Spoke 2 Eng Archives - RAISE Innovation Ecosystem

Spoke 2: a new publication on ultrasound imaging

Posted on 9 September 20259 September 2025 by admin

The volume Real-Time Processing of Ultrasound Images. State-of-the-Art and Future Perspectives (October 2025) is about to be released. This work provides a thorough and systematic overview of the most advanced techniques for real-time ultrasound image processing.

The book is authored by Giuseppe Patanè and Simone Cammarasana, researchers at the Institute of Applied Mathematics and Information Technologies “Enrico Magenes” of the National Research Council (CNR-IMATI) in Genoa, both actively involved in the activities of Spoke 2 of the RAISE project.

The volume is intended as a highly significant contribution to the scientific and clinical community working at the intersection of medical imaging and real-time signal processing. Ultrasound is one of the most widespread and commonly used diagnostic techniques in healthcare, thanks to its safety, lack of radiation, portability, and relatively low cost. These characteristics make it an irreplaceable tool in many clinical settings, ranging from emergency care to preventive medicine. However, the quality of ultrasound images can be affected by intrinsic limitations such as speckle noise and suboptimal resolution, which may reduce the accuracy of diagnostic interpretation.

The book addresses these challenges with a targeted approach, presenting innovative solutions for improving image quality. Particular emphasis is placed on denoising techniques, aimed at reducing noise without compromising clinically relevant details, and on super-resolution methods, which enhance image definition, making anatomical structures and potential anomalies more clearly visible. In this way, the work serves as a reference guide for those seeking to develop new processing methodologies or introduce advanced tools into everyday clinical practice.

One of the distinguishing features of the text is the breadth of topics covered. It goes beyond the analysis of static two-dimensional images to include dynamic 2D sequences and three-dimensional volumes, demonstrating how real-time processing can significantly enhance diagnostic capabilities and disease monitoring. In addition to providing an extensive review of current solutions, the authors also offer comparative evaluations, reflections on hardware and computational requirements, and practical guidance for implementation in clinical and research settings.

The publication by Giuseppe Patanè and Simone Cammarasana fits fully within the framework of research and development activities carried out by Spoke 2, whose objective is the development, validation, and integration in clinical contexts of a new generation of AI-based diagnostic imaging systems. The goal is to strengthen screening, early diagnosis, monitoring, and clinical decision support, while also addressing issues related to data quality and interoperability, the construction of trustworthy and transparent AI systems, and compliance with national and European regulatory and organizational frameworks.

The volume Real-Time Processing of Ultrasound Images makes a significant contribution to these strategic objectives by offering an updated overview of available technologies and outlining the future perspectives of ultrasound imaging. It stands as a concrete example of how the research conducted within Spoke 2 of RAISE can translate into tangible results benefiting the scientific community, healthcare professionals, and ultimately, patients.

The results of the INVICTUS trial for personalized post-stroke rehabilitation

Posted on 2 September 20252 September 2025 by admin

The trial of INVICTUS, an innovative platform that integrates wearable sensors, artificial intelligence, and cloud technologies to support motor rehabilitation for individuals with limb impairments, is in its final stages. The goal is to validate an ecosystem capable of remotely monitoring, analyzing, and supporting rehabilitation activities, both in clinical settings and in everyday life.

The trial involved a group of 12 elderly volunteers (aged 65–80), thanks to the collaboration with Auser Liguria. These volunteers used the INVICTUS ecosystem in a controlled environment at the Savona Campus (University of Genoa), following personalized motor exercise programs. The workflow involves patients using various devices in combination to perform customized rehabilitation exercises, while data is collected, analyzed, and made available to healthcare professionals for continuous monitoring and potential therapy adjustments.

The initiative was presented in Savona in the presence of Marco Testa (UniGe, project stakeholder), Anna Giacobbe (Auser Savona), and project partners.

INVICTUS is part of Spoke 2 within the RAISE ecosystem and was awarded funding through a cascading grant by Spoke 5.

