ACT4TECH

Certo. Ho mantenuto un registro istituzionale e tecnico-scientifico, coerente con la traduzione precedente e adatto a una proposta progettuale.

In recent years, medical progress has accelerated significantly thanks to the integration of advanced diagnostics and personalised medicine, two fields that currently represent the pillars of a new paradigm – the so-called “4P Medicine”. At the heart of this transformation lies the principle that each individual has a unique profile, determined by genetic, biological and environmental factors, making the adoption of individualised diagnostic and therapeutic approaches essential. In this context, there is an increasing need to develop and implement high-resolution diagnostic methodologies capable of operating at the molecular and cellular levels, supported by continuously evolving emerging technologies such as genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and artificial intelligence applied to bioinformatics. Attention is progressively shifting towards early diagnosis and the definition of personalised therapeutic strategies, particularly in relation to diseases characterised by high biological complexity, which often present distinctive molecular markers and require a tailored clinical approach based on molecular evidence and omics data.

In Italy, and particularly in the Less Developed Regions of Southern Italy, there is a high level of scientific, technological and infrastructural expertise in the fields of genomics, cell biology and bioinformatics. These areas represent strategic assets for the development of innovative healthcare solutions. However, these resources are often poorly integrated, unevenly distributed across the territory and underutilised due to the lack of coordinated access and common strategies for the development and growth of technological platforms. In light of this, it is a priority to initiate a structured process for integrating and valorising these centres of excellence, with the aim of reducing the fragmentation of the technological and infrastructural assets already available in Southern Italy and contributing to reducing territorial disparities and fostering the sustainable and inclusive development of the national research and innovation system in support of diagnostics.

Through the creation of a technological innovation hub across the Less Developed Regions of Southern Italy, ACT4TECH aims to implement a structured process for integrating and strengthening the technical, scientific and infrastructural capabilities of 13 public and private research institutions, involving 17 Operational Units. This will be achieved through:

• the creation of a network of modern and shared infrastructures, multidisciplinary expertise and interoperable platforms capable of managing, analysing and interpreting large volumes of complex biological data;
• the enhancement of existing infrastructures at the participating Operational Units;
• the creation of a portfolio of high-technology services in the field of molecular and cellular diagnostics;
• the valorisation of the human capital operating within the 17 Operational Units involved in the ACT4TECH project.

The ACT4TECH project is structured into three Work Packages (WPs):

• WP1 – ACT4TECH-CODIP comprises activities for the coordination and promotion of the  Technological Innovation Hub that the INF-ACT Foundation, lead organisation of the ACT4 projects, intends to implement in order to ensure the achievement of the project’s objectives and targets.

• WP2 – ACT4TECH-OMICS will address the challenge of multi-omics data integration, providing the ACT4TECH Technological Innovation Hub with standardised, interoperable and clinically applicable tools. The objective is to promote the adoption of 4P medicine models. The implementation of the activities proposed under WP2 will enable: (i) the enhancement of physical and digital infrastructures through the upgrading of cutting-edge technologies for genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics, integrated with high-performance management and storage systems (HPC, hybrid cloud and distributed architectures); (ii) the structuring of the ACT4TECH omics and bioinformatics service offering, with the aim of generating economic, social and scientific impact across the territory; and (iii) contributing to an increase in interactions, collaborations and scientific critical mass at both territorial and national levels, for example through the establishment of an interconnected omics network, with particular attention to the consolidation of biobanks and local clinical networks, the promotion of technology transfer to healthcare organisations and biotech SMEs, the development of collaborative projects at national and European level, and the implementation of technical training and professional development initiatives.

• WP3 – ACT4TECH-CELLTECH aims to establish a coordinated system and strengthen technological platforms for advanced cellular diagnostics applied to communicable and non-communicable diseases, fully aligned with the principles of 4P medicine. WP3 aims to integrate into the Technological Innovation Hub infrastructures capable of supporting the entire innovation pathway, from molecular design to production, from nanoscale characterisation to preclinical model validation and ultimately to testing in real-world clinical settings. The activities aim to address the growing demand, at both national and international levels, for innovative, highly integrated and miniaturised diagnostic devices.

ACT4TECH aims to generate a systemic impact on the R&I and healthcare sectors through the creation of a distributed technological innovation hub for advanced molecular diagnostics.

Implemented with the contribution of the European Union under the National Research, Innovation and Competitiveness Programme for the Green and Digital Transition 2021–2027 (PN RIC 21–27), Call for Proposals DD 307 of 18 March 2025, Action 1.1.3b – Support for the validation and networking of forms of aggregation that foster cross-fertilisation among actors within the research system.