01 June 2026
Human Technopole has opened a new Call for Access to its National Facilities, offering researchers across Italy the opportunity to use advanced technologies, specialised expertise and scientific support across HT’s shared research infrastructure.
The new call follows sustained demand from the Italian life sciences community. Since the launch of the programme, Human Technopole has received 585 access applications, with 298 projects granted access following scientific evaluation. The latest round alone attracted 155 proposals, of which 59 were approved, corresponding to a 38.1% success rate.
The figures confirm the growing role of the National Facilities as a national technology pipeline for life sciences research. Through merit-based and transparent access, the Facilities support researchers in genomics, genome engineering and disease modelling, light microscopy, data handling and analysis, and structural biology, helping them tackle complex biological questions that would be difficult to address without shared infrastructure and dedicated scientific support.
Approved projects by National Facility
Since the pilot call in 2024, all five National Facilities continue to support projects from the Italian scientific community. Genomics remains the most requested Facility, followed by Structural Biology:
- Genomics: 135 approved projects, 45.3% of total approved projects
- Structural Biology: 88 approved projects, 29.5%
- Light Imaging: 32 approved projects, 10.7%
- Genome Engineering and Disease Modelling: 24 approved projects, 8.0%
- Data Handling and Analysis: 19 approved projects, 6.4%
Together, the Facilities support research through a coordinated model that goes beyond the provision of technology. Facility teams collaborate with researchers in defining experimental strategies, carrying out experiments, analysing data and developing advanced methods.
A national research community
The programme continues to attract applications from across Italy:
- North: 469 applications, 80.0% of total submitted
- Centre: 67 applications, 11.5%
- South: 49 applications, 8.5%
Universities represent the largest share of applicants, with strong participation also from clinical research institutes and public research entities:
- Universities: 399 applications, 68.2%
- IRCCS research hospitals: 146 applications, 25.0%
- Public research entities: 40 applications, 6.8%
This confirms the National Facilities’ role in strengthening dialogue and collaboration across the Italian research ecosystem, including academic, clinical and public research communities.
Supporting diverse researchers and questions
The cumulative data show balanced participation among unique applicants:
- Female PIs: 225 unique applicants, 53%
- Male PIs: 199 unique applicants, 47%
The programme also supports emerging scientific leaders, with 33.85% of proposals led by Junior PIs.
Research proposals cover many areas of life sciences and biomedical research:
- Cancer: 199 applications, 34.0%
- Cell biology: 64 applications, 10.9%
- Neurodegenerative disorders: 59 applications, 10.1%
- Human disease: 47 applications, 8.0%
- Genetic disease: 35 applications, 6.0%
- Developmental disorders: 33 applications, 5.6%
- Neuromuscular diseases: 29 applications, 5.0%
- Infectious diseases and pathogen regulation: 28 applications, 4.8%
- Cardiovascular diseases: 20 applications, 3.4%
- Plant studies: 18 applications, 3.1%
- Inflammation and inflammatory diseases: 18 applications, 3.1%
- Evolutionary animal studies: 15 applications, 2.6%
- Population and medical genomics: 10 applications, 1.7%
- Ancient DNA: 4 applications, 0.7%
- Human biology: 4 applications, 0.7%
- Other: 2 applications, 0.3%
The National Facilities are designed to help researchers ask more ambitious questions. What becomes possible when advanced technologies, specialised expertise and open collaboration are brought together in one shared infrastructure?
With this new Call for Access, Human Technopole invites researchers to explore how the National Facilities can support their next project and contribute to shaping the future of human health together.
Explore the National Facilities and submit your application here.