At the heart of the project is a set of interconnected components:
– Sentry (Swhard Srl), an upper limb tracking system based on inertial sensors (IMUs);
– Pinch (EMAC Srl), a CE-certified device for measuring and rehabilitating fine hand movements;
– WeTAG (SmartTrack), an indoor geolocation system for patient tracking;
– AI module (MareGroup), for the automatic recognition of specific exercises within the patient’s overall daily movement;
– Web app (Nextage), for monitoring completed exercises and analyzing aggregated data;
– All supported by a GDPR-compliant cloud platform, a Windows app for managing patients and exercises, and an augmented reality exergame (XR headset), i.e., a video game designed to guide patients through specific exercises.

The INVICTUS trial marks a key step toward its validation as a scalable tele-rehabilitation solution, initially in Liguria and potentially at the national level. The integration of advanced sensors, XR headsets, artificial intelligence, and geolocation systems enables the collection and analysis of previously unavailable data, paving the way for personalized therapies, continuous progress monitoring, and timely interventions.

If results meet expectations, INVICTUS could be adopted in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and home settings—helping reduce healthcare costs and improve patients’ quality of life—while positioning Liguria as a leader in digital health.

The trial provides multi-level feedback: from healthcare professionals testing its functionality in the field; from volunteers, through anonymous questionnaires evaluating usability and critical issues; and from stakeholders, who assess its clinical impact.

These insights will guide the project’s next steps: enhancing its intuitiveness, ensuring interoperability with existing healthcare systems, and preparing for future large-scale multicenter studies.

Cover Image
Testing the INVICTUS platform
Author: INVICTUS
Credits: INVICTUS and RAISE

AI-MOKa project progress at the International Society of Posture and Gait Research Congress

Posted on 7 August 20258 September 2025 by admin

A simple daily gesture like making coffee can reveal a lot about our mobility and attention, especially in people with neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS).

This is why AI-MOKa (AI-enhanced assessment of Motor and prOcess sKills in people with multiple sclerosis) was developed as part of RAISE’s Spoke 2 project: an innovative monitoring system based on wearable sensors and Artificial Intelligence algorithms, capable of simultaneously assessing movement and cognitive load during daily activities.

In recent months, the researchers involved in the project have completed the first pilot study, in which AI-MOKa was tested on a group of healthy participants to verify its feasibility and usability, with a view to future application to people with MS.

Participants performed the task of making coffee in a fully equipped kitchen, wearing Tobii Pro Glasses 3 to monitor their visual environment and pupil dilation, and Sensing Tex insoles to detect the distribution of foot pressure.

Thanks to sophisticated AI algorithms, the system identified in real time the different operational areas of the kitchen, the phases of the task, and interactions with objects such as cups, sugar, and the coffee pot. Quantitative data were then extracted on gait (number of steps), balance (weight distribution between the left and right foot), and cognitive load (variations in pupil diameter).

The results are promising: AI-MOKa detected an average of 159 total steps during the task, with increased cognitive engagement during the more complex phases such as handling the moka pot and serving the coffee. Furthermore, participants rated the system positively in terms of comfort (4.1/5), low intrusiveness (5.0/5), and usability (4.8/5), emphasizing its natural feel and suitability for use in real-world environments.

This initial study demonstrates the potential of AI-MOKa to comprehensively monitor movement and attention during household activities, paving the way for future clinical developments.

The study results were presented at the International Society of Posture and Gait Research Congress.

The authors of the study and poster are:
– Ludovico Pedullà, Erica Grange, Andrea Tacchino, Jessica Podda, Giampaolo Brichetto (Scientific Research Area, Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Spoke 2);
– Giulia Bodo, Sara Giordanino, Alexey Petrushin, Matteo Laffranchi (Rehab Technologies Lab, Italian Institute of Technology, Spoke 2);
– Giulio Sciortino, Gian Luca Bailo, Carlos Beltran-Gonzalez, Alessio Del Bue (Pattern Analysis and Computer VISion Lab (PAVIS), Italian Institute of Technology).

