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The importance of prescriptomics and precision medicine in the 21st century is highlighted by the advancements in mass spectrometry, omics technologies, and artificial intelligence. Prescriptomics is an emerging field that focuses on the complex interplay of genetics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and epigenetics, and their impact on the effectiveness, safety, and response to prescription medications and precision medicine. This approach goes beyond conventional methods, aiming for a transformative paradigm that enables the precise tailoring of treatment strategies. This leads to minimised adverse effects and optimised therapeutic outcomes, marking a significant shift towards personalized precise medicine

The 2nd International Caparica Conference on Prescriptomics and Precision Medicine 2025, scheduled for May 2025 in Caparica, Portugal, is set to feature prominent experts in this field.

The conference will cover various subjects, including the utilization of omics technologies for diagnostic purposes, navigating sample collection and handling techniques, effective patient follow-up strategies, bioinformatics, leveraging AI in enhancing prescription accuracy, precision in prescription management, and insights into point of care devices. This event underscores the rapid evolution and significance of prescriptionomics and precision medicine in contemporary healthcare, emphasizing the role of cutting-edge technologies in advancing this field.

It is important to note that the conference is designed to be an exclusive event, with no more than 150 participants. This deliberate limitation in size ensures that only the pioneers in the field of prescriptomics and precision medicine are present. The goal is to create a focused and high-level environment conducive to fostering new collaborations and establishing teams that will lead future advancements in this groundbreaking area of medical research and practice. This approach underscores the conference’s commitment to driving forward the frontiers of precision medicine and prescriptomics.

On November 24, Palermo will host “Palermo in Rosa”, the recreational-sports event dedicated to the fight against gender violence and the promotion of women’s health. The event, with departure and arrival in the suggestive Piazza Ruggero Settimo (Politeama), is an unmissable event to raise awareness among citizens on the issues of the fight against all forms of violence and on the value of taking care of one’s health

Heal Italia participates, as a partner, confirming its commitment to the promotion of gender medicine and to raising awareness on the importance of primary prevention of chronic-degenerative diseases. A significant presence to support women’s rights, first and foremost, the right to health. “We believe, in fact, that to enhance female empowerment and fight against all forms of violence and discrimination, it is essential to be able to live in an ecosystem in which social and institutional networks collaborate for a common goal: Living in a society that allows women to feel safe, to be free, to have access to information and integrated prevention, treatment and personalized care services, regardless of their place of residence. This is the daily commitment of the Heal Italia Foundation, which bases its work on the values ​​of freedom, democracy and social equity and on the valorization of the human capital represented by our 600 researchers (50% of whom are women) so that gender equality is not just an objective, but a reality. I thank the Gruppo Mangia ‘s for involving us in this important initiative that I hope will become a recurring event and I trust in a large participation, in the sign of closeness to all women ” adds Laura Leonardis – Manager of the Heal Italia Foundation

The program of the Day:
It will start at 9 with a free yoga lesson for all participants. Then the actual opening of the event with the performance of the students of the IBI primary school, who will sing the song “Perché” by Alex Britti. This will be followed by the presentation of the projects dedicated to the themes of gender violence, by Professor Giovanna Pia Ferrara, ambassador of the Stati Generali delle Donne.
At 9.50 the singing performance of the artist from Palermo Alessandra Salerno is scheduled and, to follow, there will be the monologue of another artist from Palermo: the actress Roberta Procida, who will lend her voice to the text “Te La Sei Cercata”, written by Serena Dandini.
Then space for institutional greetings and the presentation of the Marisa Leo Association. At 10.10 the warm-up to warm up the muscles of the participants who, at 10.30, will start the pink wave that will color Palermo along the entire quadrilateral that draws the route of the Palermo in Rosa: via Ruggero Settimo, Teatro Massimo, via Cavour, via Roma, via Calvi, via Borrelli, Piazza Croci, via Libertà to return to Piazza Politeama where there will be the final show of the Circopificio and, to follow, the regenerating stretching lesson.
The event is organized with the patronage of the Regional Department of the Family, Social Policies and Work, the Department of Tourism and Sport of the Municipality of Palermo, the University of Palermo, the Heal Italia Foundation, the Progetto Fiorenze Association, the Union of Free Lawyers, the Rotary Club Palermo Mediterranea, the SNA National Association of Insurers, the Order of Engineers of Palermo, the Order of Lawyers of Palermo, the Order of Chartered Accountants of Palermo, ENDAS, ACSI, Confcommercio Palermo and the Association for Social Promotion “Marisa Leo”. The main partner of the event is the Mangia’s Group, which has also involved 100 mothers from the Sperone neighborhood and 20 young people from the Sport T21 Association in participating in “Palermo in Rosa”. The other partners are the IBI Institute, the Riolo Group, Unicredit, Tenute Orestiadi, the Circopificio, Pirazzoli Assicurazioni, Tennis Club Palermo 2, Palermo Mediterranea, Sport & Nutrition, the Brancaccio Cultural Association and Music and the Stati Generali delle Donne. Among the technical partners are the Giaconia Conad Group and Tecnica Sport. Media Partners: G-studio Advertising and the Migi Press press agency
How to register
As always, participation in “Palermo in Rosa” is free. All you have to do is show up on time at the start to take part in the event. For those who want to offer additional support to the initiative, there is the possibility of purchasing the symbolic bib and the event t-shirt at the Tecnica Sport store in via Aquileia in Palermo. T-shirts and bibs will also be available in Piazza Ruggero Settimo, on the day of the event, while stocks last.

As part of the “PNC – Innovative Health Ecosystem” project, a Business Matching event organized by the University of Cagliari will be held in Cagliari on November 21 and 22 (Teatro Doglio, via Logudoro 32), dedicated to promoting the synergy between research and industry in the medical diagnostics sector.

The “PNC – Innovative Health Ecosystem” project, co-financed by the Ministry of Health and coordinated by the Monzino Cardiology Center in Milan, aims to enhance technologies and skills to create a healthcare ecosystem of excellence through collaboration between 54 associates, including IRCCS, Universities and public and private bodies.

The event will be an important meeting opportunity for researchers from the PerfeTTO network – the first Italian network composed of technology transfer offices (TTOs) in the Life Sciences sector – and several companies in the advanced diagnostics sector. During the two days, the research teams of the Network will present their projects, offering the companies present the opportunity to establish a constructive discussion and explore possible future collaborations.

The works will be opened (Thursday 21 November, 2 pm) by the reports of Fabrizio Pilo (UniCA), Luca Battistelli (PerfeTTO) and Laura Leonardis (Heal Italia)

Further information in the attached program

Heal Italia, a national research foundation based in PALERMO, took part in Washington, at the Italian Embassy in the United States, in the first event of the Italy-US Tech Business & Investment Matching Initiative, a program designed to foster cooperation between Italy and the United States in the innovation sector and to promote the Italian contribution at a global level. The Heal Italia Foundation deals with precision medicine with the aim of transferring the progress of scientific research and technological innovations to the healthcare world in order to translate the knowledge, acquired in experimental contexts, into clinical practice and thus contribute to the fight against chronic diseases with increasingly early diagnoses and increasingly targeted therapies. The Foundation is the result of investments of the Pnrr managed by the Ministry of University and Research and, after only two years and with the first 45 million invested on a financial endowment of over 114 million, it has recorded the first important results in terms of scientific production, technological development and experimentation of new and integrated organizational-managerial models intended for the healthcare world. The initiative promoted by the Italian Embassy is supported by several institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy (MIMIT), the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces, 14 Italian regions, Confindustria, the Transatlantic Investment Committee (TIC) and the Transatlantic Harmonic Foundation (THF). On the other hand, the United States participates through the Department of State, the Department of Commerce, organizations from 18 American states, the Tech Hubs Organization, Select USA and the US Chamber of Commerce. This program was born from the indications of the Internationalization Control Room and is aimed at facilitating the meeting between Italian and US economic sector entities. Thanks to the support of public and private entities, the initiative aims to create industrial collaborations and attract investments in strategic sectors such as life sciences and aerospace, with a particular focus on solutions based on artificial intelligence. ”Thanks to the investments of the Ministry of University and Research in strategic partnerships for the country, we are proud to represent the Italian system of research and innovation in the field of precision medicine – says the president of the Heal Itallia Foundation, Andrea Pace – starting from Sicily, our ecosystem has brought together researchers and experts from all over Italy and has implemented a network of core facilities that will be at the service of industrial and translational research. Thanks to this event we have had the opportunity to meet entrepreneurs, investors, incubators and advanced laboratory systems that operate in the United States in the field of technology development and investments in the Life Sciences sector. Both in the preliminary meeting, held at the Washington DC Economic Partnership headquarters, and during the session on Life Sciences at the Italian Embassy, ​​I had the opportunity to talk, among others, with the president of KC Bio Hub, Melissa Roberts Chapman, the vice president of the Business Development Missouri Partnership, Dennis Pruitt, and the Executive Director of the Economic Development Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment, Jeevan Ramapriya, who expressed interest in establishing a dialogue to evaluate future opportunities for collaboration”. The Heal Italia Foundation had the opportunity to present itself to US investors as a strategic partnership consisting of a qualified multidisciplinary network of over 80 entities including universities, IRCCS and companies, with the mission of developing and sharing research and technologies for advanced diagnostics, innovative therapies and digital tools for precision medicine.

