Since September 2013 Dr. Silvia Giordani is the founder and director of the Nano Carbon Materials Research Lab at the Italian Institute of Technology.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU_14rBxwpY&feature=share
In November 2014 she received the Habilitation for Associate and Full Professor of Organic Chemistry; Models and Methodologies for Chemical Science; Chemical Fundaments of Technologies by the Italian Ministry of Education. In December 2016 she was appointed Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Turin.
Since April 2016 she is the WP3 Leader and Management Committee Member for Italy for the COST Action CA15107 “Multi‐Functional Nano‐Carbon Composite MaterialsNetwork” (MultiComp).
Previously Silvia Giordani received a Laurea in Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology from the University of Milan, Italy and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Miami, USA. Supported by Marie Curie Fellowships she studied various aspects of nanotechnology as a post-doctoral fellow at both Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Ireland and the University of Trieste, Italy. She has been awarded the prestigious Science Foundation Ireland President of Ireland Young Researcher Award (PIYRA) and from 2007 to 2013 she has been a Research Assistant Professor at TCD where she run an international and interdisciplinary research group, comprising 4 PhD students, 9 post-doctoral fellows, 9 undergraduate students, 2 research assistants and 4 visiting researchers. She was awarded the 2012 L’Oreal-UNESCO UK and Ireland for Women in Science Fellowship and has been a visiting scientist at the Joint Research Center in Ispra, Italy.
Dr. Giordani research interests are on the design, synthesis, and characterization of a range of nanomaterials that are intended for applications in smart and responsive bio-related nanotechnologies. She has authored 80 peer-reviewed publications in International journals from 2001 to date, including Chemistry Society Reviews, Nature Nanotechnology, PNAS, Advanced Materials, ACS Nano and J. Am. Chem. Soc. that collectively have received over 4,000 citations and her results have been highlighted in journals such as Science, Nature, and New Scientist. Dr. Giordani has also presented her work at numerous conferences around the world e.g. in United States, Canada, Japan, India, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and across most of Europe.
http://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=RJqHPnUAAAAJ
Invited Seminars and Symposia since at IIT
- Keynote speaker, 8th international conference on Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology (AMN8), Queenstown, New Zeland, 12-16 Feb. 2017
- Invited seminar "Il contributo delle nanotecnologie per la salute: un ponte verso il futuro Alla ricerca di una nuova sintesi interdisciplinare che si caratterizza con un modello definibile come sfida/risposta", Istituto Italiano di Bioetica, Genova, Italy, 22 November 2016
- Work Group leader "Characterization, Health and Safety", COST Action CA 15107, Multi-Functional Nano-Carbon Composite Materials, Heraklion, Crete, 20 October 2016 http://multicomp.materials.uoc.gr
- Keynote speaker "STATO DELL’ARTE DELLA RICERCA ONCOLOGICA E PROSPETTIVE FUTURE: IL CONTRIBUTO DEI CHIMICI ALLA RICERCA", Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Genova, Genova, Italy, 7 October 2016
- Invited seminar, Istituto Nanoscienze del Cnr, NANO-NEST, Pisa, Italy, 30 Sept. 2016
- Keynote speaker, 35th Italian Society of Chemistry Congress (TUMA 2016), Giulianova, Italy, 25-27 September 2016
- Keynote speaker, 16th European Microscopy Congress (EMC2016), Lyon, France, 28 Aug-2 Sept. 2016
- Invites speaker, Living Materials Workshop, Tufts European Center, Taillores, France, 17-20 July 2016
- Invited seminar, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Monterotondo, Italy, 22 June 2016
