There are several funds obtained from public bodies and profit and non-profit Italian organizations. Thanks to these, we launched these main projects:
2021 Projects
Development of a software platform and a wide range of solution and services for digital healthcare, based on Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, aimed at research and clinical practice.
The project has received financial support of Research and Innovation (R&I) Fund, Axis II – Action II.3 delivered from Italian Ministry for University and Research and European Union.
Gemelli Research Facility Generator Real World Data is developing a software platform and a wide range of solution and services for digital healthcare, based on Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, aimed at research and clinical practice, with potential impact in industrial sectors (such as pharmaceutical, insuretech, electromedical devices and engineering), leveraging financial support of Research and Innovation (R&I) Fund, Axis II – Action II.3 delivered from Italian Ministry for University and Research and European Union.
Based on growth path achieved from the lab in advanced data science techniques, and hands-on experience of applied techniques in many areas of medicine, the development of such digital platform leverages primarily the knowledge and data assets of Policlinico Gemelli, a clinical center of excellence with very high volumes of patients/care practices in all domains of healthcare. Moreover, Generator Real World Data lab is highly integrated within the hospital; this represents a ‘unique’ which allows to address very timely frontiers topics and research questions raised from clinical teams, and effectively gather information and evidence based large volumes. The combination of these enabling factors lead to fast development of prototypes which are then texted and exploited from the medical counterparts, then scale up to implementation and integration into the AI platform, which is the ultimate technological goals of the initiative.
This innovation path, which leverages technology as an enabling factor to improve quality of care and therapeutic pathways, is aimed at bringing primarily concrete benefits to individual patients and community. Therefore, the research program is also focused on dissemination, engagement of citizenship, and transparency on how such advanced initiatives make use of data and patients’ experience.
In selected areas, the impact of research projects may lead to exploitation patterns and involve industrial partners. Such prototypes and pilot projects are executed with strict compliance to ethical standards, research protocols and protection of individual privacy.
Real World Data platform will include also process and technologies which strengthen certification and ethical adherence for data science methods, privacy and secure data management. Therefore, techniques such as blockchain, distributed learning and privacy-preserving sandbox will be integrated into the platform.
Link: www.ponricerca.gov.it

2019 Projects
BLADE PRO – Breast Large Database supporting Evidence in Post-mastectomy Radiotherapy
Founding Institution: Susan G. Komen
Finance: € 10.000,00
Duration: 08/05/2019 – 07/05/2020
Brief description: The BLADE-PRO Project intends to develop an electronic platform for sharing “real world data” between radiotherapy centers to find evidence aimed at implementing the therapeutic management of patients undergoing post-mastectomy radiotherapy.
From skin to brain: epigenetic conversion of skin fibroblasts into neural stem cells to investigate the impact of diabetes on adult neurogenesis and neuronal function (GR-2016-02363179)
Founding Institution: Ministry of Health – 2016 Aimed Research Call
Finance: € 390.603,44
Duration: 15/01/2019 – 14/01/2022
Brief description: Understanding how overweight and impaired glucose homeostasis can negatively affect brain function is a scientific challenge as well as a possibility of early diagnosis and prevention of such a disabling complication. The aim of this project is to obtain neural progenitors from skin fibroblasts to correlate the patient’s specific metabolism with adult neural stem cells (NSC) and neuronal function.
Toward a personalized approach in ulcerative colitis: integrating genetics with microbiota analysis to select therapy and predict individual response (GR-2016-02364891)
Founding Institution: Ministry of Health – 2016 Aimed Research Call
Finance: € 197.640,00
Duration: 14/01/2019 – 13/01/2022
Brief description: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic and multifactorial disorder with a high impact on the quality of life and in the productivity of young subjects. This project aims to develop a new tool that, by integrating different competences in pathogenesis, genetics, microbiota and clinic’s fields, is able to predict or increase the response to therapy and therefore is able to become a valid support for clinicians in defining the most suitable treatment for each patient.
Multimorbidity Patterns: a new Approach to the Care of Patients with Chronic Diseases (PE-2016-02364885)
Founding Institution: Ministry of Health – 2016 Aimed Research Call
Finance: € 159.588,00
Duration: 04/01/2019 – 03/01/2022
Breve descrizione: This project’s general aim is to better characterize the Multimorbidity exploring its prevalence and incidence, its development and its prognosis in 2 specimens of elderly (the first specimen is made of subjects living in the community and the second one is made of subjects institutionalized in nursing home). This project will provide advices about better health care pathways for elderly people with specific multimorbidity patterns, as well as indications for future research.