The Heal Italia Foundation is operational in the territory with Road Shows dedicated to Precision Medicine. The National Campaign “Heal Italia for research and technology transfer in Precision Medicine”, includes a traveling series of events that will have the aim of making the program known to regional and local administrations, investment funds, clinical centers, universities, and the public.
The objective is to promote connections and meetings between all the internal and external actors of the Program and share knowledge on the presence of technologies in the development phase, patents, experiences and Best Practices, as well as create strategic synergies, intercept new funds and opportunities, build new projects together.
The cognitive/promotional action is also directed abroad, favoring strategic countries for the Life Sciences sector in harmony with the Italian System.
The format of the road show includes presentations, round tables, interactive workshops, networking events on the topics of technology transfer, start-up development in the biomedical/Life Sciences/ sector, Technologies 5.0, collaboration and networking of Grant – Offices.

Discover the stages and the events completed:
Trieste
Ancona
Cagliari

Trieste, 31 October 2024 – On the occasion of the Trieste stop of the roadshow ‘HEAL ITALIA ROADSHOW – Technologies and Innovation. Innovation on the road’, the Polo Tecnologico Alto Adriatico “Andrea Galvani”, as managing body of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Life Sciences Cluster, and HEAL ITALIA have defined a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening collaboration to promote innovative projects in the field of life sciences and precision medicine. The objective of the agreement, lasting three years, is to encourage the development of joint activities such as collaboration to encourage the creation and development of start-ups in the Life Sciences sector or the promotion of shared studies and research projects and to support innovation through initiatives that include, among others, the organization of training courses focused on research and technology transfer.

The event, hosted yesterday at the Urban Center in Trieste, also represented an important opportunity to learn about the innovation ecosystems for the Life Sciences sector present in Italy and the European network for precision medicine. During the meeting, which saw the main players in the academic, clinical and industrial sectors meet, the opportunities and progress of the Heal Italia Project were presented, the first Italian foundation to coordinate a multidisciplinary network of universities, IRCCS, companies, scientists, technologists and young researchers with the aim of improving health services through research, precision medicine and innovative start-ups, focused on fundamental research, translational research and technology transfer in an interdisciplinary perspective.

Opened by greetings from Franco Scolari, Director of Polo Tecnologico Alto Adriatico, and Andrea Pace, President of Fondazione Heal Italia, the stage of the road show dedicated to Friuli Venezia Giulia saw the introductory speech by Stefano De Monte, Cluster Manager of the FVG Life Sciences Cluster – Polo Tecnologico AA, who presented the regional Life Sciences ecosystem and the related initiatives implemented by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.

“This opportunity for discussion – said Stefano De Monte, Cluster Manager of the FVG Life Sciences Cluster – AA Technology Hub – marks a decisive step to promote innovation in Life Sciences, combining skills and resources to support the growth of the sector in Friuli Venezia Giulia, bringing together innovative entrepreneurial realities such as those present today and the broad and complex world of scientific research. With HEAL ITALIA we will work to spread knowledge on Precision Medicine, develop advanced training courses and support new initiatives and start-ups. Together, we want to create an ecosystem in which research, technology and entrepreneurship can collaborate effectively, contributing to the scientific and technological progress of the territory”.

Following this, for the session dedicated to taking stock of precision medicine in Italy and Europe, Andrea Paolini, President of the Fondazione Toscana Life Science, and Laura Leonardis, Program and Research Manager and Operations Director of the Heal Italia Foundation, spoke. They also discussed oncology in the era of precision medicine and how precise drug prescription really is, together with Erika Cecchin, Experimental Pharmacology and Clinic CRO Aviano, and with Paola Rossi, Central Directorate of Health, Social Policies and Disability of the FVG Region, who gave a virtuous example of active pharmacovigilance by describing a cooperation project between regional IRCCS coordinated by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. The session ended with Michele Dal Bo, Experimental Pharmacology and Clinic CRO Aviano, who focused on the development of new anti-tumor drugs and the activities developed in the context of Spoke 5 and Spoke 6 of Heal Italia.

“In terms of innovation – explained Paola Rossi, Central Directorate for Health, Social Policies and Disability of the FVG Region – precision medicine, understood not only as research into new specific target therapeutic entities, but also as personalized dosage of therapy based on the genetic profile, represents a challenge for improving the health system. In this context, the project “Pharmacogenetics, Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) and Active Pharmacovigilance as innovative tools aimed at optimizing/appropriateness of pharmacological therapy and minimizing the risks of ADRs in clinical practice”, financed by AIFA, represents a virtuous example of cooperation between the FVG Region and regional IRCSS, with the aim of being able to export a multidisciplinary approach applicable to clinical practice in oncology and pediatric autoimmune diseases at a national level”.

“The synergy between hubs and territories represents the first useful tool to multiply the value of actions and interventions to support research, innovation and above all “people”; PhD students, doctors, technologists who generate that innovation and citizens and patients for whom research can make a difference – said Laura Leonardis, Program and Research Manager Fondazione Heal Italia – The logic of “doing together” inspired the creation of the HEAL ITALIA Program, a production and specialized supply chain at the service of research and innovation that aims to bring Precision Medicine throughout Italy”.

“As the TLS Foundation, we have joined Heal Italia with great favor because it represents a strategic project that boasts a partnership of great depth and excellent skills in precision medicine – stated Andrea Paolini, General Manager of the Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences and member of the Board of Directors of the HEAL ITALIA Foundation – Through the widespread action of territorial systems, the excellence present in the fields of research, business and clinical practice must be brought to a national scale. Heal Italia is working in this direction to harmonize, structure and enhance the skills that each territory brings, in a logic of complex and functional ecosystems. The next important challenge will be to position this cohesion and this model also at a European and international level”.

The event continued with a moment of discussion between representatives of five start-ups belonging to the Friuli Venezia Giulia Life Sciences Cluster: Luca Emili, CEO InSilico Trials; Alessandro Pozzato CEO NanoPhoenix; Francesco Menegoni, CEO Biovalley Investment Partner; Alessia Covre, R&D manager Epigen Therapeutics; Bruno Bembi, president Transactiva. In conclusion, the session dedicated to the frontiers of precision medicine and technology transfer with the speech of Ennio Tasciotti, Scientific Advisor of the FVG Life Sciences Cluster who commented: “Precision medicine represents a revolution in the way of conceiving care, and allows us to personalize the treatments best suited to the needs of each patient. However, to bring these innovations to the patient’s bedside, a strong innovation ecosystem is needed that includes all the actors and structures needed to carry out translational research. In Italy, we have enormous scientific potential, but it is essential to consolidate technology transfer mechanisms to accelerate the transition from research to clinical application and create value for both patients and the healthcare system. Only through institutional and financial support for innovation and thanks to structures dedicated to the protection of intellectual property and patent licensing, we could further enhance our discoveries, and generate a significant impact on patient well-being and the sustainability of the healthcare system.”

Through the FVG Life Sciences Cluster, numerous public and private stakeholders – regional and otherwise – can interface and collaborate effectively with the aim of stimulating the development and growth of start-ups and innovative companies, of creating a network between institutions, companies, research centers, thus attracting innovation and new investments in the regional territory. The SDV Cluster is positioned within the regional smart specialization strategy (S4) for the Area “Health, Quality of life, Agri-food and Bioeconomy”, operating on four trajectories: systems and solutions for maintaining health and supporting care (nutraceuticals, food supplements, functional foods, medical nutrition and functional cosmetics); innovative biomedical solutions and systems: integrated development of medical devices; solutions and systems for innovative therapies; active & assisted living solutions and systems for supporting frailty.

The project submission procedure takes place in distinct periods starting from 31 October 2024.

Precision Medicine Centers are also arriving in Italy: physical and virtual places where interdisciplinary skills, research and technological innovation come together in the fight against diseases

Founded in Palermo, where it has its registered office, the Heal Italia National Foundation opens its first two centers dedicated to precision medicine in Cagliari and Ancona. The goal is to transfer the progress of scientific research and technological innovations to the healthcare world to translate knowledge, acquired in experimental contexts, into clinical practice and thus contribute to the fight against chronic diseases with increasingly early diagnoses and increasingly targeted therapies. The Foundation, created thanks to the PNRR funding of the Ministry of University and Research, after just two years, with the first 40 million invested on a financial endowment of over 114 million, records the first important results in terms of scientific production, technological development and experimentation of new and integrated organizational-managerial models intended for the healthcare world. The first two centers in Cagliari and Ancora will be two “Precision Medicine Centers” resulting from a collaboration between the Heal Italia Foundation and the partner universities of Cagliari and Politecnica delle Marche, where the centers will be located. Specifically, the center in Cagliari will be called Sardinian Heal Italia Precision Medicine Center and will be located at CeSAR, the University Service Center for Research of the University of Cagliari. It will provide integrated diagnostic services and clinical and preclinical research to support the fight against complex and oncological diseases, including rare and very rare neoplasms and preneoplastic conditions on a hereditary or acquired basis. The goal of the Center is to identify disease markers and new therapeutic targets, expanding the use of liquid biopsy for the diagnosis and monitoring of oncological patients. In parallel, the expansion of the biobank of tumors and human tumor cell lines will allow researchers to be offered a fundamental tool for translational research and functional validation of the results obtained through the most advanced genome sequencing technologies. The great scientific and technological background created thanks to the Heal Italia Foundation, combined with the rich endowment of CeSAR has allowed the birth of this Center, which will have the precious synergic collaboration with the University Hospitals of Cagliari and Sassari and other Health Authorities present in the regional and interregional territory. Sardinia has always been a land open to experimentation and innovation, especially in the genomic field, often acting as a pilot region for projects of national and supranational scope. Also in this case, thanks to the Heal Italia Foundation, it will promote, together with the Ancona center, a model for the development of precision medicine that can be expanded on a large scale and focused on the needs of patients and the territory.