- Invited speaker, ChemOnTubes2016,International meeting on the chemistry of graphene and carbon nanotubes, Brussels, Belgium 3-7 April 2016
- Invited speaker, International Seminar on Bioscience and Nanotechnology, Bio-Nano Electronics Research Centre, Toyo University, Japan 22 March 2016
- Invited speaker, International Workshop on International Collaborative Research on Interplay between Nanocarbon, Supramolecule, and Biochemistry, Okayama University, Japan 14-16 March 2016
- Invited seminar, Univerity of Torino, Italy 4 March 2016
- Invited speaker, Angelini delegation, IIT Genova, 1 Feb. 2016
- Invited speaker, QuimiCuba15, Nano and Supramolecular Chemistry symposium, Havana, Cuba, 13-16 Oct. 2015
- Invited speaker, NanoteC15, Carbon Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Oxford, UK, 14-17 Sept. 2015
- Invited speaker, International Conference on Diamond and Carbon Materials 2015, Bad Homburg, Germany, 6-10 Sept. 2015
- Keynote speaker, AIV XXII conference, Genova, 20-22 May 2015
- Invited speaker, SPIE Photonics– BiOS Biomedical Optics conference 15, Colloidal Invited speaker, Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications X, San Francisco, CA, USA, 9 Feb. 2015
- Invited speaker “Olimpia Summer School- Optogenetics and Neural Interfaces”, Sestri Levante, Italy, 22-24 Sept. 2014
- Invited speaker, Materials Research Society (MRS) Spring Meeting, Nanodiamonds symposium, ID: PP2.01, San Francisco, CA, USA, 22 April 2014
- Invited speaker, ECOST meeting NanoTP, Nantes, France, 4 April 2014
- Selected speaker, ChemOnTubes2014, Riva del Garda, 2 April 2014
- Invited seminar, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, 26 Nov. 2014
- Invited seminar, KAUST, Saudi Arabia, 13 Nov. 2014
- Invited seminar, IIT Lecce, 10 July 2014
- Invited seminar, University of Rome, Tor Vergata, Rome, 27 May 2014
- Invited seminar, University of Miami, School of Chemistry, Coral Gables, FL, USA, 17 April 2014
Presentations at International Conferences since at IIT (Presenting author underlined)
- M. Rodio, R. Intartaglia, S. Lettieri, G. Manda, S. Giordani "Carbon nanoparticles as nanoprobe for cancer therapy", COST meeting, Multi-Functional Nano-Carbon Composite Materials, Heraklion, Crete, 19 Oct. 2016 (short oral and poster)
- M. d’Amora, M. Rodio, J. Bartelmess, G. Sancataldo, R. Brescia, F. Cella Zanacchi, A. Diaspro, S. Giordani "In vivo biocompatibility assessment of functionalized carbon nano-onions (f-CNOs) in zebrafish", COST meeting, Multi-Functional Nano-Carbon Composite Materials, Heraklion, Crete, 19 Oct. 2016 (short oral and poster)
- A. Camisasca, S. Lettieri, Marta d'Amora, S. Giordani "NIR fluorescent carbon nano-onions for cellular imaging" 27th International Conference on Diamond and Carbon Materials, Montpellier, France. 6 September 2016 (Oral)
- S. Lettieri, A. Camisasca, S. Giordani “Far-Red Fluorescent Carbon Nano-Onions For Cellular Imaging” NanoteC16, TCD, Dublin, 31 August-3 September 2016 (Oral)
- M. d’Amora, J. Bartelmess, G. Sancataldo, F. Cella Zanacchi, A. Diaspro, S. Giordani "In vivo biocompatibility assessment of functionalized carbon nano-onions (f-CNOs) in zebrafish" Carbonhagen 2016, 7th symposium on carbon and related materials, Copenhagen, Denmark, 17-18 August 2016 (Best poster presentation award)
- V. Maffeis, D. Barnes, E. M. Scanlan, S. Giordani “Cysteine-Maleimide Coupling as an Efficient Protocol for the Modification of CNOs with Glycopeptides” Carbonhagen 2016, 7th symposium on carbon and related nanomaterials, Copenhagen, Denmark, 17-18 August 2016 (Poster)
- M. Frasconi, R. Marotta, S. Giordani "Multi-Functionalized Carbon Nano-Onions as Imaging Probes for Cancer Cells" Carbon 2016, the world conference on Carbon, Penn State, Pennsylvania, USA, 10 July 2016 (Oral)
- M. Frasconi, R. Marotta, S. Giordani "Multi-Functionalized Carbon Nano-Onions as Imaging Probes for Cancer Cells" E-MRS Spring Meeting, Lille, France. 3 May 2016 (Oral)
