One of the aims of High Pressure Science is to provide answers for challenging problems in Materials, Earth and Life Sciences. The study of the NOCH  materials (materials involving nitrogen, oxygen, carbon and hydrogen) as a guide for studying such problems is interesting as this kind of materials are involved in a range of phenomena that cover most of the current strategic themes in the main interdisciplinary areas covered by MALTA.

Since the complexity of the phenomena in which the NOCH materials are involved depends on the pressure and temperature ranges considered, we shall classify the main scientific goals of MALTA accordingly. Our research will be conducted following three mayor avenues:

I. Water and life-related systems

a. Synthesis, properties and stability of ice clathrates
b. High pressure effects on aqueous solutions of supramolecular aggregates and proteins
c. Microbiology under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature

II. Molecular systems: physical properties and chemical reactivity

a. Pressure as a probe on unsaturated NOCH systems
b. Pressure-induced reactivity on NOCH materials

III. Structure, stability, and reactivity of minerals

a. Pressure-Temperature-Composition (PTx) diagrams and physical properties of: ABO3 (AO-BO2), ABO4 (AO2-BO2) and AB2O4 (AO-B2O3) oxides
b. Catalytical properties of minerals on abiotic organic synthesis.