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Conservation of the Oceans’ Biodiversity
This project focuses on monitoring, measuring, and protecting marine ecosystems, with a special emphasis on understanding how pollutants interact with ocean life and how waste and pollution contribute to health problems in aquatic environments.
Through the development of advanced materials, smart sensors, and bioinspired technologies, the project aims to both assess and improve the health of marine organisms and ecosystems. It also investigates the presence, effects, and biological fate of micro- and nanoplastics through cutting-edge detection, modeling, and toxicity analysis techniques.
Work Packages (WPs)
WP6.1 – Improving Health for Aquatic Ecosystems (WP Leader: Marco Contardi)
The WP focuses on the development of innovative materials, sustainable sensors, and soft robotic systems to monitor and support marine life. This includes the design of new materials tailored to the needs of different marine organisms and the deployment of green technologies for underwater sensing and intervention.
The Work Package (WPs) is structured into three tasks:
- Task 6.1.1 – Materials for healthy marine ecosystems (Task Leader: Marco Contardi)
- Task 6.1.2 – Underwater sustainable sensors for detection of pathogens and pollution in the ocean (Task Leader: Marco Serra)
- Task 6.1.3 – Bioinspired soft green robotics for underwater operations (Task Leader: Barbara Mazzolai)
Explore the full list of participants here >>
WP6.2 – The Biological Fate of Micro- and Nanoplastic-Based Pollution (WP Leader: Rosalia Bertorelli)
The WP investigates the life cycle, detection, and toxicity of microand nanoplastics in marine environments. It combines fabrication, biological testing, and computational modeling to better understand the impact of plastic pollution on marine organisms and ecosystems.
The Work Package is structured into five tasks:
- Task 6.2.1 – Fabrication and characterization of micro- and nanoplastics and their interactions with pollutants and pathogens (Task Leader: Despina Fragouli)
- Task 6.2.2 – Micro- and nanoplastics detection in cells and tissues measured by different techniques (Task Leader: Despina Fragouli)
- Task 6.2.3 – Toxicity assessment of micro- and nanoplastics with advanced in-vitro tools (Task Leader: Stefania Sabella)
- Task 6.2.4 – Effects of micro- and nanoplastics on living animal models (Task Leader: Rosalia Bertorelli)
- Task 6.2.5 – Data analysis and computation for prediction and intervention (Task Leader: Sergio Decherchi)
Explore the full list of participants here >>
Contacts
Project Manager
Smart Materials