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The University of Bologna, founded in 1088, values the unique potential of each individual, focusing on openness and the opportunity to express every talent. It believes in contributing to the common good and the importance of co-creating value with the community and society. With a millenary history, the Alma Mater strives for educational and scientific excellence, promoting broad relationships at the local and international levels. The academic community, composed of teaching staff, administrative staff, and students, is committed daily to addressing future challenges, valuing diversity, and promoting inclusion and equity. Its innovative teaching approach and focus on innovation aim to meet society's needs by exploring new educational methodologies to provide current and future skills.
UNIBO will lead the DARE project, coordinating Spoke 1 on the legal, ethical, and data security framework and Spoke 2 on primary prevention. It will be responsible for technological development and training to strengthen digital prevention skills. It will contribute with the AlmahealthDB platform for the analysis of sensitive data, HPC infrastructures, and laboratories for diagnosing frailty and developing wearable technologies. Additionally, it will bring expertise in data analysis and monitoring of health and lifestyles, utilizing data on motor control of developing subjects.
The University of Palermo, founded in 1806, with its over 40,000 students, is one of the 11 mega universities in Italy. In recent years, the University of Palermo has increasingly dedicated its energy to its Third Mission, enhancing and transferring knowledge for the benefit of the territory.
The University of Rome "Tor Vergata" began its teaching activities in 1982. Designed on the model of Anglo-Saxon campuses, it occupies an area of about 600 hectares. This particular extension has allowed the development of each of the six Macroareas in separate structures, built in large dedicated spaces: Economics, Law, Engineering, Humanities and Philosophy, Medicine and Surgery, Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences.
The IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna Policlinico di Sant’Orsola is a very old hospital (the first nucleus dates back to 1592) and is home to the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Bologna. With 1,076 researchers (including doctors, biologists, technicians, and healthcare professionals, 212 professional research collaborators, 1,897 publications in national and international specialized journals, and over 2,345 active clinical studies), the Policlinico di Sant’Orsola is also a Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization, and Healthcare in two research areas in which Bologna is already a reference point at a national and international level: transplantation and critical patient care, and the integrated medical and surgical management of oncological diseases.
The ASL of Bari, established in 2006 from the merger of four ASLs in the former Province of Bari, operates with entrepreneurial autonomy. It serves the area through 12 Socio-Health Districts, 5 directly managed hospitals, a classified hospital “Ente Ecclesiastico Ospedale Generale Regionale Miulli” and the IRCCS “Salvatore Maugeri” in Cassano delle Murge, in addition to accredited private facilities. It offers LEA services that include basic healthcare, pharmaceutical, outpatient specialist, residential, semi-residential, and continuous care services, including the management of the COVID-19 emergency through the U.S.C.A.
Our ASL coordinates the project's interventions through the Department of Territorial Assistance and the Department of Prevention, collaborating in Spokes 1 and 3. It will contribute to WP5 in Spoke 1 for impact analysis and policy making, and in Spoke 3 to WP3 and WP5, focusing on digital tools for cancer screening and early diagnosis, and on the integration of digital technologies and digital therapies to improve care for patients with chronic kidney disease and other chronic non-communicable diseases.
The Local Health Authority is the reference point for the health needs of residents in the Roman territory. ASL Roma 1 includes three directly managed hospitals: San Filippo Neri Hospital, Santo Spirito Hospital, and the Monospecialistic Ophthalmic Hospital - a regional reference center. Day hospitalization activities are also available at the S. Anna Women's Health Center and the Sant'Andrea facility on Via Cassia. Additionally, the Nuovo Regina Margherita facility is integrated with Santo Spirito Hospital for specific medical and surgical care pathways.
Roma 1 will play an active role in the project within Spoke 2, the Community-Based Integrated Advanced Surveillance System (ACISS). Additionally, it participates as an implementing entity in Work Packages 1 and 4, which include, among other activities, predictive models for automatic disease surveillance systems (UNIBO) and the use of digital technologies to support vaccination programs (FPG+ASL Roma 1). Roma 1 will provide the project with its Primary Health Care facilities: community health centers, outpatient clinics, and vaccination hubs.
The ISNB is an IRCCS focused on clinical and translational research in neurology, specializing in neurodegenerative diseases, movement disorders, neuromuscular disorders, sleep disorders, and epilepsy, as well as neurosurgery and neuroradiology. Born from the merger of the neurological structures of the Azienda USL of Bologna and the University Neurological Clinic, it is located at Bellaria Hospital and extends across the metropolitan area of Bologna. It manages the HUB for neurological vascular emergencies, rehabilitation of brain injuries, and coordinates adult neurological activities. It is a reference center for epilepsy surgery, pituitary and pediatric neurosurgery, and plays a key role in university teaching and continuous education in the field of neuroscience.
