Welcome to CIMaINa
The Interdisciplinary Centre for Nanostructured Materials and Interfaces (CIMaINa) was established in 2004 at the University of Milano by a grant of the Italian Ministry of Education. This grant was awarded after an international peer review process that recognized strengths of the University of Milano in key areas of nanoscience and nanotechnology. The strategic commitment of CIMaINa is to be the hub for the integration and merging of research activities relevant for nanotechnology coming from disciplines such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Pharmacology and Medicine.
In order to realize a strong overlap among different scientific practices and approaches and to generate new paradigms in nanoscience and nanotechnology the University of Milano decided to equip the CIMaINa with dedicated laboratories and facilities in addition to already existing structures. The idea behind is to promote a more intense cooperation between scientists with different backgrounds by sharing common infrastructures.
CIMaINa merges competencies in material chemistry, solid-state physics, molecular biology and medicine, pharmacology, optical and electronic spectroscopy to develop a deep understanding of the phenomena governing the interaction between inorganic and organic surfaces at the nano- and microscale level. This fundamental knowledge is exploited for the development of novel fabrication processes, devices and systems for a variety of applications including catalysis, optoelectronics, chemical sensing, biomaterials, drug delivery, polymer therapeutics, cell biology and postgenomics.
To this aim a long-term effort is directed along five main activities:
- Seeding the formation of multidisciplinary research groups for the development of cutting-edge investigation in the field of organic and inorganic nanostructured systems.
- Developing advanced capabilities for fabrication and modification of nanostructured surface and interfaces.
- Enhancing advanced characterization methods.
- Favouring the technology transfer of synthesis and modification processes by fostering collaborations with industrial and financial partners.
- Developing new and interdisciplinary educational approaches in the field of nanotechnology to act as a school of excellence for graduate and post-graduate studies.