The Materials for Health Unit is involved in developing new materials tested in preclinical studies through innovative synthetic processes and accurate characterization, with the ultimate goal of improving health conditions of society. In particular, the studies are aimed at finding new solutions, based on functional materials, which represents new diagnostic strategies, that could increase sensitivity and change the analysis methodology. One example is the detection of the whole pathogen (bacterium or virus) instead of its only genetic material.

The Unit, then, is also involved in the development of nanoparticles (5-20 nm, porous and non-porous) to be used in imaging and drug delivery, engineered to be invisible to the host’s immune system and to be target only specific tissues.

The Unit collaborates with several companies, such as Roche Diagnostics, Novartis, Takeda (USA) and Chiesi Farmaceutici.