mission

Research

The Centre’s research activities are meant to improve the knowledge of human locomotor system’s structure and functioning, and to implement effective digital tools and technologies, to be used in arts, skills, and professions.

A multi-scale, integrated measurement and modelling system will be used: the system should be able to identify all physical subjects and medical factors involved in case of injury, and during the degeneration, repairing and regeneration processes, together with adaptive mechanisms both in healthy and disabling conditions. Innovation emerges from the development of a new understanding of how and why human beings move, not only as a species but also as a single individual. This provides a conceptual framework that is both scientifically sound and professionally relevant. Efforts are made to translate research results into cost-effective personalized services, to preserve and enhance motor functioning, in an e-Health context.

Basic research concentrates on molecules, cells, tissues, organs, and the whole body. Particular emphasis is placed on the locomotor system and other apparatuses, which, along with genetic and environmental factors, contribute to, and are influenced by, human movement. Applied research interests focus on the metabolic, control, and mechanical features of both individual and group motor performances. Within this framework, specific objectives include: maximizing performance and personal safety and comfort; identifying causes and origins of damage to body structures, and preventing their occurrence; assessing the organ functions, and identifying those factors which may reduce the individual’s performance. In addition, the Centre aims at setting a basic level of knowledge which allows education and therapeutical intervention through movement and sport practices, to enhance or recover motor ability. These specific research objectives are pursued taking into account different populations as defined in terms of gender, age, initial motor abilities, health status and risk factors. The Centre shall foster rigorous observation and deep quantitative analysis of all neuromusculoskeletal factors during the execution of everyday, sport and rehabilitation activities.

Education

The Centre organizes research-oriented educational courses, professional training programs, workshops and summer schools. The Centre may also offer specialization courses and a post-graduate doctoral program, which can either be autonomously organized or in cooperation with other institutions. All programs are organized in accordance with the Italian laws and partner universities’ Statutes and regulations. Moreover, the Centre promotes and organises activities for the education of early stage researchers operating in its field of interest. Doctoral candidates and early stage researchers are trained to become independent researchers capable of working in cooperation with international research groups and of dealing with the processes occurring in the human body at different and integrated spatial and temporal scales. In particular, the “Virtual Physiological Human” (VPH) framework is adopted.

Dissemination

• Website. General information; publication of an annual activity report; a digital catalogue of the experimental facilities and expertise that members offer to the wider community; a repository for reports and scientific products, funded projects, patents, data and software codes.
• Concertation. Multicentre trials to evaluate novel procedures; semantic and metrics consensus actions; liaison with industry aimed at fostering the availability of both reliable and cost-sustainable innovative technology; adoption of novel procedures in professional practices and assessment of related cost-benefits; mobility of early-career researchers for knowledge alignment and capacity building (including entrepreneurial mind-setting); organization of periodical training schools/workshops to spread best practice and factual up-to-date evidence, and broaden engagement of stakeholders; consortia aimed at fund raising
• Publications. Production of survey articles and books for knowledge systematization.
• Outreach. Participation in: i) scientific meetings and exhibitions aimed at disseminating R&D objectives and Centre achievements, and at constructing new vision for enhancing trans-domain and translational research; ii) initiatives aimed at fostering policy makers awareness.