Next steps will include expanding the sample, technically refining the system, and, most importantly, applying it to people with multiple sclerosis to support functional assessment and personalize rehabilitation interventions.

RAISE’s AI-MOKa represents a new frontier in ecological and personalized assessment of the daily challenges experienced by those living with neurological conditions.

Image Cover
Ludovico Pedullà (FISM, Spoke 2) at the International Society of Posture and Gait Research Congress
Author: Costanza Iester (UniGe)
Credits: UniGe and RAISE

Spoke 2 of RAISE at EMBC 2025

Posted on 17 July 202517 July 2025 by admin

On July 16, 2025, the mini-symposium Digital Biomarkers in Motor Rehabilitation was held in Copenhagen as part of the 47th International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC). The event featured the active participation of researchers Florencia Garro and Marianna Semprini from the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), affiliated with Spoke 2 of RAISE, and was attended by over 100 participants.

The symposium focused on one of the most current and promising topics in the field of clinical rehabilitation: the integration of digital biomarkers into assessment and therapeutic processes. These tools, based on physiological and behavioral data collected in real-time through digital devices, offer significant potential to enhance the accuracy of clinical evaluations and optimize personalized rehabilitation pathways.

During their presentation, the researchers shared preliminary findings from an international survey conducted among rehabilitation professionals. The study aimed to explore awareness, usage, and perceived barriers to the adoption of digital biomarkers and clinimetric tools—standardized instruments used to assess functional performance and guide therapeutic decisions. The results revealed considerable heterogeneity in the adoption of such tools, both in terms of definition and practical application, highlighting the need for greater methodological standardization and validation.

The goal of the mini-symposium was to foster interdisciplinary dialogue among biomedical engineers, clinicians, and researchers. Discussions focused on the opportunities offered by digital biomarkers to improve rehabilitation processes, as well as on ongoing challenges, such as the lack of interoperability among tools, integration difficulties in clinical settings, and the need for specialized training for healthcare professionals.

The participation of Spoke 2 of RAISE in an international event of such prominence as EMBC 2025 represented a valuable opportunity for visibility and exchange, reinforcing the consortium’s commitment to promoting advanced technological solutions for health and quality of life.

The contribution of the IIT researchers aligned perfectly with the central theme of the conference, Engineering Medicine, Innovating Healthcare, which emphasized the convergence of clinical practice, technological innovation, and artificial intelligence.

Through initiatives like this, RAISE continues to enhance the synergy between scientific research and clinical application, actively contributing to the development of integrated approaches in motor rehabilitation and to the advancement of biomedical technologies aimed at improving people’s well-being.

RAISE and 3D organ reconstruction: a project from Spoke 2 with San Martino Hospital in Genoa

Posted on 14 July 202515 July 2025 by admin

Within the RAISE innovation ecosystem, Spoke 2 – coordinated by Lorenzo De Michieli of the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) and dedicated to the development of innovative solutions for healthcare, with the support of artificial intelligence and robotics – has launched a flagship project on Advanced Surgical Navigation using 3D organ reconstruction from radiological images. Leading this development is Professor Paolo Traverso, project promoter and coordinator at San Martino Polyclinic Hospital and the University of Genoa.

The San Martino Hospital, along with UniGe’s DISC (Department of Integrated Surgical and Diagnostic Sciences) and DIBRIS (Department of Computer Science, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering), has invested in the clinical testing of this methodology. It has been adopted in daily surgical practice in collaboration with the team led by Professor Carlo Terrone, Director of the Urology Clinic.

This technique enables the creation of digital “twin” organs – highly accurate 3D models faithfully replicating a patient’s anatomy, veins, arteries, and internal structures – using advanced software and holographic projectors. Thanks to these reconstructions, physicians can study anatomical geometry in detail and refine the preoperative strategy, identifying the safest and least invasive surgical path.

