Turning the LHC to the Dark Side: The Generic Dark Matter Search Approach, Its Limitations, and How to Overcome Them

The nature of Dark Matter (DM) is one of the most interesting open questions in modern physics. Though its existence is proven by astrophysical evidence, its properties are not yet understood. The experiments at LHC can help shed light on this mystery, bringing a unique and complementary perspective to the broader DM quest. In this talk the generic approach for DM searches at colliders is described, reviewing the analysis techniques used as well as the presentation and the interpretation of recent results. A discussion of the current limitations and of the improvements that can help mitigate them will also be presented.