripening and for the differentiation of PDO Parmigiano Reggiano from “Grana type” products available on the market.

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.

The virtual dynamic docking, carried out in the MOLBD3 lab of the Institute of Biophysics, allows the identification of new drugs through the structural information deriving from the study of target proteins, responsible for some human pathologies. In particular, we screen drugs or small molecules (commercial/own libraries) against known protein sites, surface cavities, surfaces of protein-protein interactions (fixed/rigid hotspots) or structural transition states (dynamic hotspots).

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.

The proposed technology takes advantages of the huge potentialities of the gellan gum microgels in the preservation of cultural heritage. Microgels are polymeric gels particles with the micro and nanoscale size, whose soft nature is due to the presence of the aqueous solvent inside the particle. For their small size, they can easily diffuse in the environment and penetrate in the porous structure of paper and wood to act as cleaner agent.

VisLab laboratory of IMM possesses a latest generation Raman micro-spectroscope equipped for vibrational measurements with high spatial and spectral resolution, at controlled temperature and in fast-imaging. The apparatus can be used to collect information and chemico-physical maps without the need for sample preparation and alteration, therefore for non-destructive studies and in operating conditions.

We developed a procedure aimed at simultaneously treating thousands of C.elegans model organisms, from eggs to old adult, in liquid, in 96- or 384-well plates. This procedure can be used to perform drug and toxicological screening of millions of compounds, in very small volumes and on millions of animals. Thanks to easy handling, semi-automatic analysis can be performed using plate readers or High Content Screening instruments.

Characterization of authenticity of honey by the combined use of high resolution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and multivariate statistical analysis. Particularly, based on our database, different characterization involving authentication assessment, like botanical or geographical origin determination are possible. Moreover, it is possible to detect saccharides addictions like inulin, corn/malt syrups, and inverted sugar. Finally, it is possible to distinguish the Italian biological honey from the conventional one.

22q11.2DS(DGS) deletion syndrome is a rare and phenotypically variable multiorgan syndrome, currently without any cure. Our aim is to develop a standardized approach to formulate pharmacological products useful for clinical trials direct to prevent some serious clinical manifestations of adolescence and adulthood, such as neuropsychiatric and musculoskeletal diseases, or to eliminate or improve cardiovascular defects during embryonic development.

At IFN-CNR, in collaboration with Politecnico di Milano-Department of Physics, we have developed Raman microscopy approaches compatible with the study and characterization of biological and industrial samples. In detail, our facility houses a self-built spontaneous confocal Raman microscope with the following characteristics: two excitation lasers (660nm and 785nm), inverted microscope (Olympus IX-73) and Princeton spectrometer / CCD.

Extracellular vesicles produced by teratocarcinoma cells were isolated and characterized. Functional assays on glioblastoma (GBM) cell cultures showed the inhibitory effect of these vesicles on tumor cell migration, without inducing undesirable effects such as increased cell proliferation or chemotherapy resistance.