2018 Projects
LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1) as possible target for novel treatments of neuropsychiatric disorders (GR-2016-02363982)
Founding Institution: Dott. Cristian Ripoli
Ente Finanziatore: Ministry of Health – 2016 Aimed Research Call
Finance: € 338.250,00
Duration: 02/12/2018 – 01/12/2021
Brief description: This project’s aim is to fully characterize the Kinase 1 LIM as a molecular mechanism capable of determining its role in the synaptic insufficiency underlying a cognitive dysfunction. This project’s expected results could offer new possibilities to prevent and / or reduce the main neuropsychiatric disorders associated with cognitive deficits.
Ultrasensitive detection and molecular profiling of tumor-derived exosomes with an integrated microfluidic and Mid-IR plasmonic nanodevice: towards an early diagnosis of cancer (GR-2016-02363310)
Founding Institution: Dott. Gabriele Ciasca
Ente Finanziatore: Ministero della Salute – Bando Ricerca Finalizzata 2016
Finance: € 250.100,00
Duration: 01/11/2018 – 31/10/2021
Brief description: This project’s aim is to use an innovative lab-on-chip platform to identify new biomarkers associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) in order to improve diagnosis and monitoring of the treatment.
Identification of B cell-related biomarkers to predict response to immunosuppressive and B cell targeting therapies in Myasthenia Gravis (RF-2016-02364384)
Founding Institution: Ministry of Health – 2016 Aimed Research Call
Finance: € 111.100,00
Duration: 01/11/2018 – 31/10/2021
Brief description: This project’s aim is to identify biomarkers that can predict the response to immunosuppression or targeted B-cell therapies, such as belimumab, in patients affected by Myasthenia Gravis. Positive results would significantly change the management of Myasthenia Gravis, laying the foundations for the application of personalized treatments.
INTERCEPTOR – On the early diagnosis of the prodromal stage of Alzheimer disease. The progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia: the role of biomarkers in the early interception of patients to whom provide future disease-modifying drugs
Founding Institution: Italian Medicine Agency – INTERCEPTOR strategic Call
Finance: € 348.000,00
Duration: 27/09/2018 – 27/09/2023
Brief description: The biomarkers’ input in early identifying the “prodromal” form of dementia, both for current strategies to combat and for future prescription of drugs, with the possible modifying action in the development of the disease. More information are available on the website.
Direct acting antivirals against HCV: Effects on metabolism and liver disease in patients who eradicate HCV infection (GR-2016-02363036)
Founding Institution: Dott.ssa Francesca Romana Ponziani
Ente Finanziatore: Ministry of Health – 2016 Aimed Research Call
Finance: € 113.856,50
Duration: 17/09/2018 – 16/09/2021
Brief description: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is one of the main causes of morbidity and hepatic mortality. The introduction of direct-acting antiviral drugs (AADs) against HCV has made CHC a treatable condition in most patients. However, the final outcome of patients affected by advanced hepatic diseases and comorbidity depends on how much the eradication of the infection can improve the already established organic damages. This project’s aim is to test the assesment and to quantify the effect of viral eradication on global survival, the impact of hepatocellular carcinoma, the improvement of hepatic function, the recovery from hepatic fibrosis and the improvement of the metabolic alteration associated with CHC.
EXPERT – Exemestane In Progesterone And/Or Estrogen Receptor Positive Epithelial Ovarian Cancer. A Randomized Phase Iii Trial (Codice AIFA-2016-02364326)
Founding Institution: Italian Medicine Agency – INTERCEPTOR strategic Call
Finance: € 621.588,00
Duration: 20/08/2018 – 19/08/2021
Brief description: This study’s first aim is to test the superiority of the exemestane in addition to the standard treatment on the front line compared to the standard treatment in terms of time of progression or death in patients with progesterone and / or expression of positive estrogen receptor in ovarian epithelial cancer.
