Plasma investigations at INFN-LNS started already in ’90 aiming at the design and construction of ion sources for particle accelerators, such as the Superconducting k800 Cyclotron of LNS, or for other projects requiring high intensity beams (ADS - Accelerator Driven Systems, the European Spallation Source, etc). In the last 10-15 years many efforts have been paid to make an innovation of research goals, methods, instruments, with the goal of using high temperature magnetically confined plasmas for fundamental science and applications. In particular, it is now under construction at LNS a new facility for the investigation of the beta-radioactivity in a stellar-like environment (PANDORA), which will be an unique setup worldwide to probe some fundamental processes involved in the stellar nucleosynthesis. The know-how gained in the PANDORA framework has allowed to contribute to the thermonuclear fusion field in the context of the DTT project, in particular for the plasma diagnostics tools and electromagnetic heating systems. More recently the SAMOTHRACE program has boosted the development of diagnostics and new sensors,  being now available a test-bench for testing detectors, sensors and diagnostics methods in a hot plasma relevant environment. In its set of “arrows”, the plasma team of LNS now uses 3D tools for plasma modelling including both particles and plasma-emitted radiation, advanced post processing algorithm for X-ray diagnostics and imaging, RF sensing and optical spectroscopy. The experience in the advanced RF modelling has been further extended in the forefront field of miniaturized particle accelerators based on dielectric materials, such as DLA-Dielectric Laser Accelerators, being conceived for the integration on-chip in a micrometer scale. The seminar will give a short overview of these research activities and their main perspectives.