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Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi” – DIFA

Applied physics and complex systems

Research is centered on areas with strong interdisciplinarity: biology and medicine, environmental sciences, cultural heritage, accelerator physics, and mathematical physics of complex systems. Key experimental techniques include electrophysiology, microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and X-rays. Various mathematical models (deterministic, stochastic, network theory) and algorithms in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence are employed to characterize biomedical, environmental, social, and financial phenomena, and are also the subject of theoretical research.

The groups are involved in numerous research projects at both national (PRIN, private funding) and European levels (Horizon Europe COST, MSCA, RIA), tackling issues of significant social impact—such as cancer and aging genomics, epidemiology, systems biology, environmental impact of climate change and human activity, archaeometry, X-ray dosimetry, development of new detectors, and automated diagnosis algorithms.

Research is conducted in collaboration with private companies (for R&D and consulting), international research centers and universities (Brown University, Cambridge University, CNRS Marseille, ETH Zurich, EMC Rotterdam, DTU Copenhagen, CRG Barcelona, Fraunhofer branch in Ravenna), and national institutions (CNR, INFN, SISSA Trieste).

People

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Giuseppe Baldazzi

Associate Professor

keywords: Multi-Energy monochromatic beams Radiology, X and gamma radiation Detectors, X-ray Linear Absorption Coefficient,
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Enrico Balugani

Junior assistant professor (fixed-term)

keywords: Dynamic Modeling; complex systems modelling; soil physics; modelling environmental policy and economics;

Armando Bazzani

Associate Professor

keywords: Phisycs of complex systems, non linear dynamics, physics of the city, accelerator physics

Roberta Benincasa

PhD Student

keywords: ocean predictability, climate variability, nonequilibrium thermodynamics, stochastic thermodynamics, climate
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Paolo Bonifazi

Associate Professor

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Leonardo Brizi

Senior assistant professor (fixed-term)

keywords: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance; Porous Media; 1D and 2D NMR Relaxometry; Diffusometry; Cultural Heritage; Environmental
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Giovanni Canestrari

Research fellow

Teaching tutor

keywords: Non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, smooth ergodic theory, decay of correlations, transfer operators, hyperbolic
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Natale Alberto Carrassi

Associate Professor

keywords: Data Assimilation, Dynamical Systems, Machine Learning
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Maddalena Cavallo

PhD Student

Teaching tutor

keywords: Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Neuroimaging, Image processing, AI
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Nico Curti

Junior assistant professor (fixed-term)

keywords: machine learning, artificial intelligence, network, Complex System, C++, Python, Pipeline, Optimization, WSI
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Mirko Degli Esposti

Full Professor

Marco De Simone

Research fellow

keywords: Modelling, Soil physics, Biochar, Sustainable farming, Soil Carbon Sequestration
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Francesco Durazzi

Junior assistant professor (fixed-term)

keywords: complex networks, data analysis, social networks, natural language processing, machine learning
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Tommaso Giacometti

PhD Student

Teaching tutor

keywords: Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Neural ODE, CNF, Flow Matching, Generative Models, Biomedical Data
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Carlo Golini

PhD Student

Teaching tutor

keywords: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Low-field NMR, NMR relaxometry, Biomedicine, Cultural Heritage
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Antonio Grimaldi

PhD Student

keywords: theoretical biophysics, hydrogen exchange
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Roberta Guerra

Assistant professor

keywords: coastal ocean, ocean pollution, sediment biogeochemistry, carbon cycle in continental margins, ocean acidification and
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Nico Lanconelli

Associate Professor

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Marco Lenci

Full Professor

keywords: dynamical systems, ergodic theory, infinite-measure dynamics, billiards, stochastic processes, random walks, anomalous
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Diego Marazza

Fixed-term Researcher in Tenure Track L. 79/2022

keywords: system dynamics, Sustainability reporting and assessment, System Analysis, Environmental Management, LCA, land use

Alessandra Merlotti

Junior assistant professor (fixed-term)

keywords: Network theory, DNA structure, Hi-C data, Metagenomics, Oncohematological diseases
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Maria Pia Morigi

Associate Professor

keywords: Digital radiography, High energy electron beam dosimetry, X-ray Computed Tomography, Multispectral imaging, Cultural
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Maddalena Morini

PhD Student

keywords: Activated Carbon, Second-Generation carbons, Biomasses circularity, Water treatment, Phytoremediation, Adsorption
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Simone Pesce

PhD Student

keywords: Soil Physics, Sustainable agriculture, Mechanisms of soil organic mattater protection
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Elisabetta Pigni

PhD Student

keywords: Life cycle assessment, Consequential life cycle assessment, Innovative technologies, Input-output analsysis

Mattia Radice

Research fellow

keywords: Statistical Physics, Fluctuation Theory, Stochastic Processes, Extreme Value Theory
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Daniel Remondini

Full Professor

keywords: Network Theory, Data Analysis, Systems Biology, Bioinformatics, Stochastic modelling, Biophysics, Artificial
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Serena Righi

Associate Professor

keywords: Environmental Impact Assessment, Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental radioactivity, Air pollution, Environmental
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Claudia Paz Sanchez Alvarez

Research fellow

keywords: geophysics, volcanos, glaciers, complex fluids
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Bidesh Sengupta

Research fellow

Teaching tutor

keywords: Fluid dynamics, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Large Eddy Simulation, Aerodynamics
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Mariachiara Stellato

PhD Student

Teaching tutor

keywords: microscopy, image analysis, spheroids, radiomics
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Claudia Testa

Associate Professor

keywords: Artificial Intelligence for image analysis, Image-based diagnostic techniques, Neuroimaging, Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Guojun Xu

PhD Student

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Roberto Zarrella

Research fellow

keywords: FOOT, Nuclear fragmentation, Data analysis