- J. Bartelmess, M. Baldrighi, S. Giordani "Functionalization of Carbon Nano Onions with a highly efficient Far-Red/NIR fluorophor" E-MRS Spring Meeting, Lille, France. 3 May 2016 (Oral)
- A. Camisasca, J. Bartelmess, S. Giordani "Fluorophore functionalized carbon nano-onions for NIR imaging" 10th E-WISPOC, Bressanone, January 31- February 5 2016 (Poster)
- M. Frasconi, V. Maffeis, J. Bartelmess, L. Echegoyen, S. Giordani “Highly surface functionalized carbon nano-onions for bright light bioimaging” NanotechItaly2015, Bologna, Italy, 24-27 November 2015 (Poster)
- M. Frasconi, V. Maffeis, J. Bartelmess, L. Echegoyen, S. Giordani “Highly surface functionalized carbon nano-onions for bright light bioimaging” NanonteC15 Carbon Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Oxford, UK, 14-17 September 2015 (Poster)
- M. Frasconi, J. Bartelmess, R. Marotta, S. Giordani, “Directing supramolecular assembly at interfaces: from functional nanomaterials to imaging probes for biological systems” XXV Congresso Nazionale della Divisione di Chimica Analitica della Società Chimica Italiana, Trieste, 13 - 17 Settembre 2015 (Poster)
- M. Baldrighi, G. Locatelli, J. Desper, C. B. Aakeröy, S.Giordani “Supramolecular Switching of Molecular (photo)Switchers: Insights from Spiropyrans Metal Complexes” 2ndICSU/IUPAC Workshop on Crystal Engineering, Como, August 31 – September 1, 2015 (Poster)
- V. Spampinato, G. Ceccone, S. Giordani, AIV Genova (Oral)
- S. Giordani "Carbon Nano-Onions for biomedical applications" E-MRS Spring Meeting, Lille, France. 11 May 2015 (Oral)
- J. Bartelmess, M. Frasconi, P. Balakrishnan, A. Signorelli, L. Echegoyen, T. Pellegrino, S. Giordani "Non-covalent Functionalization of Carbon Nano-Onions with BODIPY Fluorophores" E-MRS Spring Meeting, Lille, France. 11 May 2015 (Oral)
- M. d’Amora, J. Bartelmess, G. N. Abdelrasoul, Z. Lavagnino, G. Sancataldo, L. Galeno, F. Cella Zanacchi, S. Giordani, A. Diaspro “Light sheet fluorescence microscopy to study nanomaterials impact on zebrafish development” Focus on Microscopy, Gottingen-Germany, 30 March 2015 (Poster).
- V. Spampinato, S. Giordani, G. Ceccone “Surface analysis of functionalized carbon based nanomaterials for bio-applications” 74th International IUVSTA Workshop, 3-7 November 2014, Frejus, France (Poster)
- M. Becce, M. Frasconi, A. Maccione, L. Berdondini, S. Giordani "Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes to Enhance Neuronal Network Activity" BrainFET, Genova, 16-17 October 2014 (Poster)
- J. Bartelmess, A. Signorelli, E. de Luca, M. Frasconi, P. Balakrishnan, M. Baldrighi, T. Pellegrino, P.P. Pompa, L. Echegoyen, S. Giordani “Bodipy functionalized Carbon Nano-Onions for biological imaginag – covalent vs. non-covalent approaches” 5th EuCheMS Chemistry Congress, Istanbul, Turkey (Oral)
- J. Bartelmess, L. Echegoyen, S. Giordani “Spectroscopic studies of fluorophore functionalized Carbon Nano-Onions” ChemOnTubes, Riva del Garda, 1 April 2014 (Poster)
- S. Giordani “Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes and Nano-Onions for biomedical applications” Diamond and Carbon 2013, Riva del Garda, 3 Sept. 2013 (Oral)
OUTREACH
Dr. Giordani is mindful of the importance of enhancing the general public’s understanding and appreciation of research, and she is passionate at communicating science to young people. She has been invited to speak at many wide audience events, Women in Science Workshops, National Youth Orientation Day and Science Festivals. In 2009 she ideated the “Mentoring Juniors Project”, with the aim to give young students a unique opportunity to experience what it is like to work in scientific research and to provide them a taste of possible future careers in Science. (http://solarlabinfo.wix.com/index#!mj-project/c1zu6)
Public Engagement since at IIT
- The AMN TRI, 14 February 2017, Copthorne Hotel and Resort Queenstown Lakefront, New Zeland
Women scientists and mathematicians are no longer “hidden figures” in the race to make cleaner, cheaper, smarter energy and materials for a better world…for survival.