“The Sardinian Heal Italia Precision Medicine Center – explains Prof. Andrea Perra (who is also the Scientific Representative for the University of Cagliari affiliated with Heal Italia) – will bring together the skills of the Oncology and Molecular Pathology Unit, which has laboratories equipped for research on tumor cells and the complete analysis of gene transcription levels, up to the study of individual altered proteins. The center also has an advanced system for the multi-omic analysis of each individual tumor cell. In synergy with the Heal Italia Core Facility and the other Centers for Precision Medicine that will be created thanks to the Foundation’s initiative, the Oncology and Molecular Pathology Unit will be responsible for the functional validation of the results obtained from the genomic investigations conducted at CeSAR, making it faster to identify the research results that can really have an impact on patient care”

“Our goal – continues Sabrina Giglio, director of CeSAR and Medical Genetics of Cagliari – is also to increasingly implement the use of information derived from genomics in clinical practice, with particular attention to oncological pathology. To achieve this goal, which I have been working on for several years now, both as a Geneticist and as Director of CeSAR, it is essential to invest in research, training and implementation of genomics and other omic sciences (transcriptomics, proteomics, etc.) to enhance their impact on patient care and disease prevention. Only through an integrated and collaborative approach will it be possible to improve people’s health and quality of life. In fact, the full exploitation of omic information requires a major training effort also for all healthcare personnel and in particular for doctors who are accustomed to more traditional methodologies. This challenge can be overcome in an extremely effective way through the implementation of extraordinary training and professional development programs”.
The Precision Medicine Center – HEAL ITALIA of Ancona, was born at the Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences of the Polytechnic University of Marche and will deal with Precision Medicine in Internal Medicine and Rare Diseases.

“The goal – explains Prof. Gianluca Moroncini, Full Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of the Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche – is to create multidisciplinary skills in precision medicine for each sub-specialty of Internal Medicine and implement diagnostic and therapeutic pathways for patients through innovative research, training and clinical assistance, similar to the Precision Medicine Center developed at Columbia University. Internal Medicine and Rare Diseases are still too often managed today, both in terms of prevention and diagnosis and therapy, according to a “one size fits all” model that does not take into account the enormous individual differences that lie in groups of subjects at risk or sick, and who unfortunately are all labeled and treated in the same way, when instead they should be grouped into distinct homogeneous subgroups, the so-called “endophenotypes”, to be managed differently”.

“Our goal – explains the Manager of Heal Italia, Laura Leonardis – is to transform the results of basic research into clinical tools by reducing the distances between University and Hospital in order to make Translational Medicine a concrete and powerful tool at the service of clinicians and above all patients. The Data Infrastructures, the Facilities Network (Biobanche, Cell Factory, Clinical Trial Center, High Technology Laboratories for Genomics, Diagnostics, accredited GMP Facility) and the service platforms of the HEAL ITALIA network, aim to create an integrated, polycentric and widespread system that facilitates research, collaboration with companies and allows the construction of acceleration programs aimed at facilitating the transfer of innovations produced by research to clinical practice, intended not as a point of arrival but as a point of verification and restart”. Our centers are both physical and virtual places in which multidisciplinary skills can work together to create, through the aid of facilities and 5.0 Technologies, first of all Artificial Intelligence, services capable of improving prediction and treatment and therefore the fight against chronic diseases. Within our network today, over 600 researchers, clinicians, engineers, physicists, and mathematicians operate in all regions, divided into approximately 80 entities that cover the entire Italian Life Sciences supply chain.

Heal Italia, which was born from a proposal by the University of Palermo with a project scientifically coordinated by Prof. Giorgio Stassi with the collaboration of 25 partners throughout Italy, today even more extensive thanks to new projects, will soon inaugurate two more operational offices in Milan and Rome.

Ivana Pibiri, Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry at the Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), has been awarded the “Gold Research and Development Award” by GLOBALWIIN (Global Women Inventors and Innovators Network) in collaboration with University College London (UCL), for the innovative achievements achieved with her research oriented towards Precision Medicine, in particular new molecules for the treatment of rare genetic diseases.

Already in 2023, Prof. Pibiri had obtained the ITWIIN award as Best Innovator for her contributions to research on rare diseases, and was later nominated for the GlobalWIIN Special Recognition Award. From 2014 to 2020, he also obtained funding from the Italian Foundation for Cystic Fibrosis Research and since 2022 he has been part of the Extended Partnership “HEAL ITALIA – Health Extended Alliance for Innovative Therapies, Advanced Lab-research, and Integrated Approaches of Precision Medicine”, funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), he is the National Coordinator of the National PRIN 2022 project funded by the MUR, entitled “Innovative Therapies For The Treatment Of Rare Genetic Diseases Characterized By Nonsense Mutations” and the Local Unit Manager in the PNRR POC 2024 entitled “Rescuing eyes from nonsense: a precision medicine approach to rescue stop mutation in hereditary ocular diseases by translational readthrough inducing drugs (TRIDs)” funded by the Ministry of Health.

“It is an immense honor to receive this recognition,” said Professor Pibiri, in receiving the award, “which is the result of the work of a close-knit multidisciplinary team. This result demonstrates the importance of scientific innovation, a multidisciplinary approach, and international cooperation to address global challenges.”

The award was received during the “Women Driving the Growth of Sustainability, Responsible Innovation & Inclusivity” Congress, held at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.

An open ecosystem to promote and stimulate innovative business transformation processes and, at the same time, offer opportunities for growth and success to the many talents and different professional skills that are trained within the University in a continuous exchange of knowledge, services and tools in the name of research. The Digital Transformation and Technology transfer HUB of the University of Palermo is located within the university campus on Viale delle Scienze: a complex service center, just launched, which aims to make the entrepreneurial fabric an integral part of the University.

The Hub was presented during the event organized in synergy with the regional department of Productive Activities entitled “Research and innovation, tools to support Sicilian businesses”.

“The synergy with the University of Palermo, one of the most important academic institutions in the region, is essential – explained regional councilor Edmondo Tamajo – to create fertile ground in which businesses, students and researchers can collaborate, share skills and knowledge, and contribute to the economic and social growth of Sicily. I am convinced that this project represents a pillar on which to build the future of our economy, an economy that knows how to enhance innovation, research and sustainability as key elements for lasting and inclusive progress. We will continue to work in this direction, always alongside businesses and institutions, with the aim of creating a competitive, modern Sicilian production system ready to face the challenges of the future”.

The Digital Transformation and Technology transfer HUB, created by the University of Palermo to offer support to research and business in sectors that are drivers for the market, will stand alongside those who are engaged in research activities, in the generation and positioning of patents on a daily basis.

“The strength of this project – underlined the rector of the University of Palermo, Massimo Midiri – is represented by the vast network of partners that already include important industrial players of national interest. A network that guarantees a direct connection between our University and the industrial world. The Hub will provide concrete support to all companies that demonstrate the need to strengthen their potential thanks to the transfer of knowledge, technologies and above all through the digital transition. For our students and researchers, however, it represents an opportunity for professional growth already during the academic path to further develop at the end of the studies through a real and immediate path of insertion into the world of work that looks to a certain future”.

The services offered aim to provide the useful tools to face digital challenges, improve the competitiveness of companies, promote their sustainability by favoring the employability of graduates and the attractiveness of the University. Among the partners already present: Bio4Dreams, a startup incubator in the Life Sciences sector; Bi-Rex, the Competence Center of Bologna specialized in Big Data; Deloitte, whose network offers audit & assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax and legal services to clients in the public and private sectors; EHT, a company of the Harmonic Innovation Group and Materias, an early stage combined accelerator for the launch of startups based on innovative materials. The portfolio of collaborations is destined to grow if we consider that, in recent years, Unipa has signed thousands of agreements, at various levels, with the business world to achieve various objectives: from carrying out internships to designing innovative masters, such as the one created with the Italian electricity grid operator Terna. Furthermore, the Hub can already count on the national platform of services for the Life Science area with a focus on Precision Medicine thanks to the Heal Italia program and the synergy with the Biodiversity Gateway: an infrastructure under construction that will develop from the Italian research center dedicated to biodiversity, the National Biodiversity Future Center.

