18 Jun INFN partecipates at the event “PerfeTTO meets Apulia”
On 11th and 12th of June, researche institutes, universities, institutionsa and companies from Apulia Region gathered in Monopoli to discuss about the strengthen of innovation and technology transfer in the field of life sciences.
The event
INFN and several big players of Italian scientific research partecipated at the event, that was organized by the Gastroenterological hospital “Saverio de Bellis”, together with Bari and Foggia Uiniversities, Bari Polithecnic, ENEA, InnovaPuglia, ARTIPUGLIA and Apulian scientific hospitals (IRCCS)
The aim of the two-day event was to lay the foundations for a solid and lasting collaboration between frontier science that is born in laboratories and the entrepreneurial fabric, demonstrating that Apulia can be a fertile ground for high technology. The first day was dedicated to the “Pitch Arena – Comparing Technologies”, an opportunity to test ideas in the pharma and medical device sectors. The significance of the initiative was also underlined by Professor Luisa Torsi, President of the Regional Agency for Technology, Technology Transfer and Innovation of Apulia (ARTI Puglia), who recalled the importance of “increase the ipact of scientific research” and being able to concretely see its products.
The second day was focused on the future of technology transfer in life science sector.
Training, competencies evolution, founding opportunities and synergies with industries re the key themes of the round tables, mainly concentarted to the creation of a shared path to innovation and to increase the awareness of the strategic value of the life science sector.
INFN contribution
Giovanni Francesco Ciani, contact person for Technology Transfer and responsible for the High Technologies service of the INFN section of Bari, illustrated the research and technology transfer activities in the field of life sciences conducted within the Institute, describing in particular the internal technology scouting work and the initiatives to support the transfer of technologies and open innovation activated by the INFN TT National Committee. In his speech, he focused on the experience gained with the R4I calls, aimed at increasing the TRL of technologies developed internally, and presented the new INFN CONNECT initiative, created to bring research closer to companies. A second round table then saw the research institutions discuss the ideas that emerged, laying the foundations for a shared programmatic manifesto. Among the main proposals: the activation of regional calls to support projects and the creation of a thematic desk for the establishment of spin-offs and startups. The hope is that these initiatives can give a decisive boost to the growth of the Apulian economy which, according to the Bank of Italy report, although it has grown, has recorded a slightly slower pace than the average of the South (0.7%).
“We hope this is only a sarting point” concluded Giovanni Ciani, “now the challenge is create real projects capable to generate a high-value techology transfer, both at regional and national level. Neetworking means build, together, the future of innovation.
What is PerfeTTO?
PerfeTTO is the first Italian Network of Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) in the Life Sciences sector, created thanks to an investment of 15 million euros by the Ministry of Health (through the National Complementary Plan to the PNRR).
The network brings together 54 institutions of excellence throughout Italy, including IRCCS (Scientific Institutes of Hospitalization and Care), universities and public and private research institutes. Its governance is divided into three territorial poles: the Monzino Cardiology Center for Northern Italy (also a national administrative hub), the IRST “Dino Amadori” of Meldola for Central Italy and the IRCCS “Saverio de Bellis” of Castellana Grotte for Southern Italy, the latter two with level I coordination functions.
Its main goal is to act as a bridge between scientific research and the market, helping researchers transform laboratory discoveries (in the medical, health and biotechnological fields) into patents, drugs, therapies or startups. Through services, innovative tools and training activities, PerfeTTO promotes the culture of technology transfer, creating the conditions for science to generate a real and concrete impact on the economic and social fabric of the country.
