Ten USI projects funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation

Researchers from Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) have received funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) for ten proposals covering a diverse range of topics. These include automatic software verification, visual communication in conflict situations, the culture of young fans, and the complexity of cerebral organoids, among others.The projects encompass various disciplines at USI and are distinguished by their innovative approaches and strong academic and social relevance. In total, USI has secured about 8 million Swiss francs, underscoring the excellence and competitiveness of its scientific research.

Faculty of Economics

• Prof. Lorenz Küng Spending Responses to Fiscal Policies
  The project analyses how individuals alter their consumption in response to real or expected changes in income, for example, following fiscal transfers such as stimulus checks. The focus is on medium-high incomes, which are less influenced by liquidity constraints. The research focuses on two main aspects. First, it examines how households respond to predictable changes in net income, such as the interruption and resumption of social security contributions. The goal is to determine whether the response to an increase in income is similar to the response to a decrease in income. Second, it investigates whether consumption increases even before the actual receipt of funds, as seen with the CARES stimulus checks in the United States. The results of this research will provide valuable insights for improving the effectiveness of fiscal policies aimed at supporting the economy and families, particularly during times of crisis.

• Prof. Francesco Franzoni – What do Hedge Funds Think? Textual Analysis of Investor Letters
  Through textual analysis of communications between hedge funds and their investors, the project aims to uncover the opinions, strategies, and macroeconomic expectations of these prominent financial actors. The use of advanced artificial intelligence and Natural Language Processing tools (such as FinBERT) will make it possible to measure sentiments, identify key themes and study how managers justify performance and investment decisions. The work aims to increase transparency in a typically opaque sector, contributing to a deeper understanding of its impact on the financial system.

Faculty of Informatics

• Prof. Dr. Natasha Sharygina – Cross-theory rigorous program verification using Constrained Horn ClausesThe project aims to develop a new platform for automatic software verification based on Constrained Horn Clauses (CHC), a technique that enables logical reasoning on complex programs. By integrating technologies developed by project partners at USI and Florida State University—implemented in the award-winning Golem and FreqHorn CHC solvers—the project will create a flexible framework capable of adapting to different logical theories and application contexts. Special attention will be given to the verification of smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain. The outcome will be an open-source tool suite that can radically improve the reliability of critical software.

Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society

• Prof. Eleonora Benecchi – Swiss Fan Worlds and Social Exclusion
  The project investigates how children and adolescents (CYP) who engage in "fan worlds"—online communities centred around shared interests—perceive digital risks, develop social and emotional skills, and implement resilience strategies. The study examines online interactions in highly emotionally charged contexts through a combination of digital ethnography, interviews, and questionnaires. The goal is to equip educators and parents with useful tools that foster a deeper understanding of the risks and potential benefits of youth online communities.z
      
• Prof. Andrea Rocci – ReCOUNT – Reasons of the Others: Concession and Counterargument in Polylogues
  This project analyses online discussions about generative artificial intelligence to study the linguistic mechanisms of concession and counterargumentation in complex dialogues, often called "polylogues." By combining methods from pragmatic linguistics and argumentation theory, the research seeks to identify the styles and rhetorical structures that emerge in digital social debates. The goal is to provide new insights into how consensus is formed—or broken—within online public discourse.
   
• Prof. Marco Maggi and Dr Giuditta Cirnigliaro – 20th Century Italian Studies of Literature and Arts
  This project traces the main critical and methodological currents of Italian Studies in the 20th century, focusing on three key figures: Mario Praz, Giovanni Pozzi and Lea Ritter Santini. Through the study of their personal archives, the iconotextuality present in their works and the cultural impact of their work, the research aims to map the evolution of Italian humanities from an intermedial and comparative perspective. The initiative integrates methods from Visual Culture Studies and Digital Humanities, in collaboration with prestigious international institutions.
• Prof. Katharina Lobinger – From Pixels to Peace – The Role of Visual Communication in Conflict Transformation
  In collaboration - co-application - with the University of Basel and Karlstad University in Sweden, this project examines the role of images and visual communication in conflict transformation processes. Utilising an interdisciplinary approach that integrates media studies, peace studies, and visual analysis, the project analyses content created in contexts of social or political tension. The aim is to understand how images contribute to the development of inclusive narratives, foster empathy, and facilitate mediation between conflicting parties.

Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and affiliated institutes (Institute for Research in Biomedicine IRB and Institute of Oncology Research IOR)

• Prof. Petr Cejka (IRB) – Mechanism of DNA Double-Strand Break Repair and its Regulation
  The project investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying the repair of double-stranded DNA damage, a process crucial for genomic stability and preventing diseases such as cancer. The study uses advanced biochemical approaches to clarify how cells decide which repair pathway to activate, with important implications for personalised medicine and genetic engineering.
   
• Prof. Simone Bersini (EOC) with Prof. Arianna Baggiolini (IOR) – Enhancing Human Brain Organoid Complexity through Biofabrication of a Perfusable Vasculature
  The project is developing a new method for vascularising brain organoids – three-dimensional models of the human brain obtained from stem cells – overcoming one of the main limitations of current models. By integrating bioengineering, developmental biology and advanced technologies, the research aims to create more complex and long-lasting organoids capable of better reproducing the real dynamics of the brain. This innovative approach will allow the exploration of new aspects of neurogenesis and the in-depth study of diseases such as brain tumours and neurodegenerative disorders.
   
• Prof. Jean-Philippe Theurillat (IOR) – ERF-202: A Hidden Tumor Suppressor Isoform Linked to Prostate Cancer Progression
  The project investigates a previously unknown variant of the ERF gene, located in the mitochondria, which could play a key role in the progression of prostate cancer. In addition to providing new knowledge on the functions of gene variants, the study aims to create the Prostate Cancer Atlas (www.prostatecanceratlas.org), an online atlas of genetic variants relevant to prostate cancer, offering an innovative tool to the scientific community.