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Spoke 1 NODES, in occasione dell'EXPO 2025 di Osaka, presenta lo stato del settore aerospaziale e l'apporto del sistema del Nord Ovest d'Italia nella grande crescita degli investimenti in un settore in grande cambiamento, che presenta sfide crescenti. Durante il talk "Wings of Innovation", organizzato da Politecnico di Torino presso il Padiglione Italia, Spoke 1 Aerospazio e mobilità sostenibile ha presentato ad una platea internazionale, a colleghi/e ricercatori/trici delle più importanti università giapponesi, il ruolo del sistema Italiano e in particolare la grande quantità e qualità di attori presenti nei territori del nord ovest. Giuseppe Scellato, coordinatore scientifico di Spoke 1, ha messo enfasi particolare sulle attività dello Spoke e sul suo ruolo come motore di innovazione, grazie ai consistenti investimenti in ricerca applicata, ricerca industriale e formazione. Durante il talk, il professor Scellato ha mostrato le attività di ricerca del Flagship Space4You, ma anche le attività nate dai bandi dell'ecosistema, come i progetti industriali portati avanti da aziende del settore, e i Proof of Concept accademici, frutto della proprietà intellettuale generata da ricercatrici e ricercatori di NODES, nonché Startup e Spin-off nati dalle attività di Spoke. Al talk ha partecipato inoltre il Centro Nazionale per la Mobilità Sostenibile "MOST", con ricercatrici e ricercatori dello Spoke 1 "Air mobility".  

UNIGHT2025 al Castello del Valentino di Torino  UNIGHT si è tenuto a Torino il 26 e 27 settembre 2024, in contemporanea con molte altre città europee, invitando il pubblico a celebrare insieme la Notte Europea delle Ricercatrici e dei Ricercatori. Un'occasione immersiva per entrare nel mondo della ricerca, pensata per stimolare una partecipazione attiva al percorso scientifico e offrire la possibilità di conoscere da vicino i risultati ottenuti, scoprendone il valore e l'impatto sulla vita di tutti i giorni.    Le sfide dell'ingegneria per la salute respiratoria    Tra le 350 attività proposte, i ricercatori e le ricercatrici del Research Module NEWBREATH hanno proposto ''A TUTTO FLUSSO'': Il puzzle della ventilazione'' un giorno di costruzione per grandi e piccoli, in cui i partecipanti sono invitati ad assemblare nel minor tempo possibile un circuito di ventilazione utilizzando componenti reali.  La sfida proposta ha riscosso molto successo, e ha dato l'opportunità, ai più grandi, di conoscere le attività svolte nella ricerca di NEWBREATH svolta al Politecnico di Torino, e ai più piccoli, di misurarsi con attività di logica per guadagnarsi un posto nella TOP 5 della Notte.   

The event offered a different kind of matchmaking, with the aim of truly focusing on the experience of startups and investors and thus creating a fruitful opportunity for exchange.   The difficulty of navigating calls for proposals, the dialogue with VCs and business angels, the strategic choice of pivoting: on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, six innovative projects shared their stories at Rewind & Grow – Agrifood connect, a side event of the Italian Tech Week promoted by NODES's Spoke 7 together with *beeco, ToSeed & Partners and ISIRES with InnovUp as institutional partner.   The event offered a different kind of matchmaking, with the aim of truly focusing on the experience of startups and investors and thus creating a fruitful opportunity for exchange.   Opening with institutional greetings were Danilo Demarchi, Polytechnic University of Turin, and Luisa Torri, University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo, who presented the NODES project and the 0to1 Acceleration Sprint program that has taken place in recent months. Moderating the event was *beeco CEO Marco D’Angelo, who also introduced the ecosystem and the partners of the path. Entrepreneur Luigi Galimberti instead offered an inspirational pitch on the importance of agrifoodtech innovation and the challenges facing the sector.   Because starting a startup means continuing to try, to challenge oneself, as Altered materials, Wiseside, PeptoFarm, KoraLabs, ESAC, and LOOOPS demonstrated in their pitches: the six innovative projects or already established startups explained their objectives and the difficulties they faced.   In conclusion, through reverse pitches, investors Giovanni Ferri, representing ToSeed & Partners, and Stefano Alexander Martini of LifeGate, shared a complementary, not opposing, point of view.   The event took place in the Maxwel conference room at the Polytechnic University of Turin and brought the agrifoodtech focus to the Italian Tech Week.    