“We began using this 3D reconstruction technology from radiological images such as CT scans in 2020,” explained Professor Paolo Traverso. “To date, we’ve completed over 250 reconstructions, used during preoperative and intraoperative phases, which have significantly improved the quality of patient care and opened new research prospects.”

During surgical procedures, the 3D holographic image is integrated with the robotic surgical system, allowing the surgeon to navigate the patient’s anatomy with greater precision. In specific cases, the virtual reconstruction can even be overlaid onto the real surgical field, enhancing visual control and reducing the margin of error in complex procedures such as kidney tumor removal.

“We’ve now brought 3D reconstructions into the operating room,” added Traverso. “Our next goal, supported by PNRR funding through the RAISE project, is to develop intracorporeal navigation, where 3D images are automatically synchronized with the surgeon’s movements, tracking each phase of the operation in real time.”

The project has also demonstrated the technology’s potential in physically reconstructing damaged anatomical parts, such as sections of the jaw or other bones compromised by trauma or tumors. Using digital models, missing fragments can be precisely produced via 3D printing, making reconstructive surgery more accurate, personalized, and effective.

Lorenzo De Michieli, Coordinator of Spoke 2 RAISE, commented on the project: “The results achieved by Professor Traverso’s team represent a key example of the RAISE ecosystem’s innovative potential. The application of 3D organ reconstruction to robotic surgery not only showcases the scientific and technological excellence within Spoke 2, but also paves the way for a fundamental transformation of surgery in the future. These technologies – integrating artificial intelligence, advanced imaging, and personalized 3D models – can decisively contribute to making care more precise, less invasive, and increasingly patient-centered.”

Thanks to the work carried out at San Martino Hospital, the use of 3D reconstruction in Oncological Urology has emerged as both a concrete technology transfer and a clinical innovation, destined to be expanded into other areas of medicine.

MERMAID-AI platform presented in Genoa: advanced teleassistance for maritime first aid

Posted on 4 July 20257 July 2025 by admin

During the 19th edition of the International Conference on Intelligent Autonomous Systems (IAS), held in Genoa from June 30 to July 4, 2025, the MERMAID-AI project was presented – a maritime telehealth platform developed within Spoke 2 of the RAISE program.

The MERMAID-AI project aimed to develop and bring to market an innovative solution for first aid in maritime environments, introducing significant advancements over current standards. The platform has been designed not only as a next-generation technological tool but also as a new operational standard for remote healthcare, with the goal of increasing onboard safety and improving the quality of medical services available at sea.

During the presentation, it was shown how MERMAID-AI integrates e-triage and self-care systems, supported by artificial intelligence algorithms, onboard biometric sensors, and innovative interaction methods — including the use of augmented reality headsets. These solutions have reduced the need for external interventions or returning to port, promoting, when possible, the safe self-management of care. Moreover, MERMAID-AI has enabled satellite specialist teleconsultations through affiliated healthcare facilities, expanding intervention capabilities even in geographically isolated conditions.

The platform’s development required interdisciplinary expertise, with particular focus on cybersecurity and personal data protection. Professionals from healthcare, maritime, and digital sectors were involved, including those managing cloud infrastructure, satellite connectivity, and the development of applications based on generative AI – particularly LLMs (Large Language Models) and RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation).

The project was carried out thanks to a network of highly specialized partners, led by Netalia, alongside Innonation, Posdata, Porto Antico di Genova and Teseo.

MERMAID-AI was selected as part of the call for Industrial Research and Experimental Development projects in the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics, promoted by the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) within the RAISE program.

At the end of the presentation, the speaker, Simone Macciò, stated: “Presenting MERMAID-AI at the 19th edition of IAS gave us the opportunity to share our work with an international community of excellence in the fields of robotics and AI, while also highlighting the role of RAISE as an ecosystem capable of turning research into tangible solutions, useful for people and for the territory. A context that fosters sustainable, inclusive innovation truly oriented toward the needs of society — of which the MERMAID-AI project is proud to be a part.”