Heal Italia launches a new space within its website dedicated to Open Science Publication. CLICK TO ACCESS the dedicated area updated with the latest publications produced by the team of researchers at Heal Italia.

With your next tax return you can allocate your 5×1000 to the Heal Italia Foundation. Your signature is a responsible choice, of great importance and significant value. To do so, it will be sufficient to indicate in the appropriate box of the tax return the words “Financing for scientific research institutions and universities” and indicate the Heal Italia Tax Code 97370050821. 

• The 5×1000 is a portion of the IRPEF tax that the citizen pays to the State with the presentation of the tax return (Single Certification, UNICO, 730).
• The 5×1000 costs nothing and does not take resources away from the 8xthousand.
• With your signature and tax code 97370050821 it will be donated to our Foundation.

With your donation you can give concrete support to a company that carries out research. Liberty comes from knowledge, be free to protect your future. Donate 5×1000 to scientific research.

The application period is reopened until 2:59 pm on 02/09/2024 to apply for the National Doctorate in Precision Medicine promoted by the Heal Italia Foundation (Health extended alliance for innovative therapies, advanced lab-research and integrated approaches of precision medicine) in collaboration with the University of Palermo, administrative headquarters of the Course, for the following positions:
[MEDPREC.630.SEEDS1]
[MEDPREC.630.INEMBRYO]
[MEDPREC.630.QWINCE]
[MEDPREC.630.UNIVPM]
To access the application click on the instructions in the BANDO

CLICK HERE for the Technical Data Sheet and attachments to submit

The aim of the Doctorate is to train hybrid professionals who, in addition to being specialized in key sectors of Medicine, are able to apply the skills acquired on 4.0 technologies (big data, artificial intelligence, etc.) for the development of personalized diagnoses and therapies. Furthermore, through the collaboration with Heal Italia, the figures to be trained will have the opportunity to operate in a highly stimulating and collaborative national and international context, for example by carrying out their own research program also with the possibility of accessing networks of laboratories, biobanks, cell factories and clinical and instrumental data platforms including access to populations and/or cohorts of patients followed over the years by the entities belonging to the network. The 45 scholarship holders will join the 200 researchers with fixed-term contracts, clinicians, technologists and PhDs, recruited for the Heal Italia Research Program (funded by the PNRR) and who, together with another 350 researchers and scholarship holders of the doctoral cycle activated last year, collaborate on research for Diagnostics and innovative therapies in Precision Medicine. The Call is aimed not only at future professionals in the Biomedical area but also at all those interested in research and development of advanced technologies for Precision Medicine and, in fact, provides for the participation of candidates in one or more of the 7 curricula constituting the Doctorate itself, all aimed at hosting projects relating to the applications and contribution of each disciplinary sector to Precision Medicine:
Oncology

Metabolic Diseases
Cardiovascular Diseases
Rare Diseases
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Digital Health
Materials and Technologies

The second edition of the National Doctorate in Precision Medicine sees the participation of 14 Italian Universities and Companies and/or Research Institutions.
For the XL cycle, a total of 45 positions with scholarships have been made available, open to all graduates (Specialist Degree, Master’s Degree or Old Regulation equivalent to a Second Level Degree) in Italy or abroad (equivalent qualification for level of studies to the aforementioned access qualifications), of which 15 are financed by the Sicily Region (Notice 15/2024) under the ESF + 2021-2027 (Priority 2 – Education and Training) with the specific objective of promoting lifelong learning, in particular the opportunity to improve the level of skills and flexible requalification for all, taking into account entrepreneurial and digital skills, better anticipating change and the new skills required on the basis of the needs of the labor market, facilitating professional reorientation and promoting professional mobility. In particular, the following are envisaged:
N. 11 Scholarships co-financed by Companies pursuant to Ministerial Decree 630 on restricted topicsbspecified in the relevant form with the main location of the activities at the University indicated in the relevant scholarship form and with a mandatory periodbto be carried out at the headquarters of the company involved and a mandatory period of research activity abroad
N. 18 Scholarships co-financed by Universities/Companies/Research Bodies/IRCCS on restricted topics and with the location of the research activities indicated by the funding body in the relevant form
N. 1 Scholarship on non-restricted research topics provided that they are consistent with the topics relating to one of the curricula of the Doctorate Course in Precision Medicine (see Course form) with the main location of the activities at the University of Palermo
N. 15 Scholarships intended for candidates born or resident in Sicily on 21 June 2024 and under the age of 35 on the date of submission of the application with a mandatory period of at least 8 months and maximum 12 months (possibly split into at least two continuous periods of at least 4 months) of which:

n.1 with a restricted topic and with the main location of the activities at the Kore University of Enna
n. 14 on non-restricted research topics as long as they are consistent with the topics related to one of the curricula of the Doctorate Course in Precision Medicine (see Course sheet) of which:
n. 10 with the main location of the activities at the University of Palermo
n. 2 with the main location of the activities at the University of Catania
n. 2 with the main location of the activities at the University of Messina

DECREE REOPENING TERMS

THE DEADLINE FOR THE SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IS EXPECTED FOR 02.09.2024 AT 14:59

The Observatory on Supercomputing trends and applications releases reports every month focused on a topic of interest for digital transformation. Starting from the state of the art of the theme of the month, the Observatory collects scenarios and use cases and proposes projects and opportunities.

This month’s webinar focuses on precision medicine and applications in this area of ​​Supercomputing, Big Data and Quantum Computing.

The project, promoted by the National Center for Research in supercomputing, big data and quantum computing and carried out by IFAB in collaboration with excellent partner companies, aims to create a community around topics of interest. At the end of the webinar, it will be possible to join a community of experts, researchers and companies interested in the topic of mobility.

More info on this page

4 more days to apply for the National Doctorate in Precision Medicine promoted by the Heal Italia Foundation (Health extended alliance for innovative therapies, advanced lab-research and integrated approaches of precision medicine) in collaboration with the University of Palermo, administrative headquarters of the Course.

The aim of the Doctorate is to train hybrid professionals who, in addition to being specialized in key sectors of Medicine, are able to apply the skills acquired on 4.0 technologies (big data, artificial intelligence, etc.) for the development of personalized diagnoses and therapies. Furthermore, through the collaboration with Heal Italia, the figures to be trained will have the opportunity to operate in a highly stimulating and collaborative national and international context, for example by carrying out their own research program also with the possibility of accessing networks of laboratories, biobanks, cell factories and clinical and instrumental data platforms including access to populations and/or cohorts of patients followed over the years by the entities belonging to the network. The 45 scholarship holders will join the 200 researchers with fixed-term contracts, clinicians, technologists and PhDs recruited for the Heal Italia Research Program (funded by the PNRR) and who, together with another 350 researchers and scholarship holders from the PhD program activated last year, collaborate on research for Diagnostics and Innovative Therapies in Precision Medicine. The Call is aimed not only at future professionals in the Biomedical area but also at all those interested in research and development of advanced technologies for Precision Medicine and, in fact, provides for the participation of candidates in one or more of the 7 curricula constituting the Doctorate itself, all aimed at hosting projects related to the applications and contribution of each disciplinary sector to Precision Medicine:
Oncology

Metabolic Diseases
Cardiovascular Diseases
Rare Diseases
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Digital Health
Materials and Technologies

The second edition of the National Doctorate in Precision Medicine sees the participation of 14 Italian Universities and Companies and/or Research Institutions.
For the XL cycle, a total of 45 positions with scholarships have been made available, open to all graduates (Specialist Degree, Master’s Degree or Old Order equivalent to a Second Level Degree) in Italy or abroad (equivalent qualification for level of studies to the aforementioned access qualifications), of which 15 financed by the Sicily Region (Notice 15/2024) under the ESF + 2021-2027 (Priority 2 – Education and Training) with the specific objective of promoting lifelong learning, in particular the opportunity to improve the level of skills and flexible requalification for all, taking into account entrepreneurial and digital skills, better anticipating change and the new skills required on the basis of the needs of the labor market, facilitating professional reorientation and promoting professional mobility.
In particular, the following are planned:
N. 11 Scholarships co-financed by Companies under the Ministerial Decree 630 on restricted topics specified in the relevant sheet with the main headquarters of the activity at the University indicated in the relevant scholarship sheet and with a mandatory period to be carried out at the headquarters of the company involved and a mandatory period of research activity abroad
No. 18 Scholarships co-financed by Universities/Companies/Research Bodies/IRCCS on restricted topics and with the location of the research activities indicated by the funding body in the relevant sheet
No. 1 Scholarship on non-restricted research topics provided that they are consistent with the topics relating to one of the curricula of the Doctoral Course in Precision Medicine (see Course sheet) with the main location of the activities at the University of Palermo
No. 15 Scholarships intended for candidates born or resident in Sicily as of 21 June 2024 and under the age of 35 on the date of submission of the application with a mandatory period of at least 8 months and a maximum of 12 months (possibly divisible into at least two continuous periods of at least 4 months) of which:

n.1 with a restricted topic and with main location of activities at the Kore University of Enna
n. 14 on non-restricted research topics provided that they are consistent with the topics related to one of the curricula of the Doctorate Course in Precision Medicine (see Course sheet) of which:
n. 10 with main location of activities at the University of Palermo
n. 2 with main location of activities at the University of Catania
n. 2 with main location of activities at the University of Messina

The competition announcement and the related documentation are available on the institutional website of the University of Palermo at the following link: https://www.unipa.it/didattica/dottorati/dottorato-xl/.