- “Cervello rientrato all’Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia” Rotary Bergamo, 8 February 2016
- "Nanocipolle intelligenti al servizio dell'uomo " Caffè Scientifico, Pasticceria Mariscotti di Cavo, Genova, 5 November 2015
http://www.primocanale.it/notizie/secondo-incontro-dei-caff-scientifici-iit-si-racconta--162557.html
- "Tecnologia e nuove modalità di cura" Convegno Nuove Frontiere della Cura, Università di Genova, 23 October 2016
- “Un viaggio nel nano-mondo alla scoperta di nuovi materiali intelligenti”, Summer Camp, IIT Genova, 2 July 2015
- “Un viaggio nel nano-mondo alla scoperta di nuovi materiali intelligenti”, Scientific Summer Accademy, Torino 28 May 2015
http://www.agorascienza.it/education/summer_academy/2015/programma
- “Un viaggio nel nanomondo”, NanoDay 2015, Torino 20 March 2015
http://www.agorascienza.it/education/nanoday/2015
- “My researcher experience in the World of Chemistry”, Rotary Club Dalmine Centenario, Bergamo, 21 November 2014
- “Women in Science Masterclass”, Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, 5 June 2014 (Masterclass to 20 selected female PhDs from Ireland) http://www.ria.ie/About/Our-Work/Masterclass-Series
- “My researcher experience in the World of Chemistry”, Rotary Club Bergamo Ovest, Bergamo, 10 March 2014
- Jury “I giovani e le scienze" FAST, Milan 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 http://www.fast.mi.it/gs2016/gs2016.htm
- Jury “Borse di Studio Quirino e Bernando Sestini" High School G. Natta, Bergamo 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016
Research Area and Interests:
Supramolecular Chemistry (design, synthesis and characterization of photoactive molecules for sensing and light-activated delivery and as building blocks of extended supramolecular systems)
Nanoscience (functionalization and characterization of nanomaterials for imaging, sensing, drug delivery, energy)
Toxicity and immunomodulatory properties of carbon nanomaterials
Publications since at IIT (*corresponding author)
1. J. Bartelmess, S. Quinn and S. Giordani* “Carbon Nanomaterials: Multi-Functional Agents for Biomedical Fluorescence and Raman Imaging“ Chem Soc Rev. 2015 vol. 44, (no. 14), pp. 4672-4698 INVITED (IF=33.4)
2. F. Baptista, S.A. Belhout, S. Giordani and S.J. Quinn* “Recent developments in carbon nanomaterial sensors” Chem Soc Rev. 2015 vol. 44, (no. 13), pp. 4433-4453 INVITED (IF=33.4)
3. Yang M., Flavin K., Kopf I., Radics G., Hearnden H.A., McManus G. J., Moran B., Villalta-Cerdas A., Echegoyen L., Giordani S. *, Lavelle E.C.* “Functionalization of carbon nanoparticles modulates inflammatory cell recruitment and NLRP3 inflammasome activation” Small 2013, 9 (24), 4194-4206 (IF=8.4)
4. J. Bartelmess, E. De Luca, A. Signorelli, M. Baldrighi, M. Becce, R. Brescia,V. Nardone, E. Parisini, L. Echegoyen, P.P. Pompa and S. Giordani* “Boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) Functionalized Carbon Nano-Onions for High Resolution Cellular Imaging” Nanoscale 2014, 6, 13761 – 13769 (IF=7.4)
5. J. Bartelmess, M. Baldrighi, V. Nardone, E. PArisini, D. Buck, L. Echegoyen and S. Giordani* „Synthesis and characterization of far-red/NIR-fluorescent BODIPY dyes, solid-state fluorescence and application as fluorescent tags attached to carbon nano-onions“ Chem. Eur J. 2015 vol. 21, (no. 27), pp. 9727-9732 (IF=5.7)
6. M. Frasconi, R. Marotta, L.Markey, K. Flavin, V. Spampinato, G. Ceccone, L. Echegoyen, E. Scanlan and S. Giordani* “Multi-Functionalized Carbon Nano-onions as Imaging Probes for Cancer Cells” Chem. Eur J. 2015, 21 (52), 19071-19080 (IF=5.7)
7. Baldrighi, M., Locatelli, G., Desper, J., Aakeroy, C.B. and Giordani, S.* (2016). Probing Metal Ion Complexation of Ligands with Multiple Metal Binding Sites: The Case of Spiropyrans, Chem. Eur. J. 2016 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201602608 (IF=5.7)
8. M. d’Amora, J. Bartelmess, G. Sancataldo, F. Cella Zanacchi, A. Diaspro and S. Giordani* (2016) “Biocompatibility and biodistribution of functionalized carbon nano-onions (f-CNOs) in a vertebrate model” Scientific Reports, 6: 33923 (IF=5.6)
9. Ventura C., Thornton P., Giordani S., Heise A.* “Synthesis and photochemical properties of spiropyran graft and star polymers obtained by ‘click’ chemistry” Polymer Chem. 2014, 5, 6318-6324. (IF=5.5)
10. S. Giordani*, J. Bartelmess, M. Frasconi, I. Biondi, S. Cheung, M. Grossi, D. Wu, L. Echegoyen, D. F. O’Shea* “NIR Fluorescence Labelled Carbon Nano-Onions: Synthesis, Analysis and Cellular Imaging“ J. Mater. Chem. B 2014, 2, 7459 – 7463 (IF=4.7)