The IAS 2025 conference, dedicated this year to the theme “Ethical, Responsible, and Inclusive Robotics”, provided a prestigious platform for presenting cutting-edge solutions in the fields of robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous systems, emphasizing the value of responsible innovation in maritime and healthcare contexts.

Presentata-a-Genova-la-piattaforma-MERMAID-AI-teleassistenza-avanzata-per-il-primo-soccorso-in-mare-RAISE-1

Presentata-a-Genova-la-piattaforma-MERMAID-AI-teleassistenza-avanzata-per-il-primo-soccorso-in-mare-RAISE-2

Presentata-a-Genova-la-piattaforma-MERMAID-AI-teleassistenza-avanzata-per-il-primo-soccorso-in-mare-RAISE-3

Spoke 2 presents EVA Navi at the Hamlyn Symposium

Posted on 1 July 20251 July 2025 by admin

A team from Spoke 2 presented the EVA Navi surgical navigation system at the Hamlyn Symposium on Medical Robotics 2025 in London with a scientific poster dedicated to the system’s pre-clinical trials outcomes.

The event represented an important platform to share the latest innovations in medical robotics and technologies supporting surgery.

The poster, presented by Veronica Penza from the Biomedical Robotics Lab of ADVR at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Genoa, in collaboration with the IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino and the University of Genoa, illustrated a study aimed at comparing the effectiveness of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) in enhancing surgical awareness during operative procedures.

EVA Navi is surgical navigation system designed to enhance the surgeon’s intraoperative vision through real-time representations of the patient’s 3D anatomy, based on virtual and augmented reality, enabling more informed, personalized, and safer surgery. In fact, surgical awareness—defined as the surgeon’s ability to accurately perceive and interpret the operative field in real-time—is a critical factor for the safety and success of surgeries, especially in complex scenarios.

To evaluate the effectiveness of thefunctionalities of the surgical navigation system, NAVI-VR and NAVI-AR, two in vivo studies were conducted on porcine models, during which a group of general and urological surgeons performed anatomical identification tasks supported by the respective technologies.

Spoke 2 presenta EVA Navi al congresso Hamlyn — Autore: Veronica Penza | Crediti: Veronica Penza

The poster presented results related to operative time and usability feedback collected from participants, highlighting strengths and limitations of each technology in the context of surgery assisted by virtual and augmented reality. The research showed that both systems can be valuable tools to improve accessibility and intuitiveness of patient-specific information during surgery by integrating preoperative data with the real-time surgical environment.

The presentation generated significant interest among congress participants, fostering fruitful exchanges of ideas and suggestions with experts from various international backgrounds. The experience also provided an important opportunity to strengthen scientific collaborations and to consolidate the visibility of the RAISE project within the medical robotics field.

The team, composed of Veronica Penza, Domenico Soriero, Eleonora Balestra, Alberto Neri, Jesus Ortiz, and Leonardo S. Mattos, emphasized the importance of this participation for advancing surgical navigation technologies and for the future application of increasingly effective systems aimed at improving surgical safety.

Participation in the Hamlyn Symposium on Medical Robotics 2025 marked a significant milestone, confirming Spoke 2’s commitment within the RAISE project to promote technological innovations in robotic surgery and artificial intelligence applied to medicine.

Cover Image
Author: Prof. Elena De Momi, Politecnico di Milano
Credits: Prof. Elena De Momi, Politecnico di Milano

Spoke 2 of RAISE at RehabWeek 2025: wearable technologies and artificial intelligence for personalized rehabilitation

Posted on 16 May 202516 May 2025 by admin

On the occasion of RehabWeek 2025, held in Chicago, Spoke 2 of RAISE actively participated in one of the most prestigious international events in the field of rehabilitation technology. The event, which annually brings together researchers, clinicians, engineers, institutional representatives, and patients, promotes multidisciplinary collaboration for the development of innovative solutions dedicated to functional recovery and personal autonomy.

