Award for the most innovative breakthroughs in 2010

The CNCCS Consortium is a joint venture of the Italian National Research Council (CNR), the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) and IRBM Science Park. The CNCCS aims to create a European Collection of Chemical Compounds and a “Centre of Excellence for research on rare, neglected and poverty-related diseases”.

The Consortium organized an important International Meeting on Molecular Biology Research that was held in Rome at the ‘’Auditorium of the  MAXXI Museum ’’ Via G. Reni – November 28^th and 29^th, 2011.

In collaboration with the Minister of Health Prof. Ferruccio Fazio, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Franco Frattini, the Minister of Education and Research, Prof. Francesco Profumo, the Undersecretary for Research Mr. Guido Viceconte, the President of Lazio Region Ms. Renata Polverini, the European Commissioner for Health Mr. John Dalli, the European Commissioner for Research Ms. Máire Geoghegan-Quinn,  the European Commissioner for Industry Mr. Antonio Tajani, the President of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers Mons. Zygmunt Zimowski, the President of the CNR Professor Cristina Messa, the President of  the Italian National Institute of HealthProfessor Enrico Garaci, the CHDI Foundation and Medicines for Malaria Venture, the first edition of the event took place in Rome on November 28^th and 29^th 2011 at the “MAXXI Auditorium”.

One hundred of the world’s most important molecular biology scientists were invited to the meeting as guests of the organizers.

On the first day, an “econometric study” commissioned by the Consortium and carried out by the University of Florence in collaboration with IMT Alti Studi di Lucca was presented. The study dealt with issues such as: what is the impact of research on the economic growth of the region, how to measure the economic value of patents, what is the relationship between research and the territory in which it is carried out and the countries that benefit from the results in terms of know-how.

In the afternoon, following a “lectio magistralis” held by eminent scientists, there were several talks by researchers and policy makers on research in the field of rare and neglected diseases.

On the second day, two Prizes of $ 80.000,00 each, sponsored by MSD Italy and Pfizer Italia,  were awarded to two outstanding scientists: Ruggero De Maria, Scientific Director of the Istituto Nazionale Tumori Regina Elena, and Peter Vogt, Senior Vice President Scripps Institute of di San Diego, selected by a Prize Committee composed of famous scientists from Merck &Co, Pfizer, Novartis, Harvard University, Thomas Jefferson University, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, the President of AIFA and the Nobel Prize Rita Levi Montalcini.