National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN)

The National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) is Italy’s research institute dedicated to studying the elementary constituents of matter and the fundamental laws of the universe. With a community of over 7,000 people, INFN investigates the mysteries of matter and the Universe through experimental and theoretical research in subnuclear, nuclear and astroparticle physics. It also develops cutting-edge technologies with important applications in medicine, cultural heritage, the environment and for industry.

At the heart of INFN’s experimental research are its four National Laboratories, major research infrastructures based in Italy and open to the international scientific community. The Frascati National Laboratories focus on particle physics and the development of new accelerators and technologies. They hosted the world’s first particle-antiparticle collider AdA and today they are one of the main nodes of the EuPRAXIA project, with activities focused on the development of plasma acceleration and the implementation of the EuPRAXIA@SPARC_LAB infrastructure.

The Legnaro National Laboratories specialise in nuclear physics and interdisciplinary applications, with the SPES project providing a prime example of how fundamental research can go hand in hand with practical applications.
The Gran Sasso National Laboratories are the world’s largest operational underground research infrastructure dedicated to astroparticle physics. Deep beneath the Gran Sasso mountain, researchers investigate some of the Universe’s greatest mysteries, from neutrinos to dark matter.

The Southern National Laboratories focus primarily on nuclear physics and its applications, ranging from astrophysical research to medicine. They also play a key role in the development of KM3NeT, a European underwater research infrastructure for the detection of neutrinos, currently being installed deep in the Mediterranean Sea, oY the coast of Capo Passero, in Sicily.

Alongside its strong national presence, INFN has a distinctly international dimension. Much of its research is carried out through major international scientific collaborations and projects. Its facilities host and attract researchers from around the world, while INFN scientists take part in leading international experiments and research programmes in fundamental physics.

Learn more on www.infn.it/en/