Research

To paraphrase an iconic piece of media:

“An entire galaxy? At this time of year? At this time of day? In St. Petersburg? Localized entirely within an ITMO laboratory?”

Well, it’s true! Physicists from ITMO made their Principal Skinner-worthy claim earlier this month when they proposed a physical model that simulates the inner workings of an entire galaxy. Using a new type of particle trap, they plan to achieve a never-before-seen level of accuracy in studying exactly how galaxies function and evolve.

Read more: We Have the Universe at Home: ITMO Scientists Suggest Way to Model a Galaxy in a Lab

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Today, the biggest changes in research methods have to do with AI. Scientists use LLMs and multiagent systems to accelerate and optimize their search for every type of data. To address the shortcomings of current solutions in the field of chemistry, researchers at ITMO have introduced ChemX – a dataset collection that seeks to improve the performance of various models, from GPT-4o to nanoMINER. The collection currently covers a wide range of subject fields within the scope of nanomaterials and molecular science.

Read more: Automated Chemical Research Made Possible Thanks To ITMO-Developed Datasets

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When it comes to science, “complex media” doesn’t refer to heady Vince Gilligan shows; instead, it describes substances like seawater or dairy – ones that contain a variety of chemical and organic elements that can be hard to analyze among the “white noise.” Sensors capable of performing this task are often expensive and require large sample sizes. A new MXene-based type of sensor developed at ITMO may solve that issue. Available in two types, including a flexible kind, it has so far proven to be effective at detecting calcium ions in seawater and milk. The technology has potential environmental, medical, and food-related applications.

Read more: Flexible Highly Sensitive Sensors of Calcium in Complex Media Developed at ITMO

University

What did 2025 mean for AI at ITMO and in Russia? At the AIMission conference, experts discussed the highlights of the year – from educational programs to various new AI models for a variety of scientific purposes. It’s been a fruitful year; check out all the key achievements in the ITMO NEWS writeup below.

Read more: AIMission 2025: ITMO University’s Year in AI Breakthroughs

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The admissions season may seem a while away, but now is exactly the right time to start planning your educational path for 2026. After all, the early bird gets the worm. The worm, in this case, being an exam-free enrollment into the ITMO Master’s program of your choice! Luckily, there are three ways to achieve that wonderful feat; read all about them in the linked article. And may success be with you in the next year!

Read more: 3 Ways To Get Into ITMO Master’s Programs Without Exams in 2026