11. J. Bartelmess, M. Frasconi, P. Balakrishnan, A. Signorelli, L. Echegoyen, T. Pellegrino and S. Giordani* (2015) “Non-Covalent Functionalization of Carbon Nano-Onions with Pyrene-BODIPY Dyads for Biological Imaging“ RSC Advances 5, 50253- 50258 (IF=3.7)
12. M. Baldrighi, M. Trusel, R. Tonini and S. Giordani* (2016) “Carbon Nanomaterials interfacing with neurons: an in vivo perspective” Frontiers in Neuroscience, section Neural Technology. INVITED for the Research Topic “Current challenges and new avenues in neural interfacing: from nanomaterials and microfabrication state-of-the-art, to advanced control-theoretical and signal-processing principles” 10:250 doi: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00250 (IF=3.7)
13. M. Frasconi, V. Maffeis, J. Bartelmess, L. Echegoyen and S. Giordani* “Highly surface functionalized carbon nano-onions for bright light bioimaging” Methods Appl. Fluoresc. 2015, 3, 044005 (IF=3.1) HIGHLIGHT PAPER Video abstract: http://bcove.me/gtwyufp1
14. V. Spampinato, S. Giordani*, G. Ceccone* “Surface analysis of functionalized carbon based nano-onions” Biointerphases 2015, 10, 019006 (IF=2.7)
15. J. Bartelmess and S. Giordani* "Carbon Nano-onions (multi-layer fullerenes): chemistry and applications" Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1980–1998 (IF=2.3)
16. V. Marchesano, A. Ambrosone, J. Bartelmesss, F. Strisciante, A. Tino, L. Echegoyen, C. Tortiglione*, S. Giordani* “Impact of Carbon Nano-Onions on Hydra vulgaris as Model Organism for Environmental Ecotoxicology“ Nanomaterials 2015, 5(3), 1331-1350 INVITED Special Issue Advancements in Nanotoxicology (IF=2.1)
2014 National habilitation as Full Professor for the area of "Organic Chemisty“for the period starting on 23/11/2013 and ending on 23/12/2019 (Docente di prima fascia)
2014 National habilitation as Full Professor for the area of "Models and Methodologies for Chemical Sciences” for the period starting on 29/1/2014 and ending on 29/1/2020 (Docente di prima fascia)
2014 National habilitation as Full Professor for the area of " Chemical Fundamentals of Technologies” for the period starting on 17/2/2014 and ending on 17/2/2020 (Docente di prima fascia)
2014 Invited to give a “Women in Science” Masterclass, Royal Irish Academy, Dublin
2012 Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow Award, International Rotary Club
2012 Premio alla professionalita’, Rotary Club, Bergamo Ovest
2012 L’Oréal UK & Ireland Fellowship For Women in Science, L’Oréal, UNESCO & Royal Society
2012 Leonardo-UGIS award for a young researcher/communicator, Italian National Museum of Science and Technology, Italian Scientific Journalists Union, Federchimica Plastics Europe Italia
2011 Invited contributor to the “Role models for mobility of MCFA women scientists” brochure, Marie Curie Fellows Association
2010 Listed as one of the 10 rising stars, Science Foundation Ireland
2009 Biogenous Ceramics Project Award, Okayama University, Japan
2008 7th R.O.S.A. Award, First price, Canova Club Roma, Italy
2007 President of Ireland Young Researcher Award, Science Foundation Ireland
2007 Invited contributor to the “Marie Curie Success Story” brochure, Irish University Association
2006-07 Marie Curie Re-integration Grant, European Commission
2003–06 Marie Curie Fellowship, European Commission
2004 Award of Academic Merit, University of Miami, Graduate School
2001–04 Robert E. Maytag Fellowship, University of Miami, College of Art and Science
2002 Outstanding Overall Performance in Research-Academics-and Teaching Award
2002 Elected into Alpha Epsilon Lambda Graduate Honour Society
2002 Outstanding Senator Award, University of Miami, Graduate Student Association
2002 First Place Graduate Student Research and Creativity Forum, University of Miami
2001 Award of Academic Merit, University of Miami, Graduate School
2001 Achievement in Research Award, University of Miami, School of Chemistry
2001 First Publication Award, University of Miami, School of Chemistry
2001 Best GPA Award, University of Miami, School of Chemistry
1989 Best Student Award (top 5 in all high school), Banca Provinciale di Bergamo, IT
1988, 1989 Selected for the Chemistry Olympiads, Italian Chemical Society
L’Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) è una fondazione di diritto privato - cfr. determinazione Corte dei Conti 23/2015 “IIT è una fondazione da inquadrare fra gli organismi di diritto pubblico con la scelta di un modello di organizzazione di diritto privato per rispondere all’esigenza di assicurare procedure più snelle nella selezione non solo nell’ambito nazionale dei collaboratori, scienziati e ricercatori ”.