PASTA – Parkinson App SmarTphone Aimed to improve walking ability and reduce fall (GR-2016-02362879)
Founding Institution: Ministry of Health – 2016 Aimed Research Call
Finance: € 72.160,00
Duration: 10/08/2018 – 09/08/2021
Brief description: In the current project, the aim is to develop a smartphone application (Parkinson Smartphone App: P.A.St.A.) supplemented by sensors and auditory rhythmic stimulation (RAS). Furthermore, the parameters of space-time gait, obtained by wearable sensors with socio-demographic and clinical data, will be analyzed. This a series of data will be generated to improve knowledge on current pharmacological treatments and on rehabilitation.
Qualitative and Quantitative Muscle Mri Evaluation Of The Natural History And Disease Progression In Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy In Preparation For Clinical Trials (RF-2016-02362914)
Founding Institution: Ministry of Health – 2016 Aimed Research Call
Finance: € 42.200,00
Duration: 10/08/2018 – 09/08/2021
Brief description: The project’s aim is to establish progression measures of facio-scapulo-humeral muscular dystrophy based on magnetic resonance suitable for use in future clinical trials. The project includes a 2-year longitudinal follow-up study using two different methodologies: 1) qualitative analysis on a large patients’ scale to detect the rate of appearance of new lesions; 2) quantitative analysis to detect the rate of fat deposition in individual muscles with different behavior.
PROGEMA – Processi Green per l’Estrazione di principi attivi e la depurazione di MAtrici di scarto e non
Principal Investigator: Prof. Ruggero De Maria
Founding Institution: Ministry of Education, University and Research
Finance: € 184.340,00
Duration: 01/03/2018 – 31/08/2020
Brief description: The project’s aim is to implement a process of innovation on the FO wastewaters that allows: a) the extraction and the relocation of pharmacologically active organic compounds, b) the reduction of their polluting power c) the possible reuse in the production processes of treated water. It will also be assessed the possibility of energy’s recovery during the treatment phases of the wastewaters through photocatalytic processes.
Before 2018 Projects
Efficacy of lymphatico-venous anastomosis alone, autologous vascularized lymphnode transfer alone and combined lymphatico-venous anastomosis and autologous vascularized lymphnode transfer in the treatment of breast cancer-related lymphedema (GR-2013-023568643)
Founding Institution: Ministry of Health – 2013 Aimed Research Call
Finance: € 302.508,00
Duration: 01/11/2016 – 31/10/2019
Brief description: This project’s aim is to assess if and when, in the treatment of lymphedema related to breast cancer, it is more effective to perform during the same surgical procedure lymphatic venous anastomoses and anatomical and functional restoration of lymphatic flow through an autologous lymph node transplant compared to carry out these two surgical procedures in two different surgical procedures.
NEUROMASTER – NEUROnavigated Magnetic Stimulation in patients with mild-moderate Alzheimer disease combined with Effective cognitive rehabilitation (GR-2013-02358430)
Founding Institution: Ministry of Health – 2013 Aimed Research Call
Finance: € 142.120,00
Duration: 21/10/2016 – 20/10/2020*
Brief description: The Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most frequent cause of dementia. The available pharmacological treatments have limited efficacy, are expensive, and have significant side effects. Cognitive rehabilitation combined with neuronavigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in patients with mild or moderate AD may be considered a potential advanced and promising non-invasive procedure for the treatment of the disease. The project’s aim is to test the effectiveness of the NeuroAD system (Neuronix Ltd), which offers computerized cognitive rehabilitation combined with TMS, in improving long-term global cognitive functions and neuroplasticity in patients with AD.
GOOD – Geriatric Outcomes among Older type 2 Diabetic patients treated with DPP4-inhibitors or glinides (NET-2013-0236764)
Founding Institution: Ministry of Health – 2013 Aimed Research Call
Finance: € 659.832,00
Duration: 01/08/2016 – 31/07/2019
Brief description: Three parallel randomized controlled studies will be carried out in this project, using a dedicated network to investigate the effect of dipeptidilpeptidase 4 (DPP4i) and glinide (repaglinide) inhibitors on the main geriatric outcomes in subjects over 70 suffering from type 2 diabetes (T2D). This project will allow to assess the different specific geriatric outcomes: a) metabolic control, inflammatory and oxidative stress; b) the assessment of sarcopenia and of the parameters related to muscle mass, muscular strength and objective physical performance; c) the cognitive performances of global functioning and execution, of attention and of memory.