Department Department of ExcellenceResearch: new frontiers for health

Research: new frontiers for health

At the heart of NEUROFARBA's project is a vision of research as an engine of concrete transformation, capable of generating advanced knowledge while also producing applicable solutions for the care of fragile individuals. The scientific research conducted in the Department combines methodological rigour, an interdisciplinary approach, and a strong orientation towards innovation.

With the funding obtained as a Department of Excellence, NEUROFARBA is strengthening its infrastructure and creating three new state-of-the-art laboratories:

• a laboratory for human-based modelling, which uses human cells and tissues to reconstruct real pathological conditions in vitro;
• a laboratory for advanced functional and molecular imaging, capable of studying cellular activity and physiological alterations in depth;
• a laboratory for the development of biotechnological tools, based on molecular and tissue engineering, aimed at identifying and modulating innovative therapeutic targets.

These spaces are not conceived solely as internal facilities, but as shared platforms, open to collaboration with other University Departments and external partners, following a logic of expertise integration and resource optimisation.

Research activities span the entire lifespan and focus on complex and multifactorial diseases, often lacking definitive treatments. The project is based on advanced experimental models – such as organoids, three-dimensional cultures, and organ-on-a-chip systems – capable of simulating the functioning of human organs and evaluating the efficacy of new therapeutic molecules.

NEUROFARBA integrates biological, pharmacological, and clinical research with the psychological sciences, also studying the impact of pathologies on quality of life and designing interventions to improve it. This approach enables the production of knowledge with a high level of transferability, both in the healthcare and industrial contexts.

The value of the Department's scientific output is further supported by numerous ongoing national and international competitive grants, collaborations with research institutions and industry partners, and high-profile scientific publications, with researchers active in the leading European networks.

For NEUROFARBA, research is not merely the production of results, but the creation of value for society, through more effective technologies, more targeted therapies, and a greater understanding of people's real needs.

Results achieved

Between 2023 and 2024, key structural interventions and technological equipment were completed:

• Cell biology laboratory: the "Organoid Laboratory" was inaugurated in 2024, dedicated to the culture of multicellular models, organoids, and organs-on-chip. The space was equipped with a laminar flow biological cabinet, a CO2 incubator, and an inverted optical microscope with a dedicated camera, supporting morphological analyses.
• Imaging and functional assessment laboratories: in 2024, patch clamp and intracellular ion fluorescence imaging systems were installed, along with a multielectrode array (MEA) system for electrophysiological recordings, a Spinning Disk High Content confocal microscope with artificial intelligence-based modules, and a real-time PCR system with advanced gene expression analysis. These tools are complemented by specific training programmes for staff.
• Biotechnology laboratory with biosafety level 2 (BSL-2): fully equipped for molecular and tissue engineering activities, with incubators, a biological cabinet, microscopes, an electroporator, and centrifuges. A BSL-1 laboratory for bacterial cell culture, supporting cloning procedures, has also been set up.
• Specialist instrumentation: in 2024, the procurement procedure was initiated for a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer complete with an Avance Neo 400 console, which was installed in January 2025, intended for the molecular analysis of bioactive compounds.
• Materials and consumables: purchase requests have been approved for reagents, culture media, gene expression quantification assays, and experimental supplies required for the development of the objectives set out in the Excellence Project.

Next developments

In the coming months, the following are planned:

• the installation of the NMR spectrometer and the full operationalisation of the spectroscopy laboratory;
• the continuation of experimental activities on cellular models and organoids using the technologies already in place;
• the implementation of standardised protocols for the functional and molecular assessment of experimental models;
• the continued enhancement of the laboratories, with attention to safety, reorganisation of spaces, and staff wellbeing, in collaboration with the University's technical services.

Through these interventions, NEUROFARBA consolidates its capacity to conduct integrated, translational frontier research oriented towards the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for childhood and old age.