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Consortium

Expertise and Role

Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia - IIT (Coordinator)

Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT – Italian Institute of Technology,) is a scientific research center established by law in 2003, in order to promote excellence in both basic and applied research and to facilitate the economic development at national level. IIT scientific activities started in 2006, they are multidisciplinary and with a very strong approach to technology transfer. IIT staff is of more than 1900 people, the majority of which (about 81%) is dedicated to research, with an average age of 35 years (see https://www.iit.it/it/iit-numeri ). Research is carried out in the Central Research laboratory in Genoa (IIT headquarters IIT-HQ), in 14 research satellite centers across Italy. IIT scientific vision is interdisciplinary, and the main goal is to produce technologies that will have a positive impact on some important societal challenges, such as sustainability and the environment, healthcare and aging society, also reflecting the priorities of EU framework programs. IIT participate to the IV-Lab project with three different research groups, as follow.

IIT - Center for Materials Interfaces (CMI)

The Soft Micro-Electronic Materials Group in the Center for Materials Interfaces (CMI), located in Pontedera (PI), conducts its research in the field of materials science and technologies, focusing on the development of soft electronics devices and smart interfaces with advanced functionalities. The research of the group is primarily divided into two main areas: functional microfabrication, which involves the creation of microstructures and interfaces with functional materials, and soft electronics where ultra-thin conformable functional systems and their integration on the human skin (tattoo electronics) or other complex surfaces is studied, toward the realization of personal unperceivable healthcare monitoring devices, active tattoos, and electrically controllable drug delivery systems.

Key Contribution
IIT-CMI is responsible for the overall scientific and technical management of the project and for coordination between different WPs Leaders. IIT-HQ Grant Office supports the coordinator with the daily project management activities. IIT-CMI is also responsible for the overall system design, for the development of strain and pressure sensors, for device integration, encapsulation and testing. IIT-CMI is also responsible for project results communication and portfolio activities.

Key People
Virgilio Mattoli (Project Coordinator), Emanuela Cepolina (Project Manager), Arianna Mazzotta (Project technical responsible), Andrea Ottomaniello, Matteo Archimi
Visit IIT-CMI Website
Visit Mattoli’s Group Website
Dielectric Thickness 160nm

IIT - Printed and Molecular Electronics group (PME)

The Printed and Molecular Electronics group works on solution-processable and sustainable semiconductors, in particular conjugated organic materials, taking full advantage of their printability in order to deliver applications in the large-area and flexible electronics fields. Current research activities include: edible electronics, where electronic properties of food stuff is leveraged to develop smart  edible pills for medical applications as well sensors for food quality monitoring;  electronic systems that can be digested or even metabolized in the body; printed organic biosensors, targeting large-area devices for electrophysiology as well as rapid diagnostic and point-of-care applications; printed organic transistors operating at Radio Frequencies, for wireless printed sensors and IoT; printed organic thermoelectric generators, as cost-effective and sustainable waste heat energy harvesters.

Key Contribution
IIT-PME will contribute to the project by developing co-planar printed electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors (EG-OFET) for detection of specific biomarkers related to hearth failure, such as Troponin.
Key People
Mario Caironi (PI), Adrica Kyndiah
Visit PME website

Electronic Design Laboratory

The Electronic Design Laboratory specializes in the development of flexible electronic devices optimized for a high Technology Readiness Level (TRL). EDL possesses a comprehensive set of validation equipment, including development kits, rapid prototyping machines, and a CAD lab for designing printed circuit boards and integrated circuits. These resources enable the creation of advanced electronic platforms, covering applications related to advanced motor control, read-out and signal conditioning systems, data transmission systems, and low-power wireless systems, among others.

Key Contribution
IIT-EDL will contribute to the IV-Lab project with system electronic design, development and test; micro-Antenna design and development; software and firmware development.
Key People
Marco Crepaldi (PI), Claudio Lorini, Mirco Di Salvo
Visit EDL website

National Research Council - CNR

The National Research Council (CNR) is the main public research institution in Italy performing multidisciplinary activities. CNR participates in the project with the Institute of Clinical Physiology (CNR-IFC), situated at Pisa, and the Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism (CNR-IMEM).

Institute of Clinical Physiology (CNR-IFC)

IFC operates in the context of the Department of Biomedicine and is the largest biomedical institute of CNR. CNR-IFC holds a privileged position in research and higher education. The main areas of research are: 1) Bio-Techno-Science and Modelling, 2) Preclinical Biology and Mechanism of Disease, 3) Clinical Pathophysiology and Health Risk Factors, and 4) Epidemiology and Health Promotion. This multidisciplinary approach is the key element of a strategy that promotes collaborations in a flexible and problem-solving way and sets the “personalized care” as a goal, to guarantee social health and optimal life quality.

