Pneumology, the recipes of young researchers

How is it possible to improve the quality of care for patients suffering from respiratory diseases? The Italian Association of Hospital Pulmonologists (AIPO) asked young researchers and clinicians, doctors who treat these patients every day and who, better than others, know what is really needed. The call took the form of a call for tender entitled “Original projects on the management of pneumological patients aimed at improving the quality of care”, to which doctors and specialists in respiratory diseases under 45 were called to respond. they were asked to present original and innovative experiences capable of enhancing original research projects, new technologies, counseling programs, but also educational programs aimed at patients and/or caregivers.

“This initiative aims to encourage and enhance research, particularly in young people, and present new ideas relating to the improvement of management and treatment of two chronic pathologies with a high epidemiology, such as Severe Asthma and COPD”, says Mauro Carone, National President of the AIPO-ITS. “Initiatives such as that of the AIPO-ITS call also allow various Italian researchers to be brought into contact on the national territory, with a view to creating a network in the hope that this interaction can contribute to establishing a stable group of Italian research. As evidence of the level and quality of the 39 projects presented, whether they were focused on research or on the attempt to improve care, establishing the two winning projects was not easy”.

A national jury of experts selected the 10 best original projects out of the 39 that participated in the competition. The winner was Remo Poto of the University of Naples Federico II with “Extracellular Neutrophil Traps (NETs): possible biomarkers of T2-low asthma”. The second winner was instead Francesco Salton of the Giuliano Isontina University Health Authority with “Home multiparametric telemonitoring with a single device of patients discharged after exacerbation of COPD”. The presentation of the awards took place in recent days in Milan in a setting of great innovation and sustainability such as the AstraZeneca headquarters in the Milan MIND area.

“We are very happy to have supported this successful initiative, as evidenced by the large number of proposals, all of the highest scientific value, which have been presented. The decision to support the AIPO call is emblematic of AstraZeneca’s commitment to research and of our desire to encourage the ideas of young researchers also in the pneumological field and support them in the realization of their research results by rewarding the most deserving projects judged by a commission independent – concludes Raffaela Fede, Medical Director of AstraZeneca Italy.