This morning, with greetings from the rector of the University of Palermo, Massimo Midiri, the “National Forum on Precision Medicine” opened and will be held until June 15th between the Rouge and Noir cinemas, Villa Filippina and at the complex Steri Monumental. The event is organized by the Heal Italia foundation, of which the University of Palermo is a founding member, under the aegis of the Ministry of University and Research. At the center of the forum are digital technologies applied to healthcare data, the fight against the territorial gap between North and South in terms of accessibility to cutting-edge research and treatment systems and artificial intelligence applications for the creation of early diagnosis models .
“Most of the patients – said the rector of the University of Palermo, Massimo Midiri – they are forced to migrate to access excellent therapies. New technologies applied to the therapeutic field and innovative approaches in the pharmaceutical field represent important opportunities to respond effectively to the challenges of the future. I believe that the Heal Italia project can give a boost to the development of this land. The University of Palermo – said the rector Massimo Midiri – is working to allow our young people to stay and invest their future in the South. If we were to continue with this trend, by 2050 thousands of young people will have left Sicily. We want to reverse this trend.”
The Heal Italia project (Health Extended Alliance for Innovative Therapies, Advanced Lab-research, and Integrated Approaches of Precision Medicine) has received important funding from the Ministry of University and Research, amounting to 118 million euros within of the Pnrr Mission 4 – Component 2 “From research to business”. The hub operates for research in the health sector and includes more than 40 partners including universities, pharmaceutical and digital companies, small and medium-sized enterprises and IRCCS, research and treatment institutes. The University of Palermo has the coordinating role, through the scientific direction of Professor Giorgio Stassi.
“Precision medicine is an emergency approach, useful first for the prevention and then for the treatment of diseases – explains the scientific director of the Heal Italia project Giorgio Stassi – precision medicine takes into consideration the environment and lifestyle, therefore also the working environment or the environment where we live, whether it is more or less polluted. Starting from what the diagnosis is and what the specific bio markers are for the response regarding the disease, and not only diseases such as cancer but also rare diseases. Through precision medicine we can change the role of the doctor, reduce diversity and embrace the court of individuals without disparity”.
“Today citizens are asking for more personalized treatments and effective systems and treatments in order to break down the gap between North and South – explains Laura Leonardis, Research Manager and Director of the Foundation – the Pnrr calls for the ability to rebalance this gap between North and South and now our goal is for individuals to feel like they are part of a single, expanded category.”
The second day of studies will be held tomorrow, again at the Rouge et Noir cinema, starting at 9. It will be opened remotely by the president of AIFA, Robert Giovanni Nisticò.