From October 2 to 4 2025, NODES – Nord Ovest Digitale E Sostenibile will take center stage at Expo Osaka 2025, inside the Italy Pavilion hosted by the Ministry of Universities and Research, together with the Politecnico di Torino and MOST – National Center for Sustainable Mobility.    The University, coordinator of the Ecosystem, will showcase the AIRONE project – Aircraft and drones for sustainable civil mobility, a multimedia journey dedicated to the new frontiers of aerospace research and the mobility of the future. Topics presented will include: drones entering everyday mobility, next-generation low-emission aircraft, technologies for supersonic and space flight, as well as satellites and innovative applications improving life on Earth.   On the opening day, October 2, NODES will participate with a keynote by General Manager Chiara Ferroni, who will share the Ecosystem’s vision of innovation as a driver for regional development and the opportunities created by the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan). Her speech will be part of an institutional talk also featuring Mario Vattani (Commissioner General, Italy Expo 2025 Osaka), Stefano Corgnati (Rector, Politecnico di Torino), Alberto Cirio (President, Piedmont Region), Stefano Lo Russo (Mayor of Turin), and Gianmarco Montanari (General Director, MOST).   Participation in Expo Osaka represents a unique opportunity for NODES to enhance its role as a national research and innovation ecosystem and to strengthen international relations with Japan and other global stakeholders. With the contribution of its seven thematic Spokes, NODES promotes an interdisciplinary innovation model that brings together universities, enterprises, and territories.. Its presence at the Expo reaffirms the Ecosystem’s commitment to giving international visibility to the excellence of Northwest Italy and to their impact on the future of mobility, sustainability, and digitalization.  

On Wednesday, 24 September 2025, the Kyoto Room at Environment Park (Turin) hosted SPoClight2 – Ideas in Transition, the IFIB 2025 side event organised by Spoke 2 of NODES – Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile, thanks to close collaboration between Proplast, Environment Park and the University of Turin.   The event represented a new opportunity for discussion between research and industry, with the aim of promoting the results of the Proof of Concept (PoC) developed within Spoke 2 in the fields of green technologies, bioeconomy and sustainable industry.   The afternoon was divided into several key moments: Pitch of Line A projects, in which beneficiaries outlined objectives, results achieved and impacts generated. A thematic round table discussion, which provided an opportunity to share experiences and perspectives on the evolution of sustainable technologies. Presentation of Line B services and overall results of Spoke 2, highlighting the value of technology transfer and opportunities for internationalisation.   The day ended with a networking session, an informal opportunity that encouraged dialogue between businesses, researchers and innovation stakeholders.   With the SPoClight2 event, Spoke 2 reaffirmed its commitment to transforming research into concrete solutions for industry and the local area, charting new paths towards a more sustainable and connected future.

September 26–27, 2025 – The European Researchers’ Night returns, an event promoted by the European Commission that brings science to squares, universities, and cities across Europe. This year again, NODES – North-West Digital and Sustainable will be a key player, with researchers from its 7 Spokes present in Turin, Pavia, Como, Busto Arsizio, and Aosta, offering many free and public initiatives.   In Turin – UNIGHT 2025: exhibitions and workshops at Valentino Castle and the Botanical Garden, covering digital communication, health, energy, and smart cities, plus a treasure hunt you won’t want to miss!   In Pavia – SHARPER 2025: experiments, games, and scientific stands dedicated to sustainability, agri-food, biotechnology, and circular economy.   In Como and Busto Arsizio – UNINSUBRIA: NODES projects and PoCs on augmented reality, immersive technologies, and circular economy.   In Aosta – UniVdA: workshops for children and families, lectures, scientific tastings, and sky observations with the Astronomical Observatory. A unique opportunity to get to know the research that is changing our daily lives and to imagine future solutions together. Discover the full program and come visit us!

Venerdì 19 settembre 2025 presso ComoNext Innovation Hub, alla presenza della comunità scientifica dell'Università degli Studi dell'insubria e di una vasta platea di imprenditori, si è tenuto l'evento: “La ricerca per il tessile: università e imprese per l’innovazione”.   L'incontro, promosso nell’ambito del progetto NODES si è svolto in collaborazione tra lo Spoke 2 - Green technologies and sustainable industries e lo Spoke 3 - Industria del Turismo e Cultura. L’evento è stata un'occasione importante per riunire accademia e imprese al fine di rafforzare collaborazioni strategiche e stimolare nuove opportunità nel settore tessile.   Durante la mattinata, ricercatori dell’Università degli Studi dell’Insubria e imprese hanno discusso di ricerche innovative, di collaborazioni in corso, delle opportunità di finanziamento e presentato progetti già avviati nel settore del tessile; di grande interesse sono stati gli interventi dei responsabili per l'Insubria di Spoke 3, Prof.ssa Barbara Pozzo e di Spoke 2, Prof. Mauro Fasano i quali hanno illustrato i progetti in essere e i risultati raggiunti sino ad oggi.   All'evento erano presenti oltre 80 persone le quali si sono dimostrate molto collaborative nel cercare di valorizzare l’integrazione tra ricerca accademica e tessuto produttivo. Obiettivo primario dell'incontro è stato quello di rafforzare l’ecosistema dell’innovazione nelle filiere manifatturiere, nello specifico il settore tessile, con particolare attenzione a sostenibilità e transizione green e alla valorizzazione di un patrimonio d’eccellenza per il territorio Nodes.

Il dott. Giuseppe Cappellano, la prof.ssa Tracey Pirali, la dott.ssa Rita Di Martino ed in collaborazione con la dott.ssa Beatrice Riva e il dott. Luigi Azzarone (ChemiCare) hanno recentemente pubblicato, nella prestigiosa rivista Autoimmunity Reviews, una revisione scientifica dal titolo ''Calcium signaling dysregulation in rhemuatoid arthritis: a comparative perspective with osteoarthritis'' (doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2025.103923).   L'artrite reumatoide (AR) e osteoartrite (OA) sono tra le malattie croniche più diffuse a livello globale, con un impatto significativo sui pazienti e sui sistemi sanitari. Nonostante abbiano un'eziologia e una progressione differenti, le evidenze più recenti indicano che la segnalazione del calcio svolge un ruolo chiave nella patogenesi di entrambe, influenzando numerosi processi cellulari nei tessuti articolari.    Il calcio, infatti, è essenziale per funzioni fondamentali come l'espressione genica, la contrazione muscolare, il ciclo cellulare, la proliferazione, l'apoptosi e la trasmissione sinaptica. Nel contesto delle malattie articolari, uno squilibrio dell'omeostasi del calcio ha conseguenze rilevanti, poiché i processi osteogenici e condrogenici, così come la formazione della matrice extracellulare, dipendono strettamente dai livelli di calcio. In questo processo può essere coinvolto anche il SOCE (Store-Operated Calcium Entry), un meccanismo che regola l'ingresso del calcio nelle cellule e che, se alterato, contribuisce all'infiammazione e al danno articolare.    La revisione propone un'analisi comparativa dei meccanismi di regolazione del calcio in AR e OA, concentrandosi sulle cellule e i tessuti maggiormente coinvolti, e offre una panoramica sulle terapie emergenti che mirano a modulare il matabolismo del calcio.Questi approcci potrebbero aprire nuove prospettive terapeutiche, migliorando le opzioni attualmente disponibili per i pazienti.      Adattata da  Nguyen TD, Abreu H, Tommasi N, Azzarone L, Di Martino RMC, Riva B, Raineri D, Pirali T, Chiocchetti A, Cappellano G. Calcium signaling dysregulation in rheumatoid arthritis: a comparative perspective with osteoarthritis. Autoimmun Rev. 2025 Aug 28;24(12):103923. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2025.103923 

On september 16, students of Polytechnic High School presented GORSE project, financed by NODES.   GORSE is about reversing mountain depopulation with a digital twin of Desate Village, mapping its past, envisioning its future, and testing sustainable revival strategies by creating an accessible 3D virtual replica that synchronizes real-time data, engages stakeholders, and supports the design of a unique Italian hospitality model, the "Albergo Diffuso", fostering cultural immersion, resilience, and informed strategies for a possible future of Italy’s mountain villages.

The Venture Booster Program kicks off, an initiative by NODES – Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile in collaboration with LifeGate Way, designed to support startups and entrepreneurial teams engaged in the dual digital and ecological transition. The program will select 3 high-potential projects, offering an intensive and tailored path that combines assessments, mentorship, targeted training, and strategic networking with businesses, investors, and stakeholders. The goal is to strengthen the growth potential of emerging companies, facilitate access to new market and investment opportunities, and promote innovative and sustainable business models.   The Venture Booster Program is aimed at both teams with entrepreneurial ideas in development and startups established for less than 6 months, operating in one of NODES' strategic sectors: from aerospace and mobility to green tech and sustainable industry, from culture and tourism to mountain-related projects, from health to agroindustry.   The selected companies will benefit from personalized mentorship and consultancy, with support in business plan development, marketing strategy definition, and financial management. Additionally, they will gain access to strategic networking, with direct connections to businesses, investors, and key professionals, participation in exclusive events, and entry into a global network of contacts and partners.   “With the Venture Booster Program, we aim to provide emerging startups and teams – both within and outside the NODES ecosystem – with a tangible growth opportunity, offering tools, expertise, and connections. It is a concrete example of NODES' mission: to transform research and innovation into value for people and territories” – said Chiara L. G. Ferroni, CEO of NODES.   The Venture Booster Program is thus part of the NODES Ecosystem, funded by the MUR within the framework of the PNRR NextGenEU, as one of the tools dedicated to identifying and strengthening local startups and entrepreneurial teams, offering them a tailored path, access to specialized expertise, and concrete growth opportunities.   Timeline     •    October 6, 2025 – Application deadline     •    October 10, 2025 – Winners announcement     •    October 13, 2025 – Start of the acceleration program     •    December 18, 2025 – Final event and program closure   For more information and to apply, please visit the program page    

The preview transformed the former rice mill of Tenuta Vialone into a living laboratory of exchange between research, agriculture and community. The preview of the exhibition Cultivating the Future: Agriculture, Energy, Community took place on Sunday 7 September 2025 at the former rice mill of Tenuta Vialone in Sant’Alessio con Vialone, during the annual Rice Festival.   Curated by Carlo Berizzi and Nadia Bertolino (AUDe Lab, University of Pavia), the initiative drew over one hundred visitors, including representatives of the agricultural sector, local administrators and citizens interested in exploring how the traditional Lombard farmstead can evolve into an energy and community hub. The exhibition presents the outcomes of Research Module 1 – Formidabilae, with a particular focus on the final phase of the research dedicated to redefining Cascina Vialone as an experimental model of a future-oriented farm, integrating environmental sustainability, energy autonomy and community relations.   Ahead of the guided tour, the roundtable “The Sustainability of the Farm” was opened by Mayor Ivana Maria Cartanì, followed by contributions from Stefano Lamberti (Tenuta Vialone srl), Daniele Campari (Pro Loco Sant’Alessio con Vialone), Carlo Berizzi and Nadia Bertolino (AUDe Lab, University of Pavia), and Norma Anglani (Laboratory of Electrical Energy, University of Pavia). The session was concluded by Marta Sempio, President of Confagricoltura Pavia, who introduced the Spighe Verdi programme promoted by Confagricoltura and FEE Italia. On this occasion, the Municipality of Sant’Alessio con Vialone received the Spighe Verdi 2025 Award, recognising its commitment to sustainable rural practices.   The meeting also featured remarks by Ing. Lucia Marazzi, Head of the Third Mission Office at the University of Pavia, who highlighted the impact of the NODES project on the territory and the strategic role of research within Spoke 6 – Primary Agroindustry.   📍 Following the preview, the exhibition will be open from 23 to 27 September 2025 at the Palazzo del Broletto in Pavia, as part of Sharper Night Pavia. The week will include meetings and public discussions on sustainability, agro-industry and new energy systems.