Description

The Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB) of the National Research Council (CNR) has 100 staff units distributed in Naples, Catania and Turin (70 researchers / technologists) and carries out translational research for the development of new tools for prevention, diagnosis and targeted therapies.
To accomplish these objectives, researchers studying biomolecules from a structural and functional point of view collaborate with experts in preclinical imaging that study cellular and animal models of human diseases and clinical researchers carrying out experiments in humans.
Research activities include basic research, a laboratory for the preclinical imaging of small animals and clinical research areas carried out in collaboration with universities and other research institutions. The combination of design and testing expertise, both in vitro and in vivo, of new diagnostic and therapeutic agents with expertise in multiple imaging modalities (including MRI, optical imaging, PET / SPECT, ultrasound, CT) provide the interdisciplinary bases to carry out a truly innovative research in the field of molecular imaging and personalized therapy. The IBB has a consolidated experience in the research of biomarkers of various pathologies, design and synthesis of molecules able to interact with certain biomarkers and preclinical validation of the molecules developed.
In the field of computational chemistry, IBB is coordinator of the European project LightDyNAmics - ETN which includes 10 high level academic research groups, with a well-established experience in the study of photoactivated processes in macromolecular systems, and 6 companies able to translate the project results into technological innovations. The aim of the project is to enable technological developments in the use of light to understand DNA photodamage and to develop new methods of investigation for the interaction between biological macromolecules.
Another research area developed by IBB is e-Health. The activity aims to create open-source software systems, consisting of models, services and tools to support diagnosis, therapy and follow-up, as well as for the innovative management of health processes.
The two offices in Naples have a total of 78 units, 55 of which are researchers / technologists with skills ranging from basic research in the fields of structural biology, the "medicinal chemistry", the chemistry of biomolecules (especially peptide and protein), to preclinical research, diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy and bioengineering.
The Catania site of the Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB-CT), composed of 18 staff units, of which 12 are researchers, was established to respond to the need to enhance the biostructural and bioinorganic aspects and is made possible by the research group's expertise in the field of bioinorganic chemistry. The research objectives at the IBB-CT concern the development of new methodologies in the design, synthesis and structural characterization of biomimetic systems, such as peptide systems, cyclodextrin derivatives and their interaction with metal ions also for diagnostic development and new therapeutic agents.
The research projects developed by the IBB-Ct have allowed the creation of an interdisciplinary team that brings together biochemists, molecular biologists, chemists and endocrinologists who collaborate in the study of "conformational pathologies" (Alzheimer, Parkinson, ALS, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, type II diabetes).
The Turin unit of the Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging is composed of 4 staff units and is located at the Molecular Biotechnology Center of the University of Turin (CBM-UNITO). The research activity is developed in the field of molecular and cellular imaging, a strongly interdisciplinary scientific sector dedicated to the visualization and in vivo measurement of biological processes at the cellular or molecular level. Molecular imaging is an innovative scientific sector that is of strategic importance in field research. Three main research lines are developed: a) cell labeling with gadolinium-based contrast agents for MRI; b) development of methods and probes for the in vivo visualization of matrix metalloproteinases as indicators of tumor progression; c) development of MRI probes responsive to tissue redox microenvironment.
The collaboration between the IBB and the CBM-TO has played a fundamental role in promoting the first nucleus of aggregation of the Italian community of scientists and technologists involved in the development of molecular imaging.
The Institute is part of the Italian node of the European Research Infrastructure for Imaging Technologies in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (Euro-BioImaging, EuBI). The EuBI consists of a set of 29 geographically distributed Node Candidates (specialised imaging facilities) that can grant access to scientists from all European countries and beyond. Eubi provides open physical user access to a broad range of state-of-the-art imaging technologies with high-level user support by expert technical staff, image data repositories and analysis tools and advanced training for infrastructure users and providers. IBB is a significant part of the node called MMMI, centered on Multi Modal Molecular Imaging, coordinated by CBM - UNITO and in which several CNR Institutes participate in a decisive manner. In this perspective, the CBM-UNITO / CNR-IBB collaboration assumes an international value and a strategic importance both for the development of the national scientific community and as a bridge to increase the weight of Italian research institutions, including CNR, on the addressing policies of research at EU level.
The fundamental activity of the Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging consists of the following research areas:
o Design, synthesis, expression and structural characterization of molecules of biological interest, and their interactions with metal ions. Applications in the diagnostic and therapeutic field.
o Biochemical technologies and biostructures;
o Biochemical technologies aimed at diagnostic imaging;
o Image diagnostics and radiotherapy;
o Preclinical and clinical molecular imaging. New diagnostic / teragnostics agents for Molecular Imaging;
o Development of innovative technological e-health solutions, with particular attention to the issues of telemedicine and assisted diagnosis.

The IBB laboratories consist of
1) laboratories for the chemistry of proteins and peptides equipped with instruments for the synthesis of peptides and proteins with and without micro-waves, analytical and preparative HPLC systems, high resolution mass spectrometer, micro and nano HPLC, Dynamic Light Scattering, FPLC systems, FT-IR, mass spectrometer.
2) laboratories for the biophysical characterization of biomolecules with dedicated instruments, fluorometers, Circular dichroism, Microscale Thermophoresis, multi-compartment absorbance and fluorescence readers (fluorescence, polarized fluorescence, HTR-Fluorescence), instruments for label-free determination of molecular interactions, such as ITC , SPR (Biacore), Epic Corning Perkin Elmer; fluorescence microscopes, NMR (400 and 600 MHz with cryoprobe), high resolution mass spectrometer, micro and nano HPLC, X-ray diffractometer, High Throughput Screening systems and for High Throughput crystallography, Dynamic Light Scattering, FPLC systems
3) Laboratory for preclinical imaging (Micro-CT, Micro-MRI, Micro-PET / CT, Micro-US, Optical Imaging, Photoacoustic Imaging) and related post-processing of images. Facility for housing, surgical manipulation and preparation of animal models. Facility for cell cultures
4) Laboratories for clinical imaging studies (at the University Department)
5) Laboratories for e-health with particular reference to telemedicine and assisted diagnosis