Ma, Xiao, Vanneste, Steffen, Chang, Jiyang, Ambrosino, Luca, Barry, Kerrie, Bayer, Till, Bobrov, Alexander A., Boston, LoriBeth, Campbell, Justin E., Chen, Hengchi, Chiusano, Maria Luisa, Dattolo, Emanuela, Grimwood, Jane, He, Guifen, Jenkins, Jerry, Khachaturyan, Marina, Marín-Guirao, Lázaro, Mesterházy, Attila, Muhd, Danish-Daniel, Pazzaglia, Jessica, Plott, Chris, Rajasekar, Shanmugam, Rombauts, Stephane, Ruocco, Miriam, Scott, Alison, Tan, Min Pau, Van de Velde, Jozefien, Vanholme, Bartel, Webber, Jenell, Wong, Li Lian, Yan, Mi, Sung, Yeong Yik, Novikova, Polina, Schmutz, Jeremy, Reusch, Thorsten B. H., Procaccini, Gabriele, Olsen, Jeanine L. and Van de Peer, Yves (2024). Seagrass genomes reveal ancient polyploidy and adaptations to the marine environment. Nature Plants 10, 240-255. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-023-01608-5

Barrenechea Angeles, I., M. L. Romero-Martínez, M. Cavaliere, S. Varrella, F. Francescangeli, R. Piredda, M. G. Mazzocchi, M. Montresor, A. Schirone, I. Delbono, F. Margiotta, C. Corinaldesi, S. Chiavarini, M. R. Montereali, J. Rimauro, L. Parrella, L. Musco, A. Dell'Anno, M. Tangherlini, J. Pawlowski and F. Frontalini (2023). "Encapsulated in sediments: eDNA deciphers the ecosystem history of one of the most polluted European marine sites." Environment International 172: 107738. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.107738

Bommarito, C., Díaz-Morales, D.M., Guy-Haim, T., Noè, S., Delasalle, J., Buchholz, B., Khosravi, M., Rilov, G., Sures, B., and Wahl, M. (2023). Warming and parasitism impair the performance of Baltic native and invasive macroalgae and their associated fauna. Limnology and Oceanography 68, 1852-1864. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.12390

Bonanomi, S., Annibale, O., Lucchetti, A., & Bottaro, M. (2023). Extinct but not entirely: A new occurrence of the critically endangered Squatina squatina (Linnaeus, 1758) stresses the urgency of its conservation in the Adriatic sea. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 287, 108344.

Bottaro, M., Sinopoli, M., Bertocci, I., Follesa, M. C., Cau, A., Consalvo, I., ... & Danovaro, R. (2023). Jaws from the deep: biological and ecological insights on the kitefin shark Dalatias licha from the Mediterranean Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science, 10.

Consales, G., Bottaro, M., Mancusi, C., Neri, A., Sartor, P., Voliani, A., ... & Marsili, L. (2023). Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in three bathyal chondrichthyes from the North-Western Mediterranean Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 196, 115647.

Costa, V., Sciutteri, V., Consoli, P., Manea, E., Menini, E., Andaloro, F., Romeo, T., and Danovaro, R. (2023). Volcanic-associated ecosystems of the Mediterranean Sea: a systematic map and an interactive tool to support their conservation. PeerJ 11, e15162. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15162

Díaz-Morales, D.M., Bommarito, C., Knol, J., Grabner, D.S., Noè, S., Rilov, G., Wahl, M., Guy-Haim, T., and Sures, B. (2023). Parasitism enhances gastropod feeding on invasive and native algae while altering essential energy reserves for organismal homeostasis upon warming. Science of The Total Environment 863, 160727. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160727

Fioravanti, T., Maio, N., Psomadakis, P. N., Manzotti, S., Gigante, A. P., Splendiani, A., Bottaro, M., ... & Barucchi, V. C. (2023). The sawfish (Rhinopristiformes, Pristidae) rostrum displayed in the “Basilica Santuario del Carmine Maggiore” in Naples, Italy: A long story of legends and taxonomic errors. Contributions to Zoology, 1(aop), 1-20.

Gallo, S., Nania, G., Caruso, V., Zicarelli, G., Leonetti, F. L., Giglio, G., Bottaro, M., ... & Sperone, E. (2023). Bioaccumulation of Trace Elements in the Muscle of the Blackmouth Catshark Galeus melastomus from Mediterranean Waters. Biology, 12(7), 951.

Motta, G., Caffara, M., Fioravanti, M. L., Bottaro, M., Avian, M., Terlizzi, A., & Tedesco, P. (2023). Parasitic infection in the scyphozoan Rhizostoma pulmo (Macri, 1778). Scientific Reports, 13(1), 5549.

Pfister, C.A., Cardini, U., Mirasole, A., Montilla, L.M., Veseli, I., Gattuso, J.-P., and Teixido, N. (2023). Microbial associates of an endemic Mediterranean seagrass enhance the access of the host and the surrounding seawater to inorganic nitrogen under ocean acidification. Scientific Reports 13, 19996. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-47126-4

Russo, M. T., A. Santin, A. Zuccarotto, S. Leone, A. Palumbo, M. I. Ferrante and I. Castellano (2023). "The first genetic engineered system for ovothiol biosynthesis in diatoms reveals a mitochondrial localization for the sulfoxide synthase OvoA." Open Biology 13(2): 220309. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.220309

Savin, A.; Sini, M.; Xynogala, I.; Lioupa, V.; Vougioukalou, K.; Stamatis, K.; Noè, S.; Ragkousis, M.; Gerovasileiou, V.; Dailianis, T.; Katsanevakis, S. (2023). Assessment of Macroalgal Communities on Shallow Rocky Reefs in the Aegean Sea Indicates an Impoverished Ecological Status. Medit. Mar. Sci. 24, 241-258. https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.31034

Sinopoli, M., Badalamenti, F., Bottaro, M., & D’Anna, G. (2023). The Role of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) in Juvenile Fish Dispersal along the North-Western Coast of Sicily. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 11(4), 746.