THE DEADLINE FOR THE SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS IS EXPECTED FOR 02.08.2024 AT 23:59:59

AGE-IT and the Heal Italia Foundation are working on a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at developing synergies in the sectors of precision medicine and aging at a national level. The initiative, promoted on the initiative of Sanofi, a partner of both organizations, aims to create and support innovative projects that benefit the Italian research system. The Protocol includes a series of joint activities, including:

– implementation of joint research initiatives to create synergies between studies and researchers pursuing similar research interests;
– implementation of joint research initiatives to create synergies between studies and researchers pursuing similar research interests;
– communication, dissemination and awareness initiatives on the issues of precision medicine in a context of an aging population;
– training initiatives on research and technology transfer methodologies, with a specific focus on the biomedical sector;
– activities of exchange, participation and mutual valorisation of initiatives and events organized on topics of common interest;
– sharing datasets and information of common interest.

All the information and attachments useful for registration can be found on the UNIMORE website page.

Application expires on 30/08/2024 ore 12:00

Thanks to the support of the Heal Italia Foundation, we are pleased to offer 10 free registration places exclusively for doctoral students affiliated with Heal Italia Foundation institutions or doctoral students of the National Doctorate Course in Precision Medicine. This opportunity aims to promote international collaboration and provide students with a platform to engage deeply in the fields of artificial intelligence and health sciences.

Application process: Interested students must complete a dedicated application form issued by HEAL ITALIA – CUP B73C22001310006, which will be assessed by our selection committee. The form will ask for details about your research interests, current projects, and a brief statement about how participation in this summer school will benefit your academic and professional goals.

Selection process: The committee will review all proposals and select recipients based on their CV, the relevance and impact of their research in the field of health and life sciences, as well as their motivation to participate in the summer school. The selection is based on the quality of the application and, in the case of ex-aequo, on the “first come, first served” principle until all places are filled. The winners of the scholarships will be notified at the end of the selection and will be entitled to a refund of the registration fee of €600.

Special Sponsorship Application Deadline: July 30, 2024

More info on AIHLS site

Go to the registration page

Palermo, 14 giu. – “Ritengo oggi essenziale portare il paradigma della medicina di precisione a livello istituzionale. Intravedo le sfide nel campo regolatorio, sfide tese ad agevolare da parte del clinico, prescrizioni adattate alle caratteristiche individuali di ogni paziente, per il paziente basate su dati biologici completi. Non si tratterà solo di autorizzare farmaci sulla base di regole diverse rispetto alle attuali, ma di applicare nuovi approcci anche nel contesto della produzione, della formulazione dei farmaci, dei trainer clinici e in un cambio di paradigma globale che si avvarrà del digitale, dell’intelligenza artificiale, del data science, oltre che delle amiche a cui siamo già abituati a pensare”.Così il presidente dell’Aifa, Robert Giovanni Nisticò, intervenendo a Palermo, al “Forum nazionale sulla medicina di precisione” in corso fino al 15 giugno, tra il cinema Rouge e Noir in piazza Giuseppe Verdi, a Villa Filippina in piazza San Francesco di Paola e presso il complesso Monumentale dello Steri in piazza Marina. L’evento è organizzato dalla fondazione Heal Italia, di cui l’Università degli Studi di Palermo è socio fondatore, sotto l’egida del Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca. Il progetto Heal Italia (Health Extended Alliance for Innovative Therapies, Advanced Lab-research, and Integrated Approches of Precision Medicine) ha ricevuto un importante finanziamento, da parte del Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca, pari a 118 milioni di euro nell’ambito del Pnrr Missione 4 – Componente 2 “Dalla ricerca all’impresa”. Il polo opera per la ricerca nell’ambito della salute e al suo interno include più di 40 partner tra cui Università, società farmaceutiche e digitali, piccole e medie imprese e Irccs, Istituti di ricerca e cura. L’Università degli Studi di Palermo è il coordinatore del polo stesso attraverso la direzione scientifica del professore Giorgio Stassi.”Ho chiesto di attivare – ha proseguito – il seno all’agenzia, un tavolo di lavoro dedicato alla medicina di precisione a cui siederanno le principali società scientifiche, gli ordini dei medici e le associazioni dei pazienti per sensibilizzare le istituzioni politiche rispetto al modello paradigma della medicina di precisione, la cui applicazione alle diverse aree cliniche è mirata a pazienti fragili, cronici, anziani e potrebbe in ultimo portare un elevato rapporto tra benefici e costi”, conclude Nisticò.

A Palermo si è aperto il Forum nazionale sulla medicina di precisione organizzato da Heal Italia. Ricercatori e scienziati provenienti da tutta Italia a confronto fino al 15 giugno

Si è aperto stamattina, con i saluti del rettore dell’Università di Palermo, Massimo Midiri, il “Forum nazionale sulla medicina di precisione” che si terrà, fino al 15 giugno, tra il cinema Rouge e Noir, Villa Filippina e presso il complesso Monumentale dello Steri. L’evento è organizzato dalla fondazione Heal Italia, di cui l’Università degli Studi di Palermo è socio fondatore, sotto l’egida del Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca. Al centro del forum le tecnologie digitali applicate al dato sanitario, la lotta al divario territoriale tra Nord e Sud in tema di accessibilità ai sistemi di ricerca e di cura all’avanguardia e l’applicazioni di intelligenza artificiale per la realizzazione di modelli di diagnosi precoci.
“Gran parte dei pazienti sono costretti a migrare per accedere a terapie d’eccellenza. Oggi si parla di un occhio rivolto alle nuove tecnologie in ambito terapeutico, ma si parla anche del nuovo approccio farmaceutico che potrebbe diventare una opportunità per lo sviluppo. Grazie al lavoro interno e ai collegamenti con le università e i centri che hanno voluto darci fiducia, si può fare molto. Mi auguro che questo progetto potrà portare ad un tassello innovativo nello sviluppo di questa terra – ha detto il rettore dell’Università di Palermo, Massimo Midiri – noi stiamo lavorando per dare un messaggio preciso ai nostri giovani: restate al Sud e investite al Sud perché se continuiamo così, con questo trend, nel 2050 saranno andati via dalla Sicilia migliaia di giovani. Questo progetto, invece, potrebbe consentire ai ragazzi di restare al Sud e di investire il proprio futuro in questa terra”.
Il progetto Heal Italia (Health Extended Alliance for Innovative Therapies, Advanced Lab-research, and Integrated Approches of Precision Medicine) ha ricevuto un importante finanziamento, da parte del Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca, pari a 118 milioni di euro nell’ambito del Pnrr Missione 4 – Componente 2 “Dalla ricerca all’impresa”. Il polo opera per la ricerca nell’ambito della salute e al suo interno include più di 40 partner tra cui Università, società farmaceutiche e digitali, piccole e medie imprese e Irccs, Istituti di ricerca e cura. L’Università degli Studi di Palermo ha il ruolo di coordinamento, attraverso la direzione scientifica del professore Giorgio Stassi.
“La medicina di precisione è un approccio emergenziale, utile prima per la prevenzione e poi per la cura delle malattie – spiega il direttore scientifico del progetto di Heal Italia Giorgio Stassi – la medicina di precisione prende in considerazione l’ambiente e lo stile di vita, quindi anche l’ambiente lavorativo o l’ambiente dove viviamo, se è più o meno inquinato. Partendo da quella che è la diagnosi e da quelli che sono i bio marcatori specifici per la risposta in merito alla malattia, e non solo malattie come il cancro ma anche malattie rare. Attraverso la medicina di precisione possiamo cambiare quello che è il ruolo del medico, ridurre le diversità e abbracciare la corte degli individui senza disparità”.
“Oggi i cittadini chiedono trattamenti più personalizzati e sistemi e cure efficaci in modo da abbattere il divario tra Nord a Sud – spiega Laura Leonardis, presidente del coordinamento di Heal Italia – il Pnrr richiama alla capacità di riequilibrare questo divario tra Nord e Sud e adesso il nostro obiettivo è che gli individui si sentano dentro un’unica categoria allargata”.
La seconda giornata di studi si terrà domani, sempre al cinema Rouge et Noir, a partire dalle 9. Ad aprirla sarà, in collegamento da remoto il presidente dell’Aifa, Robert Giovanni Nisticò.

We are pleased to share Minister Schillaci’s greetings with you (attached).