Among the scheduled presentations, researcher Giulia Bodo from the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), representing Spoke 2 of RAISE, presented research focused on a telemonitoring system that leverages wearable technologies and artificial intelligence to support the evaluation of daily activities—a system developed in collaboration and co-design with the FISM center.

The project stems from the need to overcome the limitations of current clinical observation practices, which are often not sensitive enough to detect mild difficulties or progressive changes over time. The proposed system, consisting of smart glasses and sensorized insoles, is capable of non-invasively collecting data related to movement and mental effort during the performance of simple everyday activities.

During an experimental phase, participants were asked to carry out a common household task while the system automatically monitored several key parameters. Preliminary results suggest that this approach provides useful insights into both the strategies adopted by individuals and the difficulties they may encounter, thus offering a concrete foundation for more personalized rehabilitation interventions.

The contribution of Spoke 2 fits into the broader framework of RAISE, which promotes advanced research with a strong focus on clinical transferability. The goal is to facilitate the integration of new technologies into care pathways, especially in light of the growing rehabilitation needs associated with an aging population.

RehabWeek, with its strongly interdisciplinary nature, offered an ideal setting to showcase this research and foster dialogue among the various stakeholders in the field. The experience in Chicago once again confirms the importance of combining scientific, technological, and clinical expertise to address the challenges of modern rehabilitation with new tools.

Spoke 2 in Spain presents challenges and future directions of monitoring in neurorehabilitation

Posted on 29 November 202429 November 2024 by admin

The researchers Marianna Semprini, Florencia Garro and Indya Ceroni (IIT, Spoke 2) have attended the International Conference on NeuroRehabilitation (ICNR), at La Granjain, Spain, where they presented their advances in neurorehabilitation.

In this field, accurate monitoring of limb movements, motor commands, and neural activity is essential to understand and monitor sensorimotor recovery.

The combined use of kinematics and analysis of brain and muscle activity provides clinicians and researchers with precise and objective measurements of a patient’s capabilities.

These measurements not only allow objective monitoring of progress, but also facilitate the evaluation of treatment effects and the personalization of interventions based on the individual needs of the patient.

Presentate da Spoke 2 in Spagna le sfide e future direzioni del monitoraggio nell’ambito della neuroriabilitazione — Challenges and future directions of reliable evaluation, in the field of neurorehabilitation | Authors: Marianna Semprini, Florencia Garro and Indya Ceroni (IIT, Spoke 2) | Credits: IIT and RAISE

The main next steps of this research within RAISE will be:
Creation of a working group
– Identify interested participants (clinicians, researchers, engineers, patients) to start an active collaboration and organize a kick-off meeting to define shared goals and priorities;
– Develop a plan to address the challenges identified during the workshop, such as:
Creation of user-friendly tools for data integration into clinical practice;
Design of standardized protocols for multi-site benchmarking;
Enhancement of the use of continuous biomarkers.
Analysis of existing formats and tools
– Evaluate and adapt existing formats, such as Eurobench and BIDS (Brain Imaging Data Structure), to support data standardization;
– Identify gaps and opportunities to improve data sharing and reuse among different stakeholders.
Development of guidelines and protocols
– Collaborate with experts to create practical guidelines on the use of biomarkers, kinematics and EMG (electromyography) in clinical settings.

Cover Image
Marianna Semprini (IIT, Spoke 2) at ICNR 2024
Author: Florencia Garro (IIT)
Credits: IIT and RAISE

Conference at RAISE Village: the National Biodiversity Future Center for biodiversity conservation

Posted on 4 November 20244 November 2024 by admin

On november 2nd, RAISE Village hosted a conference of great significance for the future of biodiversity, involving the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), a center funded by the PNRR – NextGeneration EU and dedicated to interdisciplinary research and environmental sustainability.

The National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC) shares numerous points of connection with RAISE, thanks to the mutual interaction between biodiversity and advanced technology. Biodiversity not only inspires progress in fields such as biorobotics and biomimetics, but technology itself—from robots to sensors and artificial intelligence—provides essential tools for the four pillars of NBFC: conserving, monitoring, restoring, and enhancing biodiversity.

