Precision medicine and Italian excellence in research are crossing national borders. In recent days, the prestigious setting of the Institut Necker Enfants Malades (INEM) in Paris hosted the international conference of the International Cell Death Society (ICDS), entitled this year “THE DYING CODE: DECIPHERING DEATH IN HEALTH AND DISEASE.”
The event, which brought together the world’s leading experts on the mechanisms of cell death and their implications in human diseases, saw Fondazione HEAL Italia not only as an official partner and sponsor, but also as an active protagonist within the highest-level scientific panel.
The focus of the presentation: reprogramming metabolism against liver cancer
Prof. Mauro Piacentini, Scientific Director and Vice President of HEAL Italia (as well as professor at the University of Rome “Tor Vergata” and researcher at INMI Lazzaro Spallanzani), was invited to speak in the session dedicated to the metabolic and epigenetic control of tumor identity.
During his presentation, entitled “Transglutaminase Inhibition Prevents Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development By Metabolic Reprogramming,” Prof. Piacentini illustrated the most recent and promising lines of research developed by his team. At the center of the study is the role of the transglutaminase enzyme: the targeted inhibition of this protein has proven capable of blocking the development of hepatocellular carcinoma through a true “reprogramming” of the metabolism of tumor cells.
“Taking part in an international forum of this importance such as the ICDS, while representing the affiliation and vision of HEAL Italia, is concrete proof of how our network is becoming a global reference point for precision medicine,” commented Prof. Piacentini. “Dismantling the survival mechanisms of the tumor by acting on its own metabolic code represents one of the most innovative frontiers of personalized therapy.”
HEAL Italia and the international network
The active presence in Paris further strengthens Fondazione HEAL Italia’s internationalization trajectory, as it is engaged in strategic monitoring and in the implementation of advanced therapeutic and diagnostic solutions within the framework of the PNRR. Dialogue with world-class institutions such as INEM, ICDS, BMC, and MDPI reinforces the bridges of collaborative research, accelerating technology transfer from the laboratory to the patient’s bedside.