IIT è sotto la vigilanza del Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca e del Ministero dell'Economia e delle Finanze ed è stato istituito con la Legge 326/2003. La Fondazione ha l'obiettivo di promuovere l'eccellenza nella ricerca di base e in quella applicata e di favorire lo sviluppo del sistema economico nazionale. La costruzione dei laboratori iniziata nel 2006 si è conclusa nel 2009.
Lo staff complessivo di IIT conta circa 1440 persone. L’area scientifica è rappresentata da circa l’85% del personale. Il 45% dei ricercatori proviene dall’estero: di questi, il 29% è costituito da stranieri provenienti da oltre 50 Paesi e il 16% da italiani rientrati. Oggi il personale scientifico è composto da circa 60 principal investigators, circa 110 ricercatori e tecnologi di staff, circa 350 post doc, circa 500 studenti di dottorato e borsisti, circa 130 tecnici. Oltre 330 posti su 1400 creati su fondi esterni. Età media 34 anni. 41% donne / 59 % uomini.
Nel 2015 IIT ha ricevuto finanziamenti pubblici per circa 96 milioni di euro (80% del budget), conseguendo fondi esterni per 22 milioni di euro (20% budget) provenienti da 18 progetti europei, 17 finanziamenti da istituzioni nazionali e internazionali, circa 60 progetti industriali
La produzione di IIT ad oggi vanta circa 6990 pubblicazioni, oltre 130 finanziamenti Europei e 11 ERC, più di 350 domande di brevetto attive, oltre 12 start up costituite e altrettante in fase di lancio. Dal 2009 l’attività scientifica è stata ulteriormente rafforzata con la creazione di dieci centri di ricerca nel territorio nazionale (a Torino, Milano, Trento, Parma, Roma, Pisa, Napoli, Lecce, Ferrara) e internazionale (MIT ed Harvard negli USA) che, unitamente al Laboratorio Centrale di Genova, sviluppano i programmi di ricerca del piano scientifico 2015-2017.
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) is a public research institute that adopts the organizational model of a private law foundation. IIT is overseen by Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca and Ministero dell'Economia e delle Finanze (the Italian Ministries of Education, Economy and Finance). The Institute was set up according to Italian law 326/2003 with the objective of promoting excellence in basic and applied research andfostering Italy’s economic development. Construction of the Laboratories started in 2006 and finished in 2009.
IIT has an overall staff of about 1,440 people. The scientific staff covers about 85% of the total. Out of 45% of researchers coming from abroad 29% are foreigners coming from more than 50 countries and 16% are returned Italians. The scientific staff currently consists of approximately 60 Principal Investigators, 110 researchers and technologists, 350 post-docs and 500 PhD students and grant holders and 130 technicians. External funding has allowed the creation of more than 330 positions . The average age is 34 and the gender balance proportion is 41% female against 59% male.
In 2015 IIT received 96 million euros in public funding (accounting for 80% of its budget) and obtained 22 million euros in external funding (accounting for 20% of its budget). External funding comes from 18 European Projects, other 17 national and international competitive projects and approximately 60 industrial projects.
So far IIT accounts for: about 6990 publications, more than 130 European grants and 11 ERC grants, more than 350 patents or patent applications, 12 up start-ups and as many which are about to be launched. The Institute’s scientific activity has been further strengthened since 2009 with the establishment of 11 research nodes throughout Italy (Torino, Milano, Trento, Parma, Roma, Pisa, Napoli, Lecce, Ferrara) and abroad (MIT and Harvard University, USA), which, along with the Genoa-based Central Lab, implement the research programs included in the 2015-2017 Strategic Plan.