The event featured the participation of internationally renowned experts, gathered to discuss the ambitious European Union and United Nations project aimed at preserving and restoring terrestrial and marine biodiversity.

The recently approved Nature Restoration Law establishes fundamental goals for 2030 and 2050: protecting 30% of the EU’s land and marine areas, with 10% under strict protection, and restoring at least 20% of degraded areas by 2030, with further efforts toward full ecosystem restoration by 2050. The NBFC supports these objectives with innovative projects that integrate monitoring, conservation, restoration, and enhancement of Italian biodiversity, positioning itself as a pillar of national research and development.

Among the speakers at the conference, moderated by Maria Chiara Chiantore, Professor of Ecology at the University of Genoa, were:
– Massimo Labra, Full Professor of Botany at the University of Milano-Bicocca, scientific leader of the NBFC, and leader of Spoke 1, dedicated to ecological transition. With expertise in biomolecular techniques for analyzing genetic variability in plants, Labra contributes to developing cutting-edge methodologies for biodiversity.
– Silvia Bianchelli, Associate Professor at the Polytechnic University of Marche, with a background in marine biology and ecology and extensive experience in international research projects such as H2020 MERCES and EU-EASME AFRIMED. She is the co-coordinator of Spoke 2, which focuses on the restoration of marine ecosystems within the NBFC.
– Francesco Frati, Full Professor of Zoology at the University of Siena, whose career includes serving as Rector and head of the Department of Evolutionary Biology. His research spans insect phylogeny to genomic and mitochondrial evolution, making a valuable contribution to the phylogeography and systematics of organisms.
– Lorena Rebecchi, Full Professor of Zoology at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and Director of the Department of Life Sciences, leads Spoke 3, dedicated to terrestrial biodiversity. Her research on the biodiversity of animals in extreme environments has been widely published and recognized internationally.

The conference provided an important platform for knowledge and skills exchange among scientists and researchers, promoting a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to addressing the biodiversity crisis and global environmental challenges. The National Biodiversity Future Center stands as a key player in biodiversity research and conservation, actively contributing to building a sustainable future.

“The main value of these large ecosystems of national centers is their capacity to aggregate. These centers bring together a multitude of researchers, each with their own projects, both new and past studies, which are often brought back to life. When data and knowledge are combined, the effect is astounding: it’s as if ‘one plus one plus one’ doesn’t equal ten, but a thousand. The aggregation of skills and resources generates immense potential. Another fundamental aspect is the creation of shared knowledge across various laboratories. Technologies and discoveries from one research group can be shared with others, facilitating rapid learning and continuous improvement. This process significantly accelerates the development of new knowledge and technologies.
In this context, young researchers also find great opportunities. They can complete parts of their doctoral studies in different centers, working with diverse colleagues and learning varied skills. This allows them to explore different methodologies and areas of research, enriching their education in a unique way. One of the main goals of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) is to reduce gender, generational, and territorial disparities. These large ecosystems, distributed throughout the country, give many people the opportunity to access resources and skills, creating a more inclusive and accessible system,” commented Massimo Labra at the end of the conference.

“Participating in a large-scale national center is an extraordinary opportunity for a researcher. It is one of the first experiences in Italy that succeeds in bringing together skills and resources, offering a unique experience even beyond national borders. This type of collaboration allows for a real exchange of experiences and the creation of a solid network that can also be used for future projects, both at the European level and in other international initiatives. Furthermore, it offers the opportunity to represent an entity with the potential to engage in dialogue with those who, institutionally, are reference points in biodiversity management and conservation. Thus, we become representative interlocutors of the Italian scientific community involved in biodiversity research. This makes us necessary and recognized figures by those who govern, and it gives us the strength to assert and promote the importance of science in institutional decisions concerning the environment and biodiversity,” added Maria Chiara Chiantore.