Tandem / Corriere Canadese Periscope September 27, 2009 Page 11 Italian cancer researcher dream Dr. Giordano brings new life to Italy’s biomedical science

By Caterina Rotunno the “technology transfer” conditions. I had to develop that is elevating Italian a ‘fundraising management’ esults attained by his labo- research across all scien- skill, and also to become an ratories in the search for in- tific disciplines to historic expert communicator to be Rnovative cancer treatment, levels of recognition in able to persuade exponents including the study of genetics, Canada. from the world of commerce have been recognized as being Speaking to young re- and finance of the impor- some of the most significant and searchers in Montreal, tance of the scientific re- sensational in recent years. He is Giordano alternates be- search I wanted to conduct. the third-most published scientist tween describing his expe- “I would meet American in the world on the topic of cell riences and elaborating on restaurant magnate Mario search system in our country, I in human capital, especially in cycle research, and he holds nine themes from the world of Sbarro each Sunday morn- thought that the best strategy to the centre-south. hat’s how the patents for new gene discover- research. He focuses on the ing and take long walks with permeate it would be a gradual Human Health Foundation was ies and methods of diagnosing comparison between the him on Long Island, speak- re-entry through a university in- created, first out of the -Hospi the “illness of the century.” He American and the Canadi- ing about my project, which stitution and from there to be able tal of Spoleto, in Umbria- Italy, has won prizes, gained inter- an research system, and on required at least a million to begin ‘infecting’ the entire the following month, at the new national recognition, and was his goal of transferring the dollars to get underway. Af- system. About five years ago, I headquarters at Villa Palma in awarded the title of “Cavaliere” American model to Italy ter a year, his lawyer calls became “Chiara fama” Professor Terni. Shortly after, we opened of the Italian Republic in 2001 at – the model that he concep- me and says ‘Mr. Sbarro in the Department of Pathology the research CROM Centro in & Oncology at the University of Mercogliano, where more than just 38 years of age. tualized and realized with Above: Prof. Antonio Giordano (centre) with is tired of seeing you ev- Things have moved very fast the creation in 2006 of the ery Sunday, so tell me how Siena, in Siena, Italy (I obtained half the Italian researchers work (at his left) Prof. Emanuele Fiore; and (at his a professorship in pathological and whom I brought back from in the professional life of Pro- Human Health Foundation, right) Dr. Andrea Romeo. Top right: Giordano. much you want.’ In that fessor Antonio Giordano, M.D, which also involves nu- case, the response was direct anatomy and histology ‘per chi- the U.S.A. And more: always Ph.D. It’s been a continuous merous partnerships with and the money finally came ara fama’ at the University of keeping in mind the foundation’s stream of successes – a battle Italian research centres. opportunity of working alongside but – very intelligently – Sbarro Siena). In 2006, a year after my goals, we’re opening a sepa- against time to save human lives a Nobel Prize winner and there- put at my disposal a team of ex- arrival to Siena, I managed to fi- rate headquarters that will give and eradicate the disease he has A brain drain or a cultural fore measuring myself up against perts of finance and management nalize an academic-scientific col- way to an Oncology Institute at declared war on. and intellectual movement? the best. What would be desirable that helped me create, in 1993 in laborative agreement between the Pagani for the Agro-Sernese- After graduating in medicine “I don’t think we should be is the creation and consolidation , the Sbarro Institute and Temple Nocerino area, thanks also to the in his hometown and spe- talking of brains that flee – and of a network of all researchers for Cancer Research and Molec- University in Philadelphia. This proactive collaboration of mayor cializing in anatomic pathology, let’s hope they’re always good abroad. Scientific research would ular Medicine, a nonprofit entity agreement represented the begin- Alberico Gambino. Finally – at Giordano moved to the U.S. to brains! It seems to me that’s just benefit and would be enriched for genetic and molecular medi- ning of a close medical-scientific least for now – by 2010 we’ll fi- further his education and contin- exploitation by politicians and with precious content.” cal research. Mine is an example collaboration between our coun- nalize