Research Infrastructures

IRCCS ISMETT has chosen to build its growth on the convergence of clinical care and research, investing in infrastructures and methodologies that enable a true “from bed to bench and back” approach.

The Research Infrastructure (RI) of our Institute has been identified as one of the three strategic Research Infrastructures in the Sicily Region and has been proposed for inclusion in the National Research Infrastructure Program (PNIR) of the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR).

Below are the main infrastructures and technological systems available at IRCCS ISMETT:

Operational since 2021, it is the only facility in Sicily authorized by the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) to conduct Phase I studies involving healthy volunteers and patients.

• Located at Istituto Sperimentale Zootecnico per la Sicilia (with porcine and ovine liver and lung transplantation models).
• Enhanced with advanced imaging technologies, animal housing facilities, and cellular and molecular biology laboratories.
• Part of the ISPEMI project, aimed at establishing an Institute for Preclinical Research and Molecular Imaging.

The Structural Biology Laboratory for research on neurodegenerative, oncological and infectious diseases, is equipped with a 800 MHz NMR spectrometer. This device, allows to perform structural characterization of pathological targets, study their metabolic pathways, and provide key information to develop new drugs.

The Molecular Medicine laboratories are equipped with latest generation molecular biology devices (Next Generation Sequencing, Single-Cell Sequencing, Digital PCR, etc.), that allow sequencing single cells and the entire genome, or quantifying and characterizing nucleic acids and nanoparticles more accurately.

The Immunotherapy and Regenerative Medicine research laboratories is equipped with a single cell sorter and a mass cytometer to separate specific cell populations and perform single-cell proteomics providing simultaneous information on the phenotype and cell function.

The Vaccine Development and Experimental Microbiology research laboratory is equipped with incubators dedicated to growing bacteria and yeasts, a microcentrifuge, and an ultracentrifuge.

The Virology and Immunology research laboratories have been equipped with equipment for handling viruses (Biosafety Level 2 – BLS2), and for isolation and maintenance of primary cell cultures from different tissues and biological fluids.

The GMP Facility labs dedicated to production and control of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), underwent a substantial restructuring that rationalized the facilities making them more versatile, hence allowing for the concurrent production of multiple products, maximizing the monitoring of activities and locations.

A sensor technology laboratory was created to collect data from structured sensors in the context of wearable devices or mobiles that can communicate directly with analytics platforms for point-of-care monitoring or diagnostic purposes.

A 3D printing laboratory was created with the aim of developing models from data imaging to help clinicians plan interventions, surgical access, and maneuvers with the purpose of avoiding complications.

The laboratory dedicated to radiology, interventional radiology and endoscopy, cardiology, and pathology, has been enhanced with of a new multi-slice CT scan, an echo-color doppler, a portable digital radiography system, a coronary flow meter, and a digital system for pediatric endoscopy.

The Big Data laboratory has been enhanced for the collection, integration, and management of heterogeneous data (clinical, pre-clinical, experimental, bioinformatics, homic, epidemiological, and environmental) to develop new knowledge in the field of precision medicine and to support research activities and clinical decisions.

The Neuroscience lab is already equipped with state-of-the-art facilities (rehabilitation gym) and devices (3T MRI, TMS ECG, etc.), and will benefit from consults for research on neurodegenerative diseases with cognitive disorders.