Spoke operates in the frame of the international network established along the years by INFN; spoke-aims will be carried out in close synergy with the two affiliated partners UNICT and UNIPA. The Spoke hosts two ion accelerators, a clean room for testing and assembling detectors, the first eye clinical proton therapy facility in Italy and many fully-equipped laboratories for detector design, construction and testing.

The main specific goals of the INFN-Spoke (LNS plus Catania Division) can be condensed on five technological developments:

Micro accelerators for Health and Energy applications focused on the need of compact and miniaturized (laser-plasma or dielectric-laser) particle accelerators for: i) medical treatment and/or imaging systems, to be installed in Hospital; ii) carbon free energy production via ICF-Inertial Fusion, or by accelerator driven subcritical fission reactors.

Micro and nano beams for Health and Energy. The availability of proton and light ions in the keV and MeV ranges represents a breakthrough in the study of fundamental functions in living cells and subcellular organelles, as well as in the latest approach in radiation oncology such as Microbeam Radiation Therapy (MRT) in order to irradiate single cells.

Photodetectors and digital ACQ for Environment, Health, Agritech aimed to develop photo-detectors and related data-acquisition systems for monitoring of environment and cultural heritage, as well as to development of sustainable technologies in agriculture and health applications. ML and AI techniques will be developed to build risk management tools and assessments.

Micro detectors for particle therapy, dosimetry e micro-dosimetry aims to develop new SiC particle detectors for dose measurements in radiation dosimetry, including radiation hardness validation, high sensitivity, small dimensions, fast response, energy and dose rate independence, and tissue equivalence. A quality assurance program based on LET (Linear Energy Transfer) and RBE-(Relative Biological Effectiveness) estimation to optimise the clinical treatment planning will be performed.

Diagnostics and technologies for Fusion Power. Thermonuclear Fusion represents the most attractive scenario for delivering to humankind safe and sustainable low-carbon energy, aiming at in-plasma ignition of thermonuclear fuel by two approaches: a) ICF-Inertial Fusion; b) Magnetically-Confined Fusion (MCF). The manufacture of micro and nano-materials and innovative diagnostics and detectors, plays a crucial role.