News and Events Archivi

Plastics&Environment Conference – 1st announcement

sara.marchetti1@unimib.it Conferences, News and Events, Research 2 February 20262 February 2026conferences, events, research

The third edition of the interdisciplinary conference “Plastics and the Environment,” organized by the University of Milan-Bicocca and POLARIS Research Centre, builds on previous workshops held in Ravenna by the University of Bologna. It brings together experts to address key challenges related to environmental and socioeconomic sustainability, as well as the health implications of the “world of plastics.” Involving scientists from various disciplines, spanning chemical, biological, physical, social, and economic sciences, the conference will explore the monitoring and characterization of micro- and nanoplastics, their effects on ecosystems and human health, socio-cultural and educational strategies toward zero waste, the development of safe and sustainable materials, as well as degradation and mitigation approaches within the circular economy and the bioeconomy. The ultimate goal is to update on the cutting edge of various research fields while also promoting cross-disciplinary collaboration to better address innovation and sustainability.

Date: June 4-5, 2026

Venue: Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Aula Magna (Ed. U6), Piazza dell’Ateneo Nuovo 1.

Discover the scientific sessions and don’t miss all the useful information for participating in our conference.

PROGRAM SESSIONS

Session 1 – Innovative monitoring methods and intra- and inter-environmental compartment fate of micro and nanoplastics

Session 2 – Ecotoxicological and environmental impacts of plastics: emerging evidences and future challenges

Session 3 – Human exposure and adverse health effects of micro and nano plastics: unravelling the mysteries behind these ubiquitous threats.

Session 4 – Promoting Safe and Sustainable by Design, circularity and bioeconomy in polymers innovation

Session 5 – Climate-neutral cities and plastic. Rethinking practices, governance and politics for urban and environmental health

Organizing Committee

University of Milano-Bicocca, POLARIS Research Centre

Rossella Bengalli, Monica Bernardi, Paola Branduardi, Matteo Colleoni, Maddalena Collini, Mariaclaudia Cusumano, Maurizio Gualtieri, Alessandra Lama, Paride Mantecca, Valeria Mapelli, Riccardo Milanesi, Giulio Sancini, Giulia Terribile.

Scientific Committe

University of Milano-Bicocca: Paride Mantecca, Maurizio Gualtieri, Luca Ferrero, Francesco Saliu, Veronica Nava, Paola Branduardi, Immacolata Serra, Maddalena Collini, Giulio Sancini Monica Bernardi, Matteo Colleoni

University of Bologna: Elena Fabbri, Paola Valbonesi, Chiara Samorì, Andrea Facchin, Paola Galletti, Alessandra Landi

University of Milano: Marco Parolini, Lavinia Casati

Istituto di Ricerca Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCSS: Paolo Bigini

For info please contact us at: polaris@unimib.it

For info about registration and abstract submission please visit the website of the conference: https://eventi.unibo.it/workshop-plastiche-ambiente

MEETmeSCHOOL

sara.marchetti1@unimib.it Air quality and health, News and Events 30 January 202630 January 2026air quality, citizen adn science, MMT25, research

MEETmeSCHOOL activities, aimed at schools of all levels, aim to engage students in the scientific activities conducted by research groups. These initiatives are part of Citizen Science, an approach that promotes the direct participation of non-experts in the research process through co-design and co-creation.

Thanks to RESPIRO, POLARIS researchers will introduce Citizen Science as a research tool.

POLARIS activities within the MMS will take place in the early months of 2026 in schools in the Milan metropolitan area.

With RESPIRO, students explore the topic of air quality and its impact on our well-being, becoming protagonists in monitoring activities in school environments.

To learn more, visit the dedicated page!

MEETmeTONIGHT 2025

sara.marchetti1@unimib.it Air quality and health, News and Events 22 September 202530 January 2026air quality, citizen adn science, MMT25, research

2025 marks the 20^th anniversary of the European Researchers’ Night, the event promoted by the European Union that annually brings science to the general public, involving hundreds of cities across Europe. This year’s edition, scheduled for September 26 and 27, will see the participation of over 460 cities in 25 countries.

For the occasion, MEETmeTonight returns to Milan, two days of activities, meetings, workshops, and shows, open to everyone, hosted this year by the University of Milan, at Via Festa del Perdono 7 – in the heart of the city.

Join us for a face-to-face encounter with research and its protagonists!

Find out more about the planned activities and consult the complete program.

Heart of the program are the 5 European Missions – adaptation to climate change; fight against cancer; protection of oceans, seas, lakes and rivers; climate-neutral and intelligent cities; soil health – expressed in numerous activities involving professors, researchers and young PhDs.

Among the thematic pavilions dedicated to the 5 Horizon Europe Missions, on September 27^th there will also be researchers from the POLARIS Research Centre, with a thematic pavilion entitled “Smart Cities and Health: Discover the Air We Breathe“.