The Institute participates in Spoke 3 – WP4 of the project, leveraging advanced infrastructures for cellular and molecular biology. It has platforms for next-generation sequencing, capillary electrophoresis sequencing, multiplex and ultra-sensitive protein analysis technologies, mass spectrometry, and a 3T MRI scanner with a 64-channel coil.
BI-REX (Big Data Innovation and Research Excellence) is one of the 8 National Competence Centers established by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (formerly MISE) as part of the government’s Industry 4.0 plan. Our public-private consortium, founded in 2018 and based in Bologna, brings together 60 partners including universities, research centers, and leading companies, with a specialized focus on Big Data. BI-REX is the only Competence Center led by industry.
BI-REX, a founding partner of the HUB and affiliated with Spokes 1, 2, and 3, will be the Leader of WP7 in Spokes 2 and 3, handling technology transfer, research results valorization, dissemination, and startup acceleration. It will offer technological demonstrations and practical training support on I4.0 technologies in its Pilot Plant, an intelligent factory. BI-REX will also promote public engagement through matchmaking events, investor meetings, and webinars. Through CINECA and INFN, it will provide access to HPC infrastructures for data analysis, supporting research, development, and innovation in Spoke 1.
Engineering is a leader in Digital Transformation with 15,000 employees and a global presence. For over 40 years, it has been offering advanced and proprietary digital solutions through more than 70 companies in 14 countries, supporting various market sectors. Committed to innovation and R&D, it collaborates with universities and research centers, leveraging over 450 researchers. With its internal Academy, it promotes training and human capital development. Its portfolio includes proprietary solutions, managed services, and it expands through M&A and partnerships. Engineering leads technological evolution in key sectors, developing digital ecosystems for business transformation.
ENG, as an affiliated partner in Spokes 1 and 2, will focus on research in two main areas: personalized virtual coaching for patients, to support disease prevention and management based on medical recommendations and patient contexts and actions; and Explainable Clinical Decision Support, to assist healthcare professionals' decision-making processes with automated recommendations and useful information based on guidelines, standards, and knowledge obtained through machine learning techniques, providing explanations for recommendations with related scientific evidence. ENG will apply these research areas to enrich the knowledge of healthcare professionals and patients in the primary prevention phase of chronic metabolic, cardiac, oncological, and neurodegenerative diseases, using corporate products like Ellipse and previous developments, including a suite of apps for personalized coaching and the Unified Health Model (UHM) to integrate demographic data, medical records, and other relevant data, as well as a Digital Clinical Pathway framework to recommend actions based on specific clinical pathways.
Exprivia, a founding member of the Hub and affiliated with Spokes 1 and 3, specializes in the creation of digital solutions for a healthcare system capable of combining savings, effectiveness, and efficiency. Therefore, in DARE, it will provide its know-how, proprietary technologies, and products primarily to: (i) develop AI-based models aimed at addressing demand, prescription appropriateness, and the correct use of hospital resources, particularly in the emergency and inpatient settings; (ii) improve the collection and use of multidimensional data on a regional scale, using its own storage systems and clinical decision systems; (iii) support the collaboration of initiatives with regional and national systems.
The INFN is the national public research institution, overseen by the Ministry of Education, Universities, and Research (MIUR), dedicated to the study of the fundamental constituents of matter and the laws that govern them. It conducts theoretical and experimental research in the fields of subnuclear, nuclear, and astroparticle physics. INFN's research activities take place within an international competitive framework and in close collaboration with the Italian university system, based on well-established and decades-long relationships. Fundamental research in these sectors requires the use of cutting-edge technologies and research tools that INFN develops both in its own laboratories and in collaboration with the industrial sector. INFN was established on August 8, 1951, by groups from the Universities of Rome, Padua, Turin, and Milan to continue and develop the scientific tradition started in the 1930s with the theoretical and experimental nuclear physics research of Enrico Fermi and his school.
INFN manages the largest computing infrastructure in Italy, with one national center and nine medium-sized centers, connected by 100 Gbit/s networks managed by GARR. It focuses on advanced Cloud services, based on open-source, for computing, storage, HPC, and big data analysis needs, including sensitive data, ensuring security through ISO-certified centers. INFN's expertise in handling sensitive big data will be employed in Spoke 1 of the project, leading WP3 and contributing to WP2, WP4, and WP6.
The Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute (IOR) is a highly specialized hospital for assistance and research in the field of orthopedics and traumatology. In 1981, the Ministry of Health declared Rizzoli an Institute for Treatment and Research of a Scientific Nature (IRCCS), recognizing the high level of healthcare and research achieved by the institute in the orthopedic and traumatological field.
The ISTITUTO TUMORI is a public law research institute specialized in oncology, confirmed by ministerial decree in 2014. Originating from the Cancer Center of 1933, it became a specialized Oncology Hospital in 1976 and was recognized as an IRCCS in 1985. Located in the former "DOMENICO COTUGNO" Hospital in Bari, the Institute is committed to oncological research and assistance, following national and regional health objectives. It is recognized as a center of excellence for pre-clinical, translational, and clinical research, as well as for care, having obtained international accreditation as a Clinical Cancer Center from the Organization of European Cancer Institutes (OECI) in 2015, adhering to international standards of multidisciplinarity, innovation, and quality care.
In the Spoke 3, we will collaborate with Prof. Luisa Torsi in the development of tests for the early diagnosis of lesions related to infections (WP4) and in the identification of specific signatures as predictive markers for cancer using digital tools (WP3). A multidisciplinary group led by Dr. Raffaella Massafra will use AI models, such as Convolutional Neural Networks, to analyze pathological images and automatically identify tumor characteristics or lymphocytic infiltrates, supporting more personalized patient management. The institute has all the necessary facilities, including molecular biology laboratories, a biobank, GMP laboratories, and bioinformatics laboratories, in addition to administrative offices supporting scientific activities.
Maria Cecilia Hospital (MCHGVM), part of GVM Care & Research, an Italian private group engaged in healthcare, research, biomedical industry, thermal care, and business services, is one of the main centers for high specialty and complex diagnostic and interventional services in Emilia-Romagna and Italy, particularly in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. MCHGVM is experiencing significant clinical and scientific development thanks to the integration of clinical activity with a significant contribution from basic, translational, and clinical research. The organizational structure dedicated to research is governed by the Scientific Directorate, which relies on various structured support services such as a translational research center, a clinical trials unit, biostatistics and epidemiology, a grant office, the Cardiopers-Lab laboratory, and a scientific library.
MCHGVM contributes to the initiative in Spokes 2 and 3 through actions in 3 work packages. Spoke 2 (WP4): The DIPPER pilot is structured in two directions: one involves the implementation of a large-scale digitized prevention process for non-communicable diseases, providing evidence-based recommendations visible to each recruited individual on a dedicated web portal; the other involves the creation of personalized primary prevention programs supported by telemedicine systems for individuals with cardiovascular risk factors to reduce their risk and promote lifestyle changes. Spoke 3 (WP2): Coronary Radiomics. The aim of the study, in collaboration with the University of Rome Tor Vergata, is to identify digital radiomic markers of the coronary arteries in a population with a previous cerebrovascular stroke event and in a control population. Spoke 3 (WP4): The aim of the pilot study, in collaboration with the Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute and Sant’Orsola Polyclinic, is to identify predisposing factors for ulcerative risk in the feet of patients with type 2 diabetes, using a multimodal and multi-instrumental approach that integrates clinical/metabolic, biological/biochemical, and biomechanical/functional data. MCHGVM will contribute to the definition of the risk score through the search for circulating inflammatory biomarkers.
The UNICATT is an academic community that contributes to the development of studies, scientific research, and the preparation of young people for research, teaching, public and private offices, and free professions. The UNICATT fulfills these tasks through adequate higher education and education informed by the principles of Christianity, respecting the autonomy of every form of knowledge, and according to a conception of science that serves the human person and civil coexistence, in accordance with the principles of Catholic doctrine and in line with the universal nature of Catholicism and its high and specific demands for freedom as stated in Article 1 of the Statute.
UNICATT contributes to Spokes 1 and 2. As part of the activities planned for Spoke 1, the Hygiene Section of the Department of Life Sciences and Public Health is primarily engaged in identifying relevant criteria for measuring the utility and implementability of digital preventive interventions, synthesizing the obtained evidence, and identifying and creating a network of stakeholders for the co-creation of personalized digital prevention strategies.
The UKE, Kore University of Enna, is a legally recognized non-state university authorized to issue legally valid academic degrees, including Bachelor's degrees, Master's degrees, first and second-level Master's degrees, and Doctorates. The name Kore was preferred over Persephone, Proserpina, or Libera—all attributed to the same figure—because its widespread use connotes all Mediterranean civilizations, those further north and south, and those more western and eastern, thus better describing, compared to the other names of the same myth, the infinite directions of research and knowledge and the relationships between cultures.
