Scientific Report 2012 Ongoing Research 2013
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SCIENTIFIC REPORT 2012 ONGOING RESEARCH 2013 IRCCS “Istituto Giannina Gaslini” Via Gerolamo Gaslini, 5 16147 Genova – Italy Tel. +39 010 5636 806/807 Fax +39 010 3776590 e-mail: [email protected] www.gaslini.org Some pictures of the Istituto Giannina Gaslini Nobel laureates at Gaslini: Renato Dulbecco and Rolf Zinkernagel Pope Benedict XVI visiting Gaslini Monsignor Angelo Bagnasco visiting Gaslini Some moments of the visit of the International Scientific Committee (Professors Alain Fischer, Max Cooper, Sergio Romagnani and Anthony Fauci) Annual Meeting of the SIOP Brain Tumor Sub-Committee The Germana International Centre for Studies and training (CISEF): a center of excellence which carries out educational activities in the fields of scientific research, prediatrics, organization and quality of health care services. TRIPR (Translational Research in Pediatric Rheumatology) Congress 2009 The 2 nd Training Course on Blood and Marrow Trasplantation: a course of paediatricians and pediatric nurses on HSCT in children and adolescents “I am not a man of science, but I am perfectly aware that only by starting from scientific research, conducted under proper direction, can physicians conscientiously accomplish their difficult task” (Gerolamo Gaslini) Foreword A recent publication by Via Academy - “Small is beautiful” – analyzed the quality of research carried out in different Italian universities and institutes. Small and medium-sized organizations with fewer than 100 principal investigators (PI) or university professors were extracted and in this ranking, based on the ratio of PI/TIS (Top Italian Scientists, Via Academy), Gaslini is ranked first, closely above the Humanitas Institute of Milan. This is a remarkable result and underscores once more the caliber of Gaslini’s researchers, among whom 23 are TIS, equally distributed between basic and clinical investigators. Despite the critical period, scientific production remains at a high level, with more than 300 international publications over the last two years and an Impact Factor (IF) - a reliable index of the importance of journals - exceeding 1,650. Given the size of Gaslini, these results are excellent when considered as absolute values and even more so when normalized according to the number of PI. In 2012, it was possible to take all necessary steps to fill vacancies for three permanent biologists and four temporary (5-year) positions. Three temporary posts for laboratory technicians were also created, and numerous contracts of excellence and three prizes for young researchers (authors of highly relevant publications) were awarded, always on a meritocratic basis, thanks to the generous and enlightened contribution of the Gaslini Foundation. It is also worth recalling that, over the last few years, Gaslini has funded four permanent positions of university researchers for three pediatricians and one geneticist, who are presently working in our Institute within the framework of the agreement between Gaslini and the University of Genoa. Another major development at Gaslini was the appointment of Francesco Frassoni, an internationally renowned hematologist, as director of the Laboratory of Postnatal Stem Cells and Cell Therapies and coordinator of Gaslini’s activities in the field of hematology/oncology. The recruitment of qualified personnel is of vital importance - not only for the researchers/technicians who are hired - but also because it guarantees a generational turnover at Gaslini. It is our sincere hope that this marks a new trend, one that is more focused on research, which is the essential mission of comprehensive health care centers like Gaslini and a key prerequisite to maintaining health care levels of excellence that require constant updating and refinement. To this end, the Ministry of Health contributed with funding that, thanks to co-funding from the Regione Liguria, allowed the purchase and/or upgrade of equipment of pivotal relevance for both research and advanced diagnostics. Instrumentation commonly used in our core facilities and managed by highly experienced professionals was preferred. It is undeniable that the presence of highly qualified researchers and the availability of state-of-the-art equipment are two essential elements for research; they are, however, only two of the necessary ingredients. Indeed, others are required that are mainly related to the Italian system , Italy being a country that is hardly inclined towards research: adequate financial resources assigned on a meritocratic basis, sufficient laboratory spaces and efficient infrastructures, less red tape, appropriate salaries for researchers, tax exemptions for research expenses, and the list goes on. Regretfully, Italy has always contributed very little to research (roughly 1% of its GDP, which ranks our country in the last positions among EU countries), and this meager support has often been poorly invested. In the midst of the recent economic crisis, the US and Germany have stimulated research with considerable investments. And the term investment could not be more appropriate! Indeed, too often our institutions and administrations consider research a cost . A recent American survey revealed that each dollar invested in research yielded 14 dollars! It is the sincere hope of all of Gaslini’s researchers that our Institute will not in the future become emblematic of a country in decline! We strongly urge that research at Gaslini be supported and encouraged, as provided for by its very status of Ministry of Health-funded research institute. Research must be recognized as a value for the progress of our Institute, as its founder so insightfully envisaged. I like to quote what Gerolamo Gaslini wrote over half a century ago: “I am not a man of science, but I am perfectly aware that only by starting from scientific research, conducted under proper direction, can physicians conscientiously accomplish their difficult task”. Prof. Lorenzo Moretta Scientific Director ANNUAL REPORT 2012 INDEX SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION AND RESULTS ................................................................................. 1 RESEARCH LINES AND PUBLICATIONS 2012 ........................................................................... 7 RESEARCH LINE 1 ......................................................................................................................................... 7 RESEARCH LINE 2 ....................................................................................................................................... 17 RESEARCH LINE 3 ....................................................................................................................................... 30 RESEARCH LINE 4 ....................................................................................................................................... 43 RESEARCH LINE 5 ....................................................................................................................................... 52 RESEARCH LINE 6 ....................................................................................................................................... 64 STUDIES AND CLINICAL TRIALS YEAR 2012 ........................................................................... 70 SEMINARS ................................................................................................................................... 80 FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS IN 2012 ................................................................................. 83 MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................................................ 87 GENERAL DIRECTION ................................................................................................................ 88 ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTION ....................................................................................................................... 90 SCIENTIFIC DIRECTION ............................................................................................................. 91 COMMITTEES ............................................................................................................................................. 92 MEDICAL DIRECTION ............................................................................................................... 100 DEPARTMENTS ......................................................................................................................... 102 RESEARCH AND DIAGNOSTICS DEPARTMENT ...................................................................................................... 102 DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRIC SCIENCES ..................................................................................................... 134 NEUROSCIENCES , REHABILITATION , AND CONTINUITY OF CARE DEPARTMENT ............................................. 164 EMERGENCY AND HIGH INTENSITY CARE DEPARTMENT .............................................................................. 177 SURGERY DEPARTMENT ........................................................................................................................... 188 OUTPATIENT SERVICE AND DAY HOSPITAL DEPARTMENT ........................................................................... 207 SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION AND RESULTS CONTRIBUTION OF UNITS TO SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION IN 2012 Table 1 – Publications assigned to each unit (first author, last author or indermediate author) Normalized Unit N. IF IF Pediatric Rheumatology