Year of Establishment: 2025
The “Angelo Nocivelli Institute” Interdepartmental University Research Centre was established within the Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences (DSCS) of the University of Brescia, with its administrative headquarters located within the same Department.
The Centre’s activities will be carried out according to interdisciplinary principles, in collaboration with the Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (DMMT) and the Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health (DSMC). Academic and research staff from departments belonging to the University’s other three macro-areas—Economics, Law and Engineering—may also contribute to its activities.
The Centre pursues the following objectives:
- promoting, conducting and coordinating translational research, training and the dissemination of scientific findings in the fields of paediatrics, gynaecology and obstetrics, and laboratory medicine (the Centre’s established research areas). These are now joined by research groups in neurology, medical oncology, otorhinolaryngology and internal medicine, reflecting the Centre’s commitment to broadening its scope to include new areas of translational medicine;
- promoting, supporting, developing and disseminating studies and research on the application of translational medicine in its broadest sense, including molecular biology and genetics in diagnostic and therapeutic settings, with further opportunities for development in biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence and Big Data and Information Technology;
- conducting cellular and molecular characterisation, particularly in oncology (gynaecological and head and neck cancers), in the areas of prevention, diagnosis and treatment, as well as in immunodeficiencies, rare diseases, in vitro models of genetic disorders using stem cells, modelling and bioprinting, and neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases;
- developing molecular diagnostic applications to design new platforms for the analysis of molecular profiles across different diseases;
- discovering and identifying new molecular biomarkers associated with disease onset or recurrence, or serving as prognostic factors to predict relapse of the underlying disease;
- identifying unmet therapeutic needs and developing innovative drugs, particularly in the field of immunotherapies, for potential evaluation in Phase I or II clinical trials;
- fostering and developing scientific collaborations through international research projects in related scientific fields, in partnership with national and international research institutions;
- providing services and support for scientific projects carried out within the Centre, including access to equipment and specialised expertise;
- promoting and supporting advanced training activities across the Centre’s various disciplinary fields;
- fostering the dissemination and advancement of research conducted within the Centre through conferences, seminars and publications;
- strengthening expertise in biomedical engineering, particularly in research on stem cells and 3D bioprinting, as well as in biomedical imaging to support diagnosis;
- applying algorithms used in artificial intelligence systems, which are expected to play an increasingly prominent role in medical practice.
The Centre also aims to:
- support clinical studies conducted at ASST Spedali Civili;
- promote and organise registries and observational studies on rare diseases, including the storage of serum samples and biological materials in dedicated repositories;
- organise workshops on diagnostic and therapeutic objectives, the implementation of new study protocols, and methods for evaluating molecular diagnostic processes;
- establish links with observatories to ensure the continuous updating of information on the results of clinical trials conducted at national and international levels;
- promoting the protection and valorisation of research outcomes through patents, copyright and spin-offs.