A spinal cord injury (SCI) has consistent social costs, due to dramatic and disabling consequences and a high incidence on the youngest and most productive population, which can hardly be alleviated by the very few and controversial therapeutic treatments. In a recent case report, epidural electrostimulation combined with an intense training enabled some highly variable conscious motor control of legs in four motor complete spinal cord injured volunteers. The aim of understanding the mechanisms behind these improvements can help define more effective pharmacological and electrical stimulating protocols with breakthrough technology to restore functions after a SCI. Experiments will be performed on adult rats, with an experimental SCI closer to human chronic lesions, on which I will apply the novel enabling protocol with epidural electrostimulation associated with an intense motor training. Outcome will be evaluated with innovative combinations of electromyographic and kinematic assessments of locomotion and standing posture, in vivo terminal intracellular recordings from lumbar motoneurons and histological examination of spared axons across the lesion. Then, I will employ carbon nanotubes to devise nanostructured innovative stimulation arrays for a more specific and focussed epidural stimulation to enhance recovery. The unique experience of Prof. Edgerton and Prof. Ballerini will allow me to acquire new skills on both preclinical SCI models and assessments and nanotechnologies, to increase my international collaborations, support my research through greater funds and a new in vivo research line, with the aims of obtaining a professorship and a greater visibility in the field. The project is deemed to advance and diffuse scientific knowledge and further sustain European competitiveness, through two patents on discoveries with a great commercial impact and possible clinical applications to reduce healthcare expenses.

In this project, I will perform computer simulations and develop new computational methods to elucidate viral functions and RNA. The first two years will take place in the group of Prof Voth in Chicago. Here, I will characterize and quantitatively describe proteolytic cleavage of the CA/SP1 subdomain of the Gag-protein in HIV using quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) Molecular Dynamics simulations (MD). Furthermore, I will employ free energy techniques to simulate binding and unbinding of the protease to CA/SP1 to determine the binding and configurational free energies. These processes are essential for HIV maturation and hence also targeted by drugs. Subsequently, I will parameterize Coarse-grained models for the Protease/CA/SP1 system and develop a Coarse-grained Green's Function Reaction Dynamics method. This method combines the Coarse-grained description with the mesoscopic scale, and hence allows me to simulate structural assembly of the virus capsid coupled to proteolytic cleavage at physiological conditions. This coherent computational approach targets biomolecular processes of outmost relevance, and will greatly advance our understanding, but likewise also push the boundaries of molecular simulations due to the methodological innovations. The third year will be spent in Trieste, in the group of Prof Bussi. In this period, I will develop a hybrid all-atom molecular mechanics / Coarse-grained (MM/CG) model for RNA. It facilitates the simulation of RNA fragments at atomistic resolution while capturing long-range allosteric interactions due to the Coarse-grained representation of the surrounding. This will set a new standard to simulate RNA macromolecules and offers a wide range of application.

Symmetry and entanglement stand as two foundational concepts in modern quantum physics that have revolutionised our understanding of quantum many-body systems. Their interplay is becoming a central theme in contemporary quantum research, influencing a broad spectrum of fields including quantum information, condensed matter theory, and high-energy physics. The MOSE project sets out to develop new theoretical frameworks to explore how entanglement and symmetries interact with each other. We will investigate various scenarios, such as the restoration of symmetries in monitored quantum circuits, the entanglement properties of supersymmetric spin chains, and the dynamics of gauge symmetries in lattice gauge theories. Our approach incorporates advanced theoretical frameworks like generalised hydrodynamics and space-time duality. We also delve into entanglement asymmetry in black hole evaporation, providing fresh perspectives on the black hole information paradox. Additionally, the project will explore the quantum and classical Mpemba effect through symmetry restoration, aiming to uncover new connections between quantum and classical dynamics. The overarching theme throughout this proposal is the monitoring of symmetries through the lens of entanglement. Finally, we will leverage the randomised measurement toolbox to examine the experimental implications of all our findings. This process will involve designing new experiments and collaborating with leading experimental groups to validate some of our theoretical predictions. This interdisciplinary effort promises to deepen our understanding of fundamental quantum phenomena and their implications for future quantum devices.