The proposed activity aims to explore the topic of air quality from different points of view. The stand includes various instruments for measuring air pollutants, from scientific-level instruments to low-cost instruments, such as ‘smart’ sensors used by the POLARIS Interdepartmental Centre within the Open-Living lab of the MUSA – Multilayered Urban Sustainability Action project, funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU, PNRR Mission 4 Component 2 Investment Line 1.5: Creation and strengthening of “innovation ecosystems”, construction of “territorial R&D leaders” (Spoke 1 – Urban Regeneration. City of Tomorrow, WP1).

From smart sensors that measure air quality to optical microscopes for close-up exploration of cells and tissues: an interactive participatory science experience to discover how pollution affects our breathing and daily well-being.

We look forward to seeing you at our pavilion!

Seminar_May 2025

sara.marchetti1@unimib.it News and Events 16 May 202519 May 2025europeanproject, nanotechnology, research

On Tuesday, May 27 2025, the POLARIS Interdepartmental Research Centre will host the seminar of Dr. Lucie Hochvaldova, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University in Olomouc (Czech Republic), entitled:

“Silver-based nanoparticles in antibacterial therapy: Synergistic effects with antibiotics and mechanisms of resistance in E. coli and S. aureus“

The seminar will be held at 11:30 in room U1-07 Marchetti of the Department of Environmental and Earth Sciences (University of Milan Bicocca).

Host: Prof. Paride Mantecca.

The event is organized by POLARIS, in collaboration with the Nanomedicine Center (NanoMiB).

The seminar is sponsored by the European project INTEGRANO – Progetto EU Horizon Europe (GA No. 101138414).

The seminar is open to students, PhD students, Postdoc, Researchers and all the interested colleagues.

Join us to monitor the air quality in Bicocca!

sara.marchetti1@unimib.it News and Events 31 January 202519 May 2025monitoring; air quality

The POLARIS Interdepartmental Research Centre is organizing, within the MUSA project, a monitoring campaign to evaluate air quality in the Bicocca district of the city of Milan.

The Project involves the use of low-cost sensors capable of estimating the concentrations of PM₁, PM₂.₅, PM₁₀, CO and CO₂ to evaluate the personal exposure of citizens within the Bicocca district and during travel to and from the University based on the environments frequented and their lifestyles.

The measurements carried out will allow to obtain a spatial and temporal representation of air pollution in the Bicocca district. Furthermore, they will also allow the study of the relationships between outdoor and indoor pollution.

Join the University monitoring network and participate in the research, we will involve you as soon as the activities start!

To join the initiative fill out the form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsu9lE55slyNDfc53BFfXGwCESJ9HpVE5gcMLaRboNwsUoBQ/viewform

For more information on the project and the activities that will be carried out in the coming months, contact Luca Pagliarulo (luca.pagliarulo@unimib.it) or Sara Marchetti (sara.marchetti1@unimib.it).

Discover Biomat Project results!

sara.marchetti1@unimib.it News and Events 15 January 202517 January 2025europeanproject, nanotechnology

BIOMAT Project UCLM led by María Luz Sánchez Silva and a consortium of 25 entities developed sustainable bio-PUR foams with nanotechnology, ready to transform construction, automotive, and furniture industries. Innovation for a greener future.

A big step towards innovation! 🚀

For the past four years, BIOMAT has been at the forefront of sustainable innovation, transforming bio-based materials into game-changing solutions for industries across Europe. This video is a heartfelt look back at BIOMAT’s journey: four years of dedication, collaboration, and remarkable achievements.

Discover all the details of the results from our BIOMAT project and see BIOMAT’s Final Results Video here!

Visit our dedicated page to learn more about the project.

Work with us – Post Doc position

sara.marchetti1@unimib.it News and Events 20 December 202417 January 2025work with us

Post-doctoral position available!

Project Title: New Integrated Methodological Approaches for the Assessment of the Safety and Environmental Sustainability of Advanced Nanostructured Materials

The procedure, based on titles and examinations, is called for the award of no. 1 Research Grant for cooperation in research activities, with a duration of 12 months, in the field of Environmental science (SDS BIO/06), for the following activities: evaluation of the toxic effects of new advanced nanomaterials using in vitro and in vivo biological models alternative to the use of mammals (zebrafish); development and application of new nanospecific characterization factors for determining the human and environmental hazard in LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) applications; implementation of quantitative methodologies in the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework for new advanced materials.

The position will be based at the University of Milano-Bicocca (Milan, Italy)

The position is well suited to a recent doctoral graduate with skills and interests in nanosafety and environmental impacts of new advanced materials, to sustain the SSbD framework.

The research is within the EU project INTEGRANO (Multidimensional Integrated Quantitative Approach to Assess Safety and Sustainability of Nanomaterials in Real Case Life Cycle Scenarios Using Nanospecific Impact Categories), HORIZON CL 4 2023 RESILIENCE 01 22 (GA n 101138414).

Supervisor: Paride Mantecca (paride.mantecca@unimib.it)

Application deadline: 12:00 on 30/1/2025.

Please visit the Calls for Application section to get more information.

Sustainability and the City – Listen to the podcast

sara.marchetti1@unimib.it News and Events 11 December 202417 January 2025environment, europeanproject, participation, susteinability, urban

To disseminate the research carried out by the researchers of the MUSA project, the podcast “Sustainability and the city” was created, which aims to create a widespread and participatory culture on sustainability in the territory.