Greeting message from the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci
National forum on precision medicine
The Heal Italia model and the contribution of research to the healthcare system of the future

13-15 June 2024

I would like to address my greetings to the Rector Massimo Midiri, to the Councilor for Health Giovanna Volo and all the participants in the National Forum on precision medicine, an important opportunity to promote innovation and excellence in the medical field. Precision medicine is configured as a revolutionary paradigm, capable of offering increasingly personalized and effective therapeutic solutions for patients. From this perspective, the Heal Italia model, thanks to the ability to connect the best skills and resources, to the contamination between knowledge and the holistic and multidisciplinary approach, will allow us to reach new frontiers for our healthcare system. The topics addressed in this Forum – from artificial intelligence to digital health, from personalized medicine to pharmaceutical development – are of crucial importance for outlining the contours of a healthcare system that is increasingly efficient, fair and in step with the challenges of the present and the future . Of course, sharing knowledge and skills will be the key to creating a future in which precision medicine is a concrete reality for all citizens. I wish everyone good luck in their work.

HEAL ITALIA is the first national supply chain dedicated to scientific and technological research and the development of innovations in the Life Science field, with targeted reference to Precision Medicine. Advanced research in the field of diagnostics and innovative therapies, with integrated approaches of translational and precision medicine involving applications in every disciplinary field, is carried out through an investment program financed by the Ministry of University and Research within the PNRR – Mission 4 Component 2 “From research to business”. With a holistic and highly interdisciplinary approach, HEAL ITALIA research avails itself of the collaboration of over 500 researchers from 25 public and private institutions organized in multi-regional and interconnected research groups that operate in eight inter-regional networks (Spokes) covering all areas of interest of the supply chain: omics sciences, digital technologies applied to healthcare data, development of predictive models, early and precision diagnostics, innovative and personalized therapeutic approaches, development of devices, prevention strategies and clinical applications.

• The PNRR and the fight against the North-South territorial divide in terms of accessibility to cutting-edge research and treatment systems
• Omic Sciences in Personalized Medicine: how management changes of complex and multifactorial diseases
• Artificial Intelligence applications for predictive models, early diagnosis and targeted therapies
• Technologies 5.0 for Digital Health: Synergies and Perspectives
• Precision Medicine as a new engine for the Pharmaceuticals of the future

Ecco la live della giornata di presentazione dei bandi HEAL ITALIA avvenuta il 12 Dicembre 2023 presso la sede di Sicindustria Palermo

Nell’ambito del Programma di ricerca del Partenariato Esteso “Health Extended ALliance for Innovative Therapies, Advanced Lab-research, and Integrated Approaches of Precision Medicine” – HEAL ITALIA, si annuncia un evento per la presentazione degli 8 Bandi a cascata legati agli altrettanti Spoke trattati dalla Fondazione; il tutto è ospitato da Sicindustria giorno 12-12-2023 alle ore 09:30. Verrà anche trasmessa una diretta su YouTube dove il pubblico online avrà uno spazio dedicato per porre delle domande in chat.

Professor Ivana Pibiri has received an invitation to attend as a Keynote speaker at the first Caparica International Conference on Prescriptionomics and Precision Medicine 2024, held from 10 to 13 May 2024 in Caparica, Lisbon, Portugal.

The conference featured leading experts in this field, including plenary speakers Benedikt Brors of the German Center for Cancer Research, Rong Fan of the Yale School of Medicine, Anil Korkut of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Forest White of the MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine.

In addition to the keynote speech entitled “Fighting Nonsense by Next-Gen Therapeutics: a Precision Medicine Approach Based on Translational Readthrough Inducing Drugs.”, a further contribution from Professor Pibiri’s research group was the poster entitled: “Identification of new Translational Readthrough Inducing Drugs”, authors: D. Ricci,A. Peace, M. Tutone,  C. Rizzo, I. Fiduccia,  E. Vitale, I. Cruciata,  F. Corrao,  R. Melfi, L. Lentini,I. Pibiri. The contribution presented by doctoral student Davide Ricci, in the second year of his PhD in Molecular and Biomolecular Sciences, who won the award for best poster at the Conference.

The conference was strongly focused on precision medicine, the primary objective of the Heal Italia network. And it was conceived to be an exclusive event, with no more than 150 participants. This deliberate limitation of size with the aim of ensuring the presence of pioneers in the field of prescriptomics and precision medicine. The goal was to create a focused, high-level environment conducive to fostering new collaborations and building teams that will drive future advances in this innovative area of ​​medical research and practice. This approach underlines the conference’s commitment to advancing the frontiers of precision medicine and prescriptomics.

The importance of prescriptomics and precision medicine in the 21st century is highlighted by advances in mass spectrometry, omics technologies and artificial intelligence. Prescriptomics is an emerging field that focuses on the complex interplay between genetics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and epigenetics and their impact on the efficacy, safety, and response to prescription drugs and precision medicine. This approach goes beyond conventional methods, aiming for a transformative paradigm that allows for the precise customization of treatment strategies. This leads to minimized adverse effects and optimized therapeutic outcomes, marking a significant shift towards precise and personalized medicine.

The conference covered various topics, including the use of omics technologies for diagnostic purposes, sample collection and manipulation techniques, effective patient follow-up strategies, bioinformatics, leveraging artificial intelligence to improve the accuracy of prescriptions, precision in prescription management and insights into precision and personalized therapies.

This event highlights the rapid evolution and importance of prescriptomics and precision medicine in contemporary healthcare, highlighting the role of cutting-edge technologies in the advancement of this field.

The pioneering research conducted by Prof. Ivana Pibiri and Laura Lentini on rare diseases has led to a profound understanding of translational readthrough inducing drugs (TRID), essential molecules capable of restoring protein synthesis compromised by nonsense mutations in DNA. Nonsense mutations, which account for approximately 11% of genetic diseases, introduce premature termination codons (PTCs) into the mRNA coding for a specific protein, resulting in premature arrest of protein synthesis.

The EMA-approved TRID Ataluren faces market suspension, underscoring the critical need for new solutions in the treatment of genetic disorders originating from nonsense mutations. Prof. Pibiri’s research has led to the identification of three new molecules, now patented and subjected to rigorous preclinical screening for various conditions including cystic fibrosis, Schwachman Diamond syndrome, primary immunodeficiency, choroideremia, hemophilia, Fabry disease and muscular dystrophy. Duchenne.

Over the years, Prof. Pibiri has obtained funding from the Italian Foundation for research on cystic fibrosis, co-directing a research group together with Prof. Laura Lentini. He currently leads his team within the PNRR HEAL ITALIA project, he is also Principal Investigator for the National PRIN Project funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (2023-2025) and Principal Investigator of the local Unit in a PNRR PoC ( 2024-2026).

Prof. Pibiri’s multidisciplinary research group includes geneticists, molecular biologists, physiologists, computational chemists and organic chemists, working collaboratively within the Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, continuing to advance significant advances in the field of rare genetic diseases, offering hope for better treatments and outcomes.

The recent research published in the well-known journal Nature Communications is the result of a multidisciplinary collaboration between numerous national and international universities and institutions. In particular, the research group of the University of Trento, coordinated by Professor Alessio Zippo and that of the University of Palermo led by Professor Matilde Todaro, together with the researcher Alice Turdo and the post-Doc Caterina D’Accardo of the Promise Department and the researcher Miriam Gaggianesi of the MePreCC department, have developed a preclinical model that mimics the onset and dissemination in secondary organs of breast cancer cells which, due to their “dormant” phenotype, are able to survive in an unfavorable environment and escape anti-inflammatory immune surveillance. -tumor. This study lays the foundations for the development of new therapies aimed at reducing the risk of recurrence in patients with breast cancer.

“Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed neoplasm and the leading cause of oncological death in women worldwide – explain the research team -. Although in Italy almost 60 thousand new cases were diagnosed in 2023, thanks to early diagnosis and the effectiveness of treatments, the five-year survival rate of breast cancer patients reaches approximately 87%. On the contrary, tumors diagnosed at an advanced stage are less susceptible to traditional therapies and are often associated with recurrences within two years after diagnosis. Furthermore, approximately 20% of patients with a localized tumor sensitive to hormone therapy have a reappearance of the disease at 15 years. This phenomenon is responsible for minimal residual disease, caused by the presence of “dormant” disseminated tumor cells to colonize in distant organs and persist in a latent state before giving rise to metastasis. Numerous studies have highlighted that the adaptation of tumor cells to external stimuli, through epigenetic reprogramming, plays a central role in the progression of cancer. and in the formation of metastases”.

“Thanks to the experience acquired over the years by our group in preclinical research, we have recreated a model that mimics the onset and metastatic progression of breast tumors in order to study the role of disseminated cells, responsible for minimal residual disease – declares Miriam Gaggianesi of the MePreCC department – ​​The possibility of being able to characterize these cells at a molecular level could lead to the development of personalized therapies”.

“One of the main causes of the reappearance of the disease is the inability of the immune system to recognize and therefore hinder the spread of tumor cells present in the metastatic organ – declare doctors Alice Turdo and Caterina d’Accardo (Promise department) – The possibility being able to enhance immunosurveillance is in fact one of the new frontiers in the panorama of anti-tumor therapies”.