Key Contribution
CNR-IFC will be responsible for the biocompatibility evaluation of integrated device and functionality of both single sensors and device in both in vitro (blood tests and the effects of coating materials on cultured endothelial cells) and ex vivo models (ex vivo isolated vessel perfusion system). CNR-IFC will contribute to define the use cases and the specific requirements for the IV Lab devices for heart failure scenarios.
Visit CNR-IFC website
Key People
Serena Del Turco (PI), Giuseppina Basta, Rosa Sicari, Michela Rial (Head of grant office)

Platelet aggregation

Vascular endothelial activation

NF-κB nuclear translocation
Intracellular oxidative stress

Echocardiographic quantitative imaging

The Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism (CNR-IMEM)

IMEM develops interdisciplinary research approaches in the field of Materials Science, including advanced methods of synthesis and characterization as well as device manufacturing technologies, designed with the aim of exploring functional properties of the materials themselves. The main research areas are: 1) Materials and technologies for green energy; 2) Sensors for IOT and sustainable development; 3) Smart and neuromorphic bio-interfacing systems; 4) Magnetic and multiferroic materials; 5) growth-of-nanostructured-and-functional-materials; structural and surface characterization. 

Key Contribution

The organic electronics laboratory of IMEM-CNR, the BioTechTronics Lab (https://twitter.com/BioIMEM), will contribute to the IV-Lab project in the design and manufacturing of an electrochemical sensor of Troponins, target molecules for heart failure, based on organic active materials and made by advanced printing technologies. In IMEM the sensor engine will be realized in a transistor architecture and in a 3-terminal layout, by chemically modifying the electrodes with antibody functionalization. The sensor will be whole printed and made of biocompatible organic printable ink-materials.

Key People
Giuseppe Tarabella (PI), Pasquale D’Angelo
Visit CNR-IMEM website

Trinity College Dublin – TCD

Florea and Delaney Labs

The Florea and Delaney Labs from the School of Chemistry and AMBER (Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research) at Trinity College Dublin focus on the fundamentals of material development to create 'adaptive' materials that can switch between different states in response to various external stimuli, such as light, temperature, electrochemical potential, or changes in the local chemical environment. Their groups combine highly precise 4D responses of polymers with photonic actuators. This enables the development of bio-inspired microscopic sensors.
Key Contribution
Development of plasmonic and photonic sensors for glucose detection; leading the project dissemination activities
Visit Florea website
Visit Delaney website
Key People
Larisa Florea (PI), Calm Delaney (PI)

Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia - IBEC

IBEC is a research centre whose purpose is to carry out interdisciplinary research at the highest international quality level which, by creating knowledge, helps to improve health and quality of life and generate wealth. IBEC participates to the IV-Lab project with two research group as follow.

Nanobioengineering group

The Nanobioengineering group at IBEC is a multidisciplinary team composed by researchers coming from very diverse backgrounds working together in applying nanotechnology for the bioengineering of new biomedical systems and devices, mainly for diagnostic purposes, and integrated microfluidic Organ-on-Chip devices for the study of organ physiology, disease etiology, or drug screening. The main research activities of the group include the engineering and biochemical functionalization of biomaterials, biosensors integrated with microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip, and point of care systems.
Key Contribution

Development of electrochemical sensor based on solid-state ion selective electrode (ISE) for detection of electrolytes and electrochemical aptamer based beacon sensors for heart failure biomarkers; IV-Lab specification definition.

development of nano-coating for emo-compatibilization; emo-compatibility tests. Key persons: César Rodriguez-Emmenegger (PI)

Key People
Mònica Mir Llorente (PI), Josep Samitier Martí (IBEC Director)
Visit Nanobioengineering website

Bioinspired Interactive Materials and Protocellular Systems group

The Bioinspired Interactive Materials and Protocellular Systems group at IBEC primarily focuses on macromolecular engineering, adaptive interfaces, and synthetic biomembranes, with the potential to build synthetic cells. One of the lab's key interests is the development of adaptive coatings that can interact and direct the biological surroundings in a self-regulated manner and their translation to medical and diagnostic applications. The use of such nanoscale 'invisible' coatings protects surfaces against molecular fouling and bacterial colonization, also allowing the decoration of the surfaces with biomolecules and create feedback loops with the surrounding environment.

Key Contribution
Development of nano-coating for emo-compatibilization; emo-compatibility tests.
Key People
César Rodriguez-Emmenegger (PI)
Visit Bioinspired Interactive Materials and Protocellular Systems website

University of Stuttgart - USTUTT

4th Physics Institute

The 4th Physics Institute at the University of Stuttgart focuses its research within the field of ultrafast nanooptics. This research encompasses the study of the interaction of light with micrometer and sub-micrometer-sized structures, as well as the fundamentals and applications related to ultra-short and ultra-broadband laser pulse generation. The institute's work involves the investigation of nanostructures, particularly focusing on the plasmonic resonance of metallic nanoparticles and exploring the linear and nonlinear optical properties of quantum objects in close proximity to metal particles. These activities lead to applications such as novel optical sensor devices, perfect absorbers, plasmon rulers, nanoantennas, and photonic circuits. Furthermore, the institute conducts research in femtosecond solid-state lasers, optical parametric oscillators, and amplifiers, making use of a wide range of laser sources and functional nanostructured materials for unique spectroscopic experiments.
Key Contribution
IV-Lab specification definition; development of micro optical sensor for detection of haematocrit and oximetry; leading project result exploitation.
Visit 4th Physics Institute website
Key People
Harald Giessen (PI)