The University of Milano-Bicocca has inaugurated Ergon-U19, the University’s new hub for sustainability and innovation. The building will host research laboratories dedicated to environmental monitoring, the characterisation of sustainable materials, applications of physics, and an innovative space for open and shared research.
The official opening took place on 29 September 2025, in the presence of Rector Giovanna Iannantuoni and Rector-elect Marco Orlandi (who will take office on 1 October 2025). Professors Giuseppe Gorini and Luca Beverina outlined the activities and objectives of the research laboratories.
“Today, the University of Milano-Bicocca is inaugurating a cutting-edge centre for the research of the future,” said Rector Giovanna Iannantuoni. “This hub will be innovative not only because of its technologies and instrumentation, but also for the opportunities it will offer our researchers. Here they will be able to study solutions to address some of society’s most urgent challenges, such as the environment and health, generating knowledge that benefits everyone.”
Ergon-U19 will be powered by geothermal and photovoltaic energy, significantly reducing CO₂ emissions, with a total investment of €13.3 million. Inside, the laboratories will form the beating heart of the hub, providing researchers with advanced spaces and equipment to carry out pioneering studies across different scientific fields.
GEMMA Laboratory
(Geo-Environmental Measuring and Monitoring from multiple plAtforms), coordinated by Nicola Piana Agostinetti and Alessandra Savini — professors of geophysics and physical geography at Milano-Bicocca — is a high-level scientific and technological infrastructure designed to advance environmental monitoring of terrestrial, marine and atmospheric systems. GEMMA uses state-of-the-art instruments (optical hyperspectral/multispectral drones, laser systems and fibre optic sensors) and aims to develop new observation and analysis methodologies, acting as a catalyst for scientific progress and the evolution of geo-environmental knowledge and applications.
DUNE Laboratory
Dedicated to the development of advanced techniques for detecting particles in liquid argon at cryogenic temperatures, using optical devices and silicon photosensors. DUNE (Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment) is an international particle physics project in which Milano-Bicocca plays a leading role. The laboratory is led by Francesco Terranova, professor of experimental physics.
SCALE UP Laboratory
Coordinated by Luca Beverina, professor of organic chemistry at Milano-Bicocca, this laboratory focuses on the synthesis of organic, polymeric and composite materials relevant to circular economy and energy transition technologies. Its mission is to produce materials at a pre-competitive scale, enabling evaluation in industrially relevant environments. This approach aligns with the University’s commitment to technology transfer and the themes of the MUSA ecosystem.
FAST Laboratory
This lab focuses on the development of ultra-fast particle detectors for experiments at major particle colliders — including the CERN LHC in Geneva — and their innovative applications in medical imaging. Coordinated by Marco Paganoni and Marco Pizzichemi, both professors of physics at Milano-Bicocca, the research aims to increase time resolution to distinguish overlapping proton-proton collision events in the detector. This will significantly enhance event reconstruction quality and measurement precision. When applied to medical imaging, such as PET, it will improve image sensitivity, reduce radiation doses, and pave the way for paediatric diagnostics.
GAIA Space
(Grande Ambiente per l'Integrazione di Apparati) will provide large-scale instrumentation freely accessible to all University researchers, in line with the mission of the Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR). This shared infrastructure embodies the hub’s commitment to collaborative, open and interdisciplinary research.