“The multidisciplinary collaboration between various national and international groups from Australia, Canada, America, Spain and Italy represents an important step forward in the study and control of metastases – underlines Professor Matilde Todaro of the Promise department -. This study, the result of joint effort of researchers from different disciplines has contributed significantly to the understanding and management of dormant breast cancer metastases. The contribution of young researchers has been fundamental in this process and their enthusiasm has enriched the research. leading to new perspectives and innovative solutions. Thanks to their openness to collaboration and sharing of knowledge it has been possible to overcome the complex challenges related to the study of dormant metastases, it is essential that researchers from different disciplines work together , integrating their skills to effectively address the problem. This synergy between experts has made it possible to take a significant step towards the defeat or control of metastases, offering new hope in the fight against metastatic breast cancer.” Funding from Airc projects was used to conduct the study.

Source: PalermoToday

UNIMIB offers a new advanced training course “The power of advanced multiplexed imaging: cost-effective strategies for benchtop spatial biology”. More info in the attachment.

The event “Research and Technological Transfer for the growth of digital skills for the development of territories” will be held on 23 April at the Steri Monumental Complex (Piazza Marina 61). More information and the program in the poster.

A train journey for the prevention and treatment of rare diseases with stops at the railway stations of the Marche. This is what is promoted, on the occasion of the World Day dedicated to Rare Diseases (29 February 2024), by the Medical Clinic of the Marche University Hospital, in collaboration with the Regional Department of Transport, Trenitalia and the Italian Group Fighting Scleroderma , and with the patronage of the Executive, the Council and the Equal Opportunities Commission of the Marche Region, as well as the Polytechnic University of Marche.

The Rector of the University of Palermo, Massimo Midiri, and the General Director of BI-REX, Stefano Cattorini, have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at technical-scientific cooperation with the aim of generating value for the territory of the Sicily Region and the Emilia-Romagna and new growth factors for the City of Palermo and regional ecosystems, through the implementation of projects consistent with scientific excellence and the needs of local businesses.
On the occasion of the signing, the start-up plan for the activities and services was defined which UniPa and BI-REX, in collaboration with the regional administration and employers’ associations, will make available to businesses and local authorities through the opening of an office BI-REX operational in Palermo in spaces made available by the University, an important meeting point aimed at providing services for the digitalisation of businesses co-financed by PNRR funds.
“The opening of a BI-REX operational headquarters in Palermo has a strategic importance with a high impact for companies in the South and Sicily – declares Stefano Cattorini, General Director of BI-REX – BI-REX, by virtue of the PNRR funds awarded by MIMIT, will be able to provide subsidized services with state aid to Sicilian companies in the form of innovative 4.0 services at subsidized rates. The axis generated with the University of Palermo is of fundamental importance for the provision of these services, in terms of research applied to industry, local skills activated, state-of-the-art technologies present in the University laboratories , all assets with enormous added value that will be put at the service of businesses, local authorities and healthcare”.
“The collaboration with the BI-REX Competence Center represents a further step forward towards the creation of a system of specialist skills in areas relating to the enabling technologies of Industry 5.0, such as Big Data systems and Artificial Intelligence, and towards the creation of a new and integrated plan of activities to support technological transfer which will be active in the coming months and usable by our students and researchers and the entire territory” – underlines Massimo Midiri, Rector of the University of Palermo.
The University of Palermo and BI-REX are already consolidated partners in various initiatives in national and European projects linked to the PNRR and National Complementary Plan. In the panorama of Precision Medicine, with the HEAL ITALIA project (Health Extended ALLiance for Innovative Therapies, Advanced Lab-research, and Integrated Approaches of Precision Medicine) and in the DARE project (DigitAl lifelong pRevEntion) which will instead leverage the enormous potential of data to improve the tools and knowledge aimed at defining, monitoring and predicting health trajectories with a view to prevention.
BI-REX and UniPa will work together to develop a strategy aimed at enhancing its planning heritage and the development of the territory, the attraction of investments and the use of resources intended for the University, local authorities and businesses.
To this end, the respective technical-scientific resources may be shared to jointly develop development projects in the sectors of common interest, facilitating procedures between the institutions aimed at achieving common objectives.
Within the framework of the agreement, workshops are already being planned to present the services jointly provided to businesses and institutions, as well as cultural and study initiatives, technical-scientific comparisons, restitution to the territory and public engagement.
BI-REX will facilitate the University’s dialogue with its member companies and between these and Sicilian companies, through the involvement of Sicilian employers’ associations, also with the aim of promoting curricular internships and industrial and research doctorates and in the planning of specific lines of research related to the enabling technologies of Industry 5.0.
BI-REX will also support activities related to the digital transition of SMEs, start-ups, Sicilian local authorities through demonstration and training actions and services, test before investment, technology transfer and best practices, business acceleration and creation, access to funding for R&D projects.
In turn, the University of Palermo will make available its wealth of basic and applied research in fields of common interest to enhance the analysis, interpretation, evaluation and decision-making capacity of the technological and entrepreneurial system and to achieve matching between know-how needs in order to arrive at an organizational model focused on the transfer and promotion of technological innovation 4.0.

– Picture: press office University of Palermo
(ITALPRESS).

The importance of cancer prevention and scientific research to identify new treatments to deal with this still too widespread disease are the main objective pursued by IRCCS Mario Negri, partner of Heal Italia. 

The Institute studies a wide range of tumors, with particular attention to gynecological ones, sarcomas, thoracic tumors (lung, mesotheliomas), pancreatic tumors, rare tumors such as thymomas.

«Thinking about the recent results, precisely in the context of this rare tumor of the thoracic cavity which affects one person in a million every year, – explains Massimo Broggini Head of the Department of Experimental Oncology – in 2023 we obtained significant results with the Relevent study, which managed, thanks to the participation of several Italian hospitals, to involve 41 Italian patients with advanced thymic carcinoma, showing promising results in the use of the drug ramucirumab in addition to standard chemotherapy, with a response exceeding expectations.”

«A second study presented at the Esmo oncology congress in Madrid – continues Valter Torri, Head of the Department of Clinical Oncology – concerns endometrial cancer. The Attend study, which involved 551 patients, demonstrated that the combined use of the immunotherapy atezolizumab with chemotherapy improves survival in patients with metastatic and recurrent endometrial cancer.”

2024 starts in the name of new techniques and instruments that the Institute has implemented. The use of gene therapy via CRISPR, a powerful technique that acts like a real molecular scissors, will be the tool to understand which genes are crucial for tumor growth. Another challenge that will see researchers engaged in 2024 is to understand the timing of the onset of resistance to drug treatment, carefully monitoring how the effectiveness of drugs decreases over time.

Thanks to the development of systems that allow the evaluation, in a single experiment, of the anti-tumor activity of over 2,500 molecules already approved and used to treat various pathologies, Oncology departments will be able to open up new perspectives in the anti-tumor field by encouraging the rapid use of drugs already known in other contexts.

Source: Corriere della Sera Bergamo

Heal Italia participates with Dr. Ivana Pibiri at the Prescriptomics 2024 Congress. The importance of prescriptomics and precision medicine in the 21st century is highlighted by advances in mass spectrometry, omics technologies and artificial intelligence. Prescriptomics is an emerging field that focuses on the complex interplay between genetics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and epigenetics and their impact on the efficacy, safety, and response to prescription drugs and precision medicine. This approach goes beyond conventional methods, aiming for a transformative paradigm that allows for the precise customization of treatment strategies. This leads to minimized adverse effects and optimized therapeutic outcomes, marking a significant shift towards precise and personalized medicine. The first Caparica International Conference on Prescriptomics and Precision Medicine 2024, scheduled for May 2024 in Caparica, Portugal, will feature leading experts in this field. Plenary speakers include Benedikt Brors of the German Center for Cancer Research, Rong Fan of the Yale School of Medicine, Anil Korkut of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Forest White of the MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine. Keynote speakers such as Nikos Tapinos of Brown University, Russel Rockne of the Beckman Research Institute in City of Hope, Yue Lu of the University of Utah, Albert Grinshpun of the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Ritambhara Singh also of Brown University, and Alexander Xu of Cedars- Sinai Medical Center will contribute their opinions.

The Heal Italia Foundation has approved the 2024/26 Gender Equality Plan.

The Gender Equality Plan 2024/26 drawn up by the working group of the Heal Italia Foundation was approved by resolution of the Board of Directors on 21 November 2023 and resolution of the Council of Founding Members on 21 December 2023. A plan that places gender equality at the center as an extraordinary engine of growth and as one of the most relevant and urgent cornerstones of the development and progress agenda of societies. In line with what was established by the United Nations through the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 and as reiterated by the European Union through the “Strategic Engagement on Gender Equality for the five-year period 2020-2025”.
The Heal Italia Foundation, in order to promote gender equality, in addition to the actions already undertaken, will activate reward measures aimed at promoting studies and research on gender issues also through the establishment of a dedicated fund, and by starting fundraising activities internal and external for the establishment of research grants and post-doc scholarships on gender issues. Furthermore, Heal Italia will adopt a code of ethics and conduct for the prevention of violence, harassment and discrimination.

The Foundation will also organize awareness and dissemination information events and the creation of a web space on its website also to be able to receive reports “in a confidential manner” from all staff who work directly/indirectly within the Heal Italia network.

The Foundation thanks Professor Caterina Ventimiglia for her precious collaboration in the drafting of the GEP Heal Italia.