Sempre a supporto delle attività di spoke 1, la Sezione di Igiene possiede competenze multidisciplinari in medicina, fisica, biologia, chimica, salute pubblica, ingegneria sanitaria, gestione ed economia della salute, epidemiologia e statistica, ambito legislativo, sociologico ed etico. Nell’ambito delle attività previste dallo spoke 2, il Dipartimento di Scienze Cardiovascolari e Pneumologiche ha invece l’esperienza necessaria a sviluppare ed implementare programmi di prevenzione per le malattie cardiovascolari.
The University of Bari "Aldo Moro," founded by Decree on October 9, 1924, has roots in the ancient University Schools of Pharmacy and Notary established after the Unification of Italy. It has grown significantly over time, adding the Faculties of Medicine and Surgery, Law, Economics and Commerce, Agriculture, and later Arts and Philosophy, Sciences, Engineering, Education, Veterinary Medicine, and Foreign Languages and Literatures. The University of Bari is also distinguished by its international activities and cultural cooperation agreements with universities worldwide, hosting the Consortium of Mediterranean Universities and being a founder of the Technopolis-CSATA Novus Ortus Scientific and Technological Park. In 2008, the university was named after Aldo Moro, solidifying its legacy of educational and research excellence.
The University of Bari is involved in the proposal as an affiliate of the first and third spokes. For the first spoke, UNIBA will assume the role of Co-Principal Investigator and lead WP7. Regarding the third spoke, UNIBA will lead WP4. Concerning research infrastructures that can be made available for the initiative, UNIBA has established and manages, together with INFN, the ReCaS DataCenter, a computational infrastructure for HPC and cloud computing (10K CPUs, 15 PB of storage), designed to support large-scale data mining and machine learning model training. Additionally, UNIBA has recently established the Center for Innovation in Single Molecule Digital Assay, which aims to develop technologies for molecular diagnostics through microsystems and medical devices or the creation of new high-tech platforms for early non-invasive diagnosis and personalized therapies.
The University of Padua (UNIPD), founded in 1222, is among the oldest universities in the world and boasts a solid reputation for excellence in both research and teaching. Its 32 departments cover an exceptionally wide spectrum of research areas, including humanities, social sciences, engineering, physics, technology, life sciences, medicine, and natural sciences. UNIPD currently offers over 200 study programs (93 undergraduate programs, 100 master's programs, and 10 single-cycle degree programs) with approximately 68,000 total enrolled students. There are also 40 doctoral programs with a total of 1,800 students, an excellence school, and over 60 specialization schools. UNIPD employs over 2,200 faculty members and over 2,400 technical and administrative staff and has long been positioned at the highest levels of international rankings for the quality of teaching, research, and services (in the 2024 global rank, it is ranked 219 by QS, in the 150-200 range by ARWU, and in the 201-250 range by THE).
The University of Parma is a privileged place for higher education and the advancement of knowledge, aiming to contribute to the development of society through the cultural and civil promotion of individuals and the creation of a culture based on the universal values of human rights, peace, international solidarity, and environmental protection, as stated in the University's Statute.
Researchers from DIMEC, experts in imaging diagnostics and clinical medicine, will contribute to Spoke 3 by leveraging their experience in personalized medicine. They will provide clinical data and access to advanced clinical tools. Researchers from DIA, with their technical expertise, will support Spoke 1 and offer technical assistance to medical research groups in Spoke 3, promoting innovative approaches in technological research fields. Collaboration with law departments will address the ethical and legal issues arising from AI, focusing on explainable AI (XAI) to mitigate ethical biases in AI applications. Additionally, UNIPR's research, particularly concerning computing needs, relies on a central high-performance computing (HPC) cluster developed with INFN, highlighting the commitment to enhancing research capabilities through high-performance computing, with a focus on efficiency and innovation in managing computing resources for scientific research.
UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) is one of the largest healthcare and insurance systems in the United States. It works closely with the University of Pittsburgh to develop models of healthcare and research excellence. Our facilities in Italy offer immediate access to specialized and advanced care. UPMC's mission is to contribute to the development of the healthcare system of tomorrow by promoting clinical innovation and developing new healthcare management models, thanks also to significant investments in research and training. We cultivate a new idea of patient-centered healthcare based on medical-scientific and technological innovation to inspire and promote a model of responsible, effective, and quality care.
UPMC Italy will participate in the activities of Spoke 2, specifically in Work Packages 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7.