Three ERC Proof of Concept Grants at Politecnico di Milano for State-of-the-Art Research
Politecnico di Milano has secured three new ERC Proof of Concept grants for the PROTECT, META-SENSE, and LANTERN projects, strengthening its leading role in European research. ERC Proof of Concept awards support outstanding research initiatives aimed at valorising the results of basic research and facilitating their transfer to the market.
Alessandro Filippo Maria Pellegata
PROTECT, led by Alessandro Filippo Maria Pellegata (Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering), addresses one of the most critical areas of contemporary medicine: drug safety during pregnancy. The project develops a platform based on three-dimensional models of human foetal tissues produced via 3D bioprinting, aiming to more reliably assess drug toxicity, support better therapeutic decisions, and reduce the use of animal testing.
Margherita Maiuri
META-SENSE, coordinated by Margherita Maiuri (Department of Physics), aims to develop a compact, regenerable, label-free nanosensor for the rapid detection of a class of PFAS, synthetic chemical compounds that are highly persistent and widespread in the environment, directly in water. Based on advanced optical metasurfaces, the device will enable rapid in situ analyses in minutes, improving water quality monitoring and supporting faster decision-making for screening and environmental remediation.
Edoardo Albisetti
LANTERN, led by Edoardo Albisetti (Department of Physics), proposes an innovative nanofabrication method based on a highly focused laser beam, capable of locally modulating the functional properties of complex oxides in three dimensions. The approach opens new perspectives for the development of microchips, magnetic memories and next-generation photonic devices.