download report - Istituto Pasteur

Forward
The Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti is a private non-profit foundation which
was established according to the terms of the bequest of Princess Beatrice Fiorenza Cenci
Bolognetti to Sapienza-University of Rome for the general purpose of encouraging scientific
research in the area of pasteurian sciences and specifically for founding a Pasteur Institute in
Rome. Since 1970 the Institute has been part of a global network of Pasteur Institutes known
as Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur et Instituts Associés.
The research activity of the Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti is committed to
studying the mechanisms that regulate the basic processes of life. This mission is pursued
through the funding of research projects, the award of fellowships and the organization of scientific
meetings and seminars.
At a time when attention of granting agencies and science policy makers in Italy and Europe is
largely focused towards application, it should not be forgotten that important breakthroughs in
biology and medicine often originated form curiosity driven research. Starting from this premise,
the Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti has concentrated on the selection of applications
exclusively on scientific merit, without bias for application. Our scientific programmes
reflect this philosophy. The research projects illustrated in this Report of activity were selected by
a peer review system based on highly qualified international referees, to whom we are very grateful.
The general themes witness a modern interpretation of the sciences pasteuriennes, with adherence
to the mission of the Foundation.
Training young researchers has always been a top priority of the Foundation, which is achieved
by: i) providing fellowships to work abroad as well as at the Sapienza-University of Rome, ii) cofunding
the international Ph.D. Course in Scienze Pasteuriane at the Sapienza and iii) from 2009
starting a program of start-up grants for young brilliant researchers.
The institute’s development plan has scheduled the construction of its own laboratories for the
near future. These facilities will host leading researchers of all nationalities operating in the field
of pasteurian sciences, with special reference to the molecular bases of human pathologies.
The results obtained during the years 2007 and 2008, documented in this volume, witness the
enthusiasm and productivity of the scientists involved.
Paolo Amati
President
VII
REPORT OF ACTIVITY 2007-2008
Ernesto Di Mauro
Scientific Director