the creation of a research ue his research alongside Nobel media to the detriment of re- of the opportunity that a country try and the U.S., with the centre for applied “robotics for Prize winner James Watson. searchers and their research. It Is it important to also be a like the U.S. can offer those who opportunity for Italian re- abdominal surgery,” again at the He predicted that genetics would be more interesting and manager and communicator? want to realize a project, to found searchers to gain American ex- Ospedale di Spoleto. In all, there would revolutionize medicine effective to call the flux of young “The initial difficulties in a society, without having to sub- perience. In the meantime, an are over 60 Italian researchers and the treatment of cancer pa- people who want to continue their my American experience were ject themselves to bureaucracies important oncological centre was engaged in these organizations tients, and he believed there to education in places of excellence, significant. The work was very and political intrigue.” created at the University of Siena – a very significant achievement be much room for improvement wherever those places may be, a hard, but almost from the first which is very actively involved if you consider that everything in the entire research process. A ‘cultural movement,’” he said. year I managed to earn $17,000, How can one ‘infect’ the in research to this day.” was realized with funding raised few years later, his commitment “The flight – but it would be and after two years I received Italian system? A replica of the American outside the classic avenues for and perseverance were rewarded: better to call it ‘formative train- many offers of work. All in all, “Over the course of my 20 model research in our country. All the he became the first scientist to ing’ – is desirable for all young I understood very early that the years spent in the U.S., where I “The first part of the ‘strategic laboratories in Italy and in the discover the direct relationship graduates who can, in this way, key for continuing in my line of still live and work, alternating plan’ of entry into the Italian sys- U.S.A. are tied to each other and between cell division and cancer. test out both highly stimulating research, independently and at a with periods in Italy, I have al- tem was realized. Now I had to constitute an integrated system This discovery revolutionized all work environments as well as high level, would be in the abil- ways thought that I would some move onto the successive phase, based on a continuous flux and subsequent studies and research avant-garde technology. And this ity to raise private funds beyond day return, bringing my expe- that is, the creation of a founda- interchange of knowledge and in the area of genetics and oncol- latter reason is what brought me the circle of pharmaceutical com- rience and my ideas with me. tion with the goal of investing in human resources.” ogy. to the U.S., notwithstanding the panies that would have imposed Being very familiar with the re- infrastructure, technology, and In 1993, at just 30 years old, Italian funding for research Giordano founded the Sbarro In- – it exists but it’s not distrib- stitute for Cancer Research and SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH LINKS uted correctly. Molecular Medicine in Philadel- “For about five years, using phia, which has become one of funds from private sources of America’s most prestigious re- 150,000 Euros, I studied the Ital- search centres. The model was born in the U.S. Investments needed in Italy’s centre-south ian system of funding research. Giordano not only masterfully My discoveries illustrated the handles lab work, but also has anomalies of a mechanism that excellent communication skills Sbarro Health Research Organization Human Health Foundation in Umbria receives and withdraws funds that allowed him to win over the he Sbarro Health Research the American ministry of defense. he Human Health Foun- The inauguration will take through donations that come audience of young researchers of Organization (S.H.R.O.) is In the United States, the Sbarro dation (HHF) was creat- place in November. mainly from the centre-south, the Comunità Scientifica italiana Ta non-profit American entity Health Research Organization has Ted in June 2006 in Spole- Of the 60 million Euros des- without giving back to these in Canada-Sezione del Québec that is designed to finance excel- achieved top world status for its to. Its conception, realization, tined for the Foundation, just a zones in terms of health ser- (CSIC-SQ) [an association for lence in the world of medical and research and has received recogni- goals, and funding modality all small portion will