The complete text of the approved document is attached (IT)

Massimo Dominici, Director of the Complex Oncology Structure, Full Professor of Oncology and Director of the Cellular Therapies Laboratories, one of the spoke leaders of the Heal Italia Foundation (FHI) participated in the first international symposium on innovative therapies in Morocco. This is an event of international importance for the Mediterranean basin which saw the presence of FHI within a broader project of international collaborations. We talked about cell therapies, 3D models for studying tumors and the microbiome, all topics that find important critical mass in FHI, allowing us to launch “outreach” projects for FHI researchers. Attached is the PDF of the conference.

Previews on the scientific focuses of the Heal Italia Calls have just been published. The summary table is attached.

The Call, whose publication is scheduled for the first week of December 2023, provides for the selection of project proposals to be financed on the national territory for the strengthening of the Precision Medicine Supply Chain within the “Health Extended ALLiance” Extended Partnership research programme. for Innovative Therapies, Advanced Lab-research, and Integrated Approaches of Precision Medicine” – HEAL ITALIA, using the resources of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) Mission 4 “Education and Research” – Component 2 “From Research to Business ” – Investment 1.3, financed by the European Union – NextGenerationUE – pursuant to the Public Notice of the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) n. 341 of 15.03.2022

Eight Calls promoted by the Heal Italia Foundation, implementing body of the Health Extended ALliance for Innovative Therapies, Advanced Lab-research, and Integrated Approaches of Precision Medicine (HEAL ITALIA) Project are arriving.

HEAL ITALIA Cascading Calls

The Call, whose publication is scheduled for the first week of December 2023, provides for the selection of project proposals to be financed on the national territory for the strengthening of the Precision Medicine Supply Chain within the “Health Extended ALLiance” Extended Partnership research programme. for Innovative Therapies, Advanced Lab-research, and Integrated Approaches of Precision Medicine” – HEAL ITALIA, using the resources of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) Mission 4 “Education and Research” – Component 2 “From Research to Business ” – Investment 1.3, financed by the European Union – NextGenerationUE – pursuant to the Public Notice of the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) n. 341 of 15.03.2022

Of the overall budget of the Project, an amount equal to €11,470,000.00 will be used in Cascading Calls, with a percentage share of 75% to be allocated to Southern Italy, open to the participation of parties external to the HEAL ITALIA Partnership, who with their own contribution are able to promote an increasingly specialized and integrated system of skills for Precision Medicine.

The manager of the Call is the Spoke Leader, in collaboration with the Hub and therefore, the publication of eight Calls issued by the eight public Spokes is expected.

Specific objectives of the Calls

The HEAL ITALIA program promotes a scheme based on cascade funding to support Proof-of-Concept (PoC) projects with industrial research and experimental development processes involving companies, specialized clinical centers, IRCCS, healthcare companies, organizations research institutions, Foundations, Consortium Companies, SMEs, start-ups, spin-offs and other entities interested in the creation/implementation of valorization and acceleration programs activated by the spokes and managed in collaboration with the HUB.

The objective is to increase the levels of technicological maturity (TRL – Technology Readiness Levels) envisaged by the HEAL ITALIA Programme through the involvment of subjects external to the Extended Partnership, strongly interested in introducing/implementing significant innovations that act as a trailblazer and/or as a tool for accelerating and specializing the activities carried out by the Spokes for the search for technologically advanced solutions, in relation to products, processes, and services transferable to the areas of intervention of the Precision Medicine.

The Call aims to support proposals relating to activities that envisage reaching a level of technological maturity TRL > 3. Support therefore from the early research phases, mainly referring to the development/implementation of technologies with extremely advanced content, including conceptual verification and prototypes for the validation of the technology, demonstration activities for pilot projects and feasibility studies also in order to be able to evaluate high potential activities and support the creation of spin-offs and start-ups.

Main thematic areas covered 

In line with the Mission of the HEAL ITALIA Research Program carried out by Spokes, the publication of eight Calls is expecte to focus on multiple lines – industrial research targets and experimental development for innovative project proposals aimed also through technological transfer at the implementation of technological innovations 4.0 applied to Precision Medicine.

Who can partecipate

Subjects external to the HEAL ITALIA extended partnership identified as: Public Administrations are eligible to present projects for recognition of the contribution envisaged by the Notice; Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), innovative startups; Large companies (GI), foreign companies, national health service bodies, universities and bodies supervised by the MUR, research organizations registered with the ANR, public and private foundations registered with the ANR, consortium companies and consortia international significance.

The application for participation can be submitted either individually or in association (from a minimum of two to a maximum of four subjects). Participation in cascade calls is not permitted for individuals who hold the role of Hub, Spoke or Affiliate of the HEAL ITALIA project within the proposed role.

Each call promoted by the Spoke will be able to finance a number of projects consistent with the allocated budget.

Maximum duration

The duration of implementation of the project cannot exceed 18 months starting from the date of signing of the mandatory contract, following the admission decision. The activities must be completed by September 2025. 

Financial allocation 

The overall financial allocation for the cascade calls promoted by Spoke in collaboration with the Hub is equal to €11.470.000, €8.540.000 are dedicated to the South.

Territorial Area

The projects admitted to the subsidy must be carried out and/or registered in the local unit of the beneficiary and located in the national territory and for the Southern area, i.e. in Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily and Sardinia.

Concessions available

The benefits of the Call are granted in the form of a direct contribution to expenses.

For businesses, the maximum grantable amount of the relief will be calculated on the basis of the size of the business in accordance with European legislation on “State Aid”.

THE ORGANIZATION OF AN INFORMATION DAY IS PLANNED

Professor Ivana Pibiri of the Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies of the University of Palermo, among the researchers of the Heal Italia group, was awarded by the Italian Association of Women Inventors and Innovators (ITWIIN) with one of the six prizes awarded up for grabs as part of the 2023 edition of the “ITWIIN Award”.

ITWIIN Award is a competition aimed at women of Italian nationality, or residents and working in the national territory, who are entrepreneurs, professionals registered with their professional association or researchers in public or private structures. The competition aims to enhance the professional successes of creative and active women in the fields of research, technology transfer and innovative business.

Ivana Pibiri won the Innovation Award, for her important contribution in academic research and precision medicine, for the development of innovative technologies in the treatment of genetic pathologies, including cystic fibrosis and other rare diseases.

In allegato la graduatoria dei progetti finanziati nell’ambito del Bando a cascata HEAL Italia, Spoke 3.
Pubblicata sull’albo ufficiale con N. 95893 del 06/10/2024 (2024-UNPACLE-0095893)

Il Bando dello Spoke 7 proroga la scadenza al 30.05.2024 alle ore 12.00 (esclusivamente per la Tematica 3).
Maggiori informazioni nel file in allegato o al seguente link dell’ateneo.

La Fondazione Heal Italia ha pubblicato una manifestazione di interesse per un Operatore Economico per erogazione di servizi in materia legale.

Maggiori informazioni nella pagina degli avvisi.

La Fondazione Heal Italia ha pubblicato una manifestazione di interesse per un Operatore Economico per erogazione di servizi in materia legale e di gestione della Privacy.

Maggiori informazioni nella pagina degli avvisi.

La scadenza della Tematica 1 del Bando a cascata dello Spoke 3 – Unipa è prorogata al 29.02.2024. Tutte le altre tematiche del bando rimangono inattive come da precedente scadenza. Per maggiori informazioni visita la pagina del bando e scarica l’allegato.

La Fondazione Heal Italia proroga la scadenza del Bando per la manifestazione di interesse per la ricerca di un Operatore Economico per erogazione di servizi in materia di bandi a cascata per le attività della Fondazione a supporto degli spoke. La proroga è al 14 Febbraio 2024 ore 10.00.

Maggiori informazioni nella pagina degli avvisi.

La Fondazione Heal Italia ha pubblicato una manifestazione di interesse per una figura a cui dare affidamento di servizi di gestione e rendicontazione attraverso il conferimento di un incarico di Prestazione d’Opera Intellettuale.

Maggiori informazioni nella pagina degli avvisi.

La Fondazione Heal Italia ha pubblicato una manifestazione di interesse per un Operatore Economico per erogazione di servizi in materia di bandi a cascata per le attività della Fondazione a supporto degli spoke.

Maggiori informazioni nella pagina degli avvisi.

Sarà possibile inviare ulteriori quesiti sui Bandi a Cascata entro e non oltre il 31.01.2024.

Il Bando dello Spoke 5 proroga ulteriormente la scadenza al 12/02/2024.

Heal Italia ha selezionato tre bandi in target agli obiettivi della fondazione. A seguire i link:

ICPERMED
Spoke 3: Neurodegeneration
Scoperta Imprenditoriale

Il Bando dello Spoke 1 proroga la scadenza al 12/02/2024.

Il Bando dello Spoke 4 proroga la scadenza al 12/02/2024, mentre il Bando dello Spoke 7 proroga al 12/02/2024.

Il Bando dello Spoke 5 proroga la scadenza al 26/01/2024, mentre il Bando dello Spoke 6 proroga al 12/02/2024.