Three IRT research projects funded by SNSF and ESA
IRT group picture
Institute for Translational Research USI-EOC
IRT research groups have recently secured funding for three projects, including two grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) under its April 2026 call and one project funded by the European Space Agency (ESA). The total support awarded to IRT amounts to nearly CHF 2 million.
The two projects selected by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) are:
- Dr. Claudia Altomare – Cardiology Division: Macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles as mediators of inflammatory electrical remodeling in atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, and inflammation appears to play a significant role in its development. This project is investigating a possible new mechanism of communication between immune cells and the heart: extracellular vesicles released by inflammatory macrophages. The aim is to understand whether these tiny particles can alter the electrical activity of heart cells and contribute to arrhythmias. The results could identify new therapeutic targets and biomarkers for a more targeted management of atrial fibrillation.
- Prof. Giorgia Melli – Neuroscience Division: A Multimodal Platform for Peripheral α-Synuclein and Tau Fibril Profiling for the Diagnosis and Monitoring of neurodegenerative Diseases. This project aims to study the ‘molecular signatures’ of abnormal proteins involved in Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders through a simple, non-invasive skin sample. The results of these analyses, as well as improving the diagnosis and monitoring of the disease in affected individuals, could lead to the discovery of new biological mechanisms and potential targets for future, more targeted and personalised therapies.
The project that has received funding from the European Space Agency (ESA) is:
- Prof. Matteo Moretti – Regenerative Medicine Division: A 3D in vitro drug screening platform in space for bone metastasis. Environmental conditions in space, such as microgravity and cosmic radiation, accelerate the deterioration of bone tissue, creating a microenvironment more prone to the dissemination of bone metastases. To study this phenomenon, this project will develop an advanced automated system for the in vitro cultivation of 3D bone models, which will be installed on board the International Space Station (ISS) during the forthcoming mission of the Swiss ESA astronaut Marco Sieber. Exploiting these 3D models, we will both analyse the mechanisms of bone degradation in space, a phenomenon similar to what occurs in conditions such as osteoporosis, as well as understand how changes in bone tissue also influence the behaviour of cancer cells. Finally, through a collaboration with Roche the project will test the potential efficacy of innovative drugs in slowing down tumour progression.