be reserved vices for the population. Each Italian researchers in Quebec] genetic-based research for treating tion from public institutions as well mirror – as intended by founder for the new structure, leaving year, about a million persons are gathered last week at the Italian and diagnosing cancer, cardiovas- as from President Barack Obama. and Chairman of the Scientific the lion’s share to be made forced to leave southern Italy and cular diseases, diabetes, and other Also, in the area of American in- Advisory Board, Professor An- available for the labs, equip- travel north to receive treatment. Cultural Institute in Montreal. chronic illnesses, and to promote vestments for scientific research, The meeting was one of a series tonio Giordano – the non-profit ment and research. As far as European funding, Italy the education of young research- the “Sbarro Organization model” contributes 14% and receives in of periodic promotional activities ers and doctors. It was created has been selected as a point of model of the Sbarro Health Re- As per its mission state- to highlight Italian research in search Organization (S.H.R.O.) ment, the Foundation has the terms of funding just 7%, which in 2005 with an accord between reference by the American federal is redistributed among few in- Canada put on by the Scientific in Philadelphia government for the development of in Philadelphia. Giordano also declared objective of introduc- Attachè Office of the Italian Em- acquired from S.H.R.O. the ing to Europe, and especially stitutions, all concentrated in represented by 20 researchers led a project at the University of Bei- the region of Lombardia. If you bassy in Ottawa, in collaboration by Professor Antonio Giordano, rut in Lebanon, that is similar to ‘know-how’ and partial fund- to Italy, a scientific research with CSIC-SQ. and Sbarro Institute for Cancer Re- the Human Health Foundation in ing for its startup, along with system that is competitive and wish to make a comparison to the During his visit to Montreal, search and Molecolar Medicine– Spolelo Italy. funding made available by the technologically avant-garde, United States, consider that just Professor Giordano also held a created in 1993 by Giordano. As well as its scientific achieve- Banca Popolare of Spoleto and based on the U.S. model, in in the Philadelphia area alone, series of conferences from Sep- Today, S.H.R.O. can count on ments, the “Sbarro Organization the Credito e Servizi, both in an attempt to stem the flight of with its million and a half popu- tember 8 to 10 at McGill Univer- over 200 biologists, molecular bi- Model” has also garnered wide Spoleto. Italian youth abroad. lation, there are five research sity, University of Montreal, and ologists/physicists), geneticists, consensus for its managerial as- It was Giovanni Antonini, Within the next two years, centres and oncology hospitals. IIC, titled “Tumor Suppressor physicists, and chemists who work pects that allow it to utilize just president of the Umbro bank- about 50 researchers will be And within two or three hours Genes and Cell Cycle Kinases in to develop new technologies and 10% of funding for administration ing group – a “brilliant entre- engaged in a breast cancer by automobile, there are a good Human Cancer.” methodologies of treatment. The while all remaining funds are used preneur,” as Giordano likes to research project. A basic in- 200. In Italy there are just a few Also present at the Italian S.H.R.O. – of which Giordano is for research. The S.H.R.O. in in- describe him – who believed terdisciplinary approach will research centres for its 60 million Cultural Institute was Dr. Andrea president – supports funding for volved in numerous collaborations in the Foundation project, fi- be used in the research. Many inhabitants. Also, investigation the same Sbarro Institute for Can- in the U.S.A. and in Italy. u nancing a complete renovation fundraising events have been revealed that public funding went Romeo, founding coordinator cer Research and has to this day of the CSIC-SQ, and Professor of the new HHF headquarters, organized as well. u to the coffers of few organiza- raised about $3 million in private tions. It also exposed the custom Emanuele Fiore, Scientific -At funding to add to the $27 million which will house its labora- For more information and tachè of the Italian Embassy in tories in an ancient village in donations visit www.hhfonlus. of awarding multiple funding for raised from public sources such as For more information visit single research projects that are Canada, who reminded us of the the State of Pennsylvania as well as www.shro.org. Terni. org. importance of exchanges such as not subject to any merit-based evaluation system.” u