What does the MUSA project deal with?

MUSA – Multilayered Urban Sustainability Action, finanziato dall’Unione Europea – NextGeneration EU was born as a response to the challenges that our metropolitan reality faces and will face in the transition towards environmental, economic and social sustainability.

The project involves universities, companies and local authorities.

The podcast, curated by the Open Air Lab research team of the University of Milano-Bicocca, aims to answer the following question:

What is urban sustainability? And what can be done to achieve it?

The podcast brings together the voices and ideas of a large panel of experts to discover how Milan, an urban laboratory par excellence, can become a model city in terms of livability, economic sustainability, environmental responsibility and social justice.

The first season of the podcast involves biologists, economists, physicists, sociologists, lawyers, geographers and engineers from the following universities: Università degli Studi di Milano – Bicocca, Università degli Studi di Milano, Politecnico di Milano e Università Bocconi di Milano.

The various episodes discuss biodiversity and urban greenery, but also “access to the sky” to promote scientific education, social equity and inclusion to build a more democratic future, as well as active participation by citizens, for example in the design of squares and public spaces.

In the episode “Breathing Sustainability” Paride Mantecca, associate professor of Applied Biology at the University of Milan-Bicocca and Scientific Director of the POLARIS Interdepartmental Research Centre, intervenes.

Mantecca explains how, starting from the study of human biology in its relationship with environmental factors, the quality of air in urban environments has an impact on the health and well-being of citizens. In particular, he illustrates how research aims at the transformation of urban environments and how important citizen awareness is with respect to collective health and well-being.

Listen to the podcast!

For more information about MUSA, visit the website.

XEarPro – Workshop

sara.marchetti1@unimib.it News and Events 1 October 202417 January 2025air quality, airborne dust, monitoring, research

On Wednesday 9 October 2024 from 09:30 to 16:30 at the Department of Environmental and Earth Sciences of the University of Milan Bicocca, the workshop “Nanoparticles and automatic dust monitoring: instrumental solutions and applications for air quality” organized by XEarPro Srl will be held. The event is open to all interested researchers, technicians and sector specialists.

The program includes oral presentations with specific insights on the topic, and dedicated sessions with demonstration instrumentation to address operational issues related to maintenance, management, use, calibration, QA/QC procedures for measurements.

The event is organized by XEarPro Srl, in collaboration with Centro di Ricerca Interdipartimentale POLARIS, Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Ambiente e della Terra UNIMIB, MUSA (Multilayered Urban Sustainability Action) – Progetto Next Generation EU e PNRR, INTEGRANO – Progetto EU Horizon Europe (GA No. 101138414) and GRIMM AEROSOL TECHNIK.

The workshop will take place at the Department of Environmental and Earth Sciences of the University of Milan Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano. Participation is free, upon registration (max 40-50 participants).

Check out the website for more information.

MEETmeTONIGHT 2024

sara.marchetti1@unimib.it Air quality and health, Mobility, News and Events 19 September 202426 September 2025accessibility, air quality, MMT24, mobility, research

MEETmeTonight, the event dedicated to scientific dissemination during the European Researchers’ Night, returns to Milan. This new edition includes two days of free initiatives open to all ages with stands, talks, workshops and shows.

The event is organized by 5 universities in Milan – University of Milan-Bicocca, University of Milan, Bocconi University, Polytechnic University of Milan and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University – and by formicablu. It is a unique opportunity to get closer to the world of research, science and innovation.

In this context, the POLARIS research centre will be present at the event with a thematic stand at the Science Park in Viale Sarca (near Bicocca Stadium). At the SC06 stand entitled “SMART SENS – test the quality of your environment!” the researchers will show their research activities to the public.

The public will learn how these instruments work and the main environmental monitoring techniques. Additionally, part of the experience also includes an in-depth look at the effects of these pollutants on our respiratory system.

In the afternoon, researchers from the POLARIS Centre will also be involved in the workshop entitled “What do you breathe in your neighborhood? Understanding the urban environment by walking” organized together with researchers from CEMTET (Research Center on Mobility, Tourism and Territory) which will be held in the U7 building (via Padre Gerardo Beccaro 20).

The workshop, aimed at adults and boys and girls aged 14 and up, offers a collective experience of observing the Bicocca district to explore its accessibility and inclusiveness. You can participate in this workshop in two time slots (14:00-16:30, 16:30-19:00). Sign up to attend: registration is required on Eventbrite at the link. There are 15 spots available for each time slot.

The quality of the air we breathe every day is often influenced by our lifestyle choices, which can determine the release of particles and other pollutants into the atmosphere, with a huge impact on our health.

The activity proposed by the workshop presents an interdisciplinary and interactive approach to explore the topic of air quality from different points of view. The proposal for an itinerant activity aims to collect data on the air quality of the neighborhood, also considering how different sources of pollutants in closed (indoor) and open (outdoor) environments or how mobility choices can affect personal exposure.

Check out the program for more information.

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