FIS calls: projects of three Federican researchers funded

Projects by three researchers from the University of Naples Federico II have emerged as beneficiaries of funds worth a total of more than 4 million euros allocated by the Ministry of Education through FIS (Fondo Italiano per la Scienza) calls, on the European Research Council (ERC) model.The studies will be carried out in the laboratories of the University of Frederick starting next October and could offer breakthroughs in the fields of health and the environment. The projects, in fact, concern a vaccine-cure against triple-negative breast cancer, aerogel materials to purify water and processes to obtain morphogenerated materials for a circular economy.

The 'PINCH' project for the realization of an innovative treatment system against the most aggressive form of breast cancer bears the signature of researcher Concetta Di Natale, and has been awarded 1.3 million euros in funding. The work takes advantage of patches with micro-needles to penetrate the stratum corneum of the skin and facilitate the noninvasive infusion of drugs and proteins into the dermis, thereby also stimulating an active immune response against triple-negative breast cancer with the goal of achieving longer-lasting and more comprehensive results. The project has already been supported by the Veronesi Foundation.

The work on the creation of innovative materials to purify water 'Polynew' has been awarded a grant of 1.6 million euros and was conceived by researcher Martina Salzano de Luna. The objective is to develop innovative and sustainable materials for the removal of organic pollutants from water and is based on the use of aerogels, ultralight and highly porous substances based on natural polymers in order to capture and retain pollutants in a highly effective way.

The third project, called 'CAring,' was funded with 1.3 million euros and was developed by researcher Daniele Tammaro. The work aims to obtain morphogenetic materials to foster a circular economy, through Artificial Intelligence and a new 3D printing technology.