“Research, research projects, really need to be the protagonists. On this day let’s give voice to the researchers so that they can describe what they do to the rest of the university community and to all those external subjects who may be interested in exploiting results, thereby creating impact through technology transfer”.
With these words, Roberto di Pietra, Rector of the University of Siena, opened the meeting with PNRR researchers held on March 20 in the Aula Magna of the Rettorato entitled “Horizons in Research”.
“Fifty-three fixed-term researchers recruited within the PNRR, 64 million Euros, a quarter of which dedicated to recruitment, research grants and scholarships and positions for technologists, 28 million in purchases, including more than 17 million for equipment, are just some of the numbers that describe the importance of this opportunity”– highlighted Professor Donata Medaglini, pro-rector and rector’s delegate to the PNRR. “For our researchers, these years must represent a springboard for building a career and a bright future at the national and international level. With this day and similar ones that we will organize in the coming months, we wish to provide opportunities to get to know each other and create new collaborations, and to effectively share the large investments made in instrumentation and technologies”.
“After the moment of listening and discussion – concluded Dott. Donata Franzi, head of the University’s Research and Technology Transfer Division – we invite you to visit our offices and bring us your research and technology transfer ideas. We can provide support and are available for targeted meetings and for evaluating together the exploitation potential of the projects you are working on”.
The floor was then passed to the researchers who presented preliminary data and reported on the progress and future prospects of the projects they are working on. The many topics and ideas stimulated much interaction and interest: from precision medicine, personalized therapies and the study of new vaccines, solutions for antibiotic resistance and the development of new therapeutic strategies, to the analysis of metabolic profiles using artificial intelligence, assisted robotics and smart nanovectors for therapy and diagnostics, as well as the study of contaminants in marine ecosystems, biodiversity and statistical methodologies, sustainability performance of agricultural SMEs, characterization of the geographical origin of agricultural products and studies on the ultra- high energy universe and archaeology.
The presented projects are part of the National Centre for Gene Therapy and Drug Development with RNA Technology, the Expanded Emerging Infectious Disease Partnership, the Tuscany Life Sciences and Technology Innovation Ecosystem, the National Centre for Biodiversity, the National Centre for Agriculture Technology, the Cherenkov Telescope Array Plus Research Infrastructure, and the PNRR MSCA Young Researchers.
The researchers and moderators who spoke, and the titles of all projects, are reported in the initiative’s flyer:.
The day was organized within the broader framework of the National Universities Day “Universities Unveiled” established by CRUI under the patronage of the Ministry of Universities
and Research.
Here is the message issued on the occasion by Minister Anna Maria Bernini and also screened in Siena’s Aula Magna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFblPGIUXac.