The new Center for biotechnology and biomedical research (CBRB) of the Ri.Med Foundationwhich will be built in Carini (Palermo), “will lead Sicily to be a beacon of research at an international level and we want to attract talent from all over the world to Sicily”. Thus to Adnkronos Salute Giulio Superti-Furga, scientific director of the Ri.Med Foundation and future director of the Cbrb, takes stock of the impact the center will have on the country. Superti-Furga will also maintain the direction of the Research Center for Molecular Medicine (Cemm) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, so as to be able to develop scientific collaborations and multidisciplinary projects between the two bodies. “The CBRB – he explains – will mainly dedicate itself to the study of the interaction between human beings and the environment. In this perspective, the research embraces a context of environmental medicine that transcends the classical approach to toxicology and pollution, including various influences and disturbances, from nutrition to viral infections, from temperature to solar radiation. This approach, increasingly defined as 'One health', includes human health, that of surrounding animal and plant species and also the health of the environment, the quality of food and more. Our goal is to intervene effectively in these areas.”
“Our strength will lie in excellence – continues Superti-Furga, who was awarded the Cross of Honor of Science by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen for the results achieved beyond the Alps, the highest honor in the fields of science and arts – The center aspires to be among the first and best in the world to act as a link between research on the fundamental processes of human-environment interaction and clinical reality, represented primarily by Ismett now and in the future by the new Ismett hospital in Carini. After decades of data and knowledge gathering, the new center will promote intense innovation in interventions. The goal is to make human beings more prepared and resilient through such interventions. The center wants to pave the way for the creation of new vaccines, drugs, heart valves, human cells and bacteria with therapeutic or diagnostic properties, new diets and tissues. Our advantage will be the interface with the culture and environment of the Mediterranean and the establishment of a true international competition, where the diversity of people and ideas is valorised in an environmental and historical context unique in Europe”.
And on the 'value of Sicily' compared to other regions: “It is a place of connections between people – he remarks – perfect for studying the relationships between man and the environment; I am thinking for example of the studies on the Mediterranean diet and those on the effects of living near the sea, all areas of research that we will develop in the new Ri.Med centre”.
How can cutting-edge biomedical research and biotechnology be translated into clinical practices and innovative products? “The challenge in the Life Sciences sector – replies Superti-Furga – increasingly focuses on the ability to effectively convert the results of scientific research into clinical applications. This process requires a marked integration of resources and skills from different fields, ranging from basic research and the preclinical development of new therapies, medical devices, biomarkers and biomaterials, up to clinical trials. It is essential that research is guided by therapeutic needs without neglecting the importance of creativity for the development of innovative solutions.” Superti-Furga has been a member of the scientific council of the European Research Council (ERC) and since 2024 has been president of Eu-Life, an alliance of 15 leading life sciences institutes supporting research excellence in Europe. He is also Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
“We are evaluating the idea of structuring the center around research focused on specific human organs, such as the brain and the liver – he further explains – to align it with the corresponding therapeutic areas. A crucial element in this process is the synergistic collaboration with our main partner, Ircss Ismett, a hospital of excellence specialized in transplants and the treatment of terminal organ diseases. The objective is to break down barriers to encourage interdisciplinarity and stimulate innovation. biodesign – explains the scientist – it emerges as a promising area of excellence, spanning from the creation of new heart valves to the production of personalized medicines. Our ambition to increase resilience in the face of major environmental challenges will increasingly orient us towards preventive and preparatory interventions. Among these, we foresee, in addition to vaccines, improvements in the environment itself, reducing negative impacts and enhancing positive ones, such as the adoption of an individual balanced diet, a healthy lifestyle, the reduction of pollution and harmful practices, and a development of the agri-food sector that is in harmony with scientific evidence and everyone's health”.
In oncology we are witnessing a moment of great effervescence, from new therapies to mRna vaccines, can Italy be a protagonist? Will the CBRB be able to attract students and researchers to Sicily, further promoting the return of 'brain drains' abroad? “In biomedical research, oncology often serves as a pioneer, and many approaches originally developed in this field have proven applicable to other therapeutic areas. An example is personalized medicine – he warns – where treatments are selected based on specific molecular characteristics of the tumor. Similarly, cell therapy, which involves engineering a patient's own cells to give them anti-tumor properties, is now used in various fields. The potential of RNA to develop vaccines of different types, as well as to provide healthy versions of missing proteins in patients' tissues is immense. The center will invest in these advanced technologies.”
“Our strategy against brain drain – explains the director of the CBRB – adopts a new approach. We do not simply aim to fill gaps, aware that closing one gap can lead to the opening of others. Our challenge is to adopt an inverse approach, attracting talent from all over the world to Sicily, thus creating a truly high-level attraction center with global reach. Job creation comes through excellence and support for innovation. The center will give life to startups, will make various new services necessary and will require schools, homes for researchers' families and training institutes for new types of professional profiles.”
“We also want existing, leading companies in the health and nutrition industries to locate near the center, for generate synergies and benefit from the skills of the talents trained by us. We envision ourselves as an ever-expanding innovation community, where talent not only stays but is attracted to new opportunities. While it may seem like a dream, we are ambitious and collaborative, determined to be a catalyst for success for all. It may take at least a few years to fully grasp the extent of the project, but we place full trust in the creativity and seriousness of the Sicilians and in the collaboration of all civil society. A project with long-term vision“, concludes Superti-Furga.
#Biotechnology #biomedical #research #SupertiFurga #Ri.Med #center #Sicily #international #beacon