Researchers awarded by Roche
Support for research, today more than ever, must be the priority for our country, because as we have seen in these almost two years of pandemic, research and science are the only weapons to bring about a real recovery and make the system sustainable and equitably accessible health.
Vision totally shared by Roche Foundation which confirms the commitment to support independent research and to enhance the work of young Italian researchers, rewarding the 8 researchers under 40 winners of the fifth edition of the “Roche Foundation for independent research” with a grant of 400 thousand euros and launching the new edition. The winning projects, selected and evaluated by the prestigious partner Springer Nature and announced today at the Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Foundation during the ceremony presented by Laura Chimenti, aim to improve the health and well-being of patients in various high-need areas.
The announcement
Since its launch, over 3 million euros have been allocated, achieving growing success with the public: more than 2000 projects have been presented and 48 have been funded so far. The winning researchers awarded today, 6 female researchers and 2 researchers under 40, come from different Italian research institutes: Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) Foundation, Italian Lymphoma Foundation Onlus, Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research IRCCS, University of Eastern Piedmont, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, University of Florence and University of Milan. The winners were awarded a grant of 50,000 euros each for the realization of their project in: oncology, oncological hematology, hereditary coagulation diseases, neuroscience, rheumatology, respiratory diseases, SARS-COV2 and doctor-patient relationship.
Convinced that the promotion of collaboration between public and private is able to make the difference for an increasingly personalized approach to medical therapy, the Foundation has confirmed also for the 2021 edition the funding of another 8 research projects with grants of the value of 50 thousand euros each, providing however a revision of the therapeutic areas: to the traditional areas of oncology, oncological hematology, neuroscience, hereditary coagulation diseases and SARS-COV2, two special prizes are added, transversal to the six areas of the call and dedicated to topics of major news, such as digital health and personalized medicine (PHC).
The project confirms the commitment announced with the “La Roche chebbe” program which aims to ensure maximum transparency in the interaction and collaboration with the medical profession, hospitals and research institutions, the Foundation continues to guarantee this ‘year impartiality and impartiality in the evaluation and selection process of projects thanks to the collaboration with the international partner Springer Nature, leader in the world of research and scientific education.
As in the past, even for the new edition the projects can be promoted exclusively by Italian public or private bodies, non-profit, and by IRCCS. It will be possible to apply for projects in English directly on the Rocheperlaricerca website from 11 November until next 11 February 2022. The attention towards young people is confirmed, for which it is expected that the Head of the Research Project (PI, Principal Investigator) must be under 40 years of age. Also this year, the Roche Foundation has decided to leave the exclusive ownership of every invention or right generated within the research project to the participating institutions, confirming the desire to support independent research.