Somma E, Terlizzi A, Costantini M, Madeira M, Zupo V. (2023) Global Changes Alter the Successions of Early Colonizers of Benthic Surfaces. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 11: 1232. https://doi:10.3390/jmse11061232

D’Aniello E, Amodeo P, Vitale RM. (2023) Marine Natural and Nature-Inspired Compounds Targeting Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptors (PPARs). Marine Drugs, 21(2):89. https://doi.org/10.3390/md21020089

Gafranek, J.T., D’Aniello, E., Ravisankar, P., Thakkar, K., Vagnozzi, R.J., Lim, H.-W., Salomonis, N., and Waxman, J.S. (2023). Sinus venosus adaptation models prolonged cardiovascular disease and reveals insights into evolutionary transitions of the vertebrate heart. Nature Communications 14, 5509. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41184-y

Russo, M. T., A. Santin, A. Zuccarotto, S. Leone, A. Palumbo, M. I. Ferrante and I. Castellano (2023). "The first genetic engineered system for ovothiol biosynthesis in diatoms reveals a mitochondrial localization for the sulfoxide synthase OvoA." Open Biology 13(2): 220309. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.220309

The Stazione Zoologica, through its Grant and Innovation Office, promotes the use, commercial development and exploitation of industrial property rights resulting from research results. It holds several industrial property rights, of which the patent portfolio is structured with titles (exclusively owned or jointly owned with other internationally prestigious research institutions) that are also European and international in scope.

A patent is a title by which the owner has a temporary monopoly of exploitation of the protected invention and prevents others from producing, selling or using the invention without authorisation. In order to be patented, an invention must, however, meet at least 3 basic requirements:

-  Novelty

-  Originality

-  Industrial applicability

SZN has an Industrial Property Regulation implementing the changes introduced by Law No. 102 of July 24, 2023 "Amendments to the Industrial Property Code, referred to in Legislative Decree No. 30 of February 10, 2005" available at the following link: REGULATION

The list of documents on the topics of Protection and Exploitation of Research Results and the templates to be filled out to file a new patent application is in the following:

01. Patent filing request form
02. Disclosure of invention
03. Non Disclosure Agreement - NDA
04. Material and Data Transfer Agreement - MTDA
05. Agreement of joint ownership of Patent

All mentioned documents are available, in Italian and English version, at the following link: FORMS

Below are the Zoological Station's currently filed patents:

• Light system for aquatic photosynthetic organisms (Acronyms LIGHT SYSTEM)

The patented invention consists of a modulable RGB LED lighting system for aquatic photosynthetic organisms, capable of reproducing any natural light in aquatic ecosystems, accelerating and increasing the production of algal biomass and the molecules that can be extracted from it.

• Processes and compositions for the production of astaxanthin from marine organisms (Acronyms ASTAXANTINA)

The patented invention consists of a breeding method and a specific feed composition to maximise the production of natural Astaxanthin from sea urchins, to be used as a nutraceutical.

• Automated apparatus and method for cultures of organisms in an aquatic environment (Acronyms AUTOMATED APPARATUS)

The invention consists of a computerised automated system of apparatuses capable of reducing the cost of rearing aquatic invertebrates and a corresponding process for growing cultures of organisms in an aquatic environment.

• Temperature profiling device and related monitoring system (Acronyms SOPHIA)

The invention consists of a small device with autonomous operation capable of remotely measuring the temperature profile of the hydrogeological mantle thickness in all those areas where there is a need for multi-sensor profile detection in ice, snow and/or water, at high frequency, in adverse geological situations and at different depths.

• Process for the production of pearl from edible bivalvia and gastropoda (Acronyms PERLS)

The invention consists of a grafting technique to induce pearl production in edible bivalves, with zero mortality rates of the animal and zero rejection rates of the grafted nucleus.

• Method and kit to predict cell death in response to biotic and/or abiotic stimuli (Acronyms CELL FATE)

The invention, based on the analysis of gene expression and the processing of the data obtained and their use in laboratory and clinical research, consists of an in vitro and ex vivo method that can monitor and predict cell response under many experimental conditions.

• Device for supporting, growing and replanting aquatic plants from seeds (Acronyms PLANTSEEDS)

The invention consists of a technique for the reforestation of seagrass meadows, specifically seagrass beds of Posidonia oceanica, compromised by anthropogenic impacts.

• Ovothiols for the treatment of chronic low-grade systemic inflammation (CLGSI) and related diseases (Acronyms CLGSI)

The invention concerns the use of Ovothiols which have a protective effect on endothelial cultures obtained from umbilical cords of women suffering from gestational diabetes.

• 5-thiohistidine compounds and methylated derivatives (ovothiols) as inhibitors of gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT) activity (Acronyms GGT)

The invention concerns the use of natural molecules of marine origin as inhibitors of the activity of the enzyme GGT, the cause of the kidney, liver and lung diseases.

• Diatom-based genetic engineering system methodology for the eco-sustainable production of ovothiols (Acronyms GEO)

The invention consists of an environmentally sustainable protocol that uses the genetic engineering of the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum to stimulate the production of methylated 5-thiohistidines - and in particular Ovothiol B, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants. The use of P. tricornutum cultures accomplishes high productivity and allows easy scale-up of upstream and downstream processes.