Life Sciences
The Life Sciences sector draws on space technologies for the design, development and characterization of innovative solutions with strong potential for technology transfer from space to the life sciences field. This work brings together applied research and innovation, with the goal of accelerating scientific progress and generating concrete impact in the healthcare and industrial sectors.
This area is also increasingly relevant to the space sector itself, where protecting human health is a crucial challenge. The extreme conditions of space missions demand reliable solutions for monitoring, prevention and managing astronauts’ physical and cognitive state. In this context, life sciences research contributes to developing strategies and tools that can support a safe and effective human presence in space.
Tissue engineering represents a frontier research area, since scaffolds built according to this interdisciplinary approach enable the regeneration of new functional tissue following trauma or disease, temporarily reproducing the natural microenvironment as faithfully as possible.
This makes it possible to guide the formation of the biological matrix to support a full physiological recovery. To this end, the Life Sciences sector employs various methods, such as electrospinning and 3D printing, to ensure the final structure meets specific requirements assessed within the network of collaborations established and coordinated by the team itself as an integral part of its work.
The E. Amaldi Foundation’s Life Sciences sector is also building solid expertise in protection from ionizing radiation. Specifically, the synergy of a team of experts in biomaterials functionalization and processing and in additive manufacturing techniques has led to the study and development of possible prototypes for ionizing radiation shielding — initially designed for use on Earth, for example in radioprotection for biomedical applications, and subsequently adapted for different types of radiation, such as those found in space, as possible lightweight shields to protect astronauts and electronic components.
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In the sensing field, the synergistic combination of nanomaterials and biotechnology has made it possible to develop highly selective, high-sensitivity detection devices for oncology applications. Being able to measure extremely low concentrations of disease markers means having a tool that can make a valuable contribution to early diagnosis.
This is achieved by appropriately functionalizing the measurement substrate and analyzing it through Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), which amplifies signals related to the analyte of interest by several orders of magnitude. Still within the SERS sensing approach, the team has established various collaborations aimed at developing specific measurement devices for applications in the pharmaceutical and agri-food fields.
Current activities, as well as those planned as next lines of direction, are made possible by bringing together different professional profiles drawing on biomedical engineering, materials science and chemistry.
