Senator Cattaneo visits ISMETT

On December 2, Senator Elena Cattaneo visited ISMETT. The motivation of this institutional visit was that ISMETT today represents a fully-fledged Italian and international-level clinical and scientific institution. Mostly known for her studies on Huntington’s disease and for her research on stem cells, Senator Cattaneo is one of the most famous international researchers. She was appointed life senator of the Italian parliament in 2013.

Senator Cattaneo was in Palermo to attend several meetings organized to introduce young students to the world of science. She took this opportunity to visit ISMETT and learn about the ISMETT-Ri.MED cluster that will mark a cooperation between Ri.MED Foundation’s Biomedical Research and Biotechnology Center and the new “ISMETT 2” hospital that will both be built in Carini, near Palermo.

Senator Cattaneo met the leadership of UPMC International, ISMETT, and Ri.MED Foundation. The visit focused on ISMETT’s research infrastructure currently the subject of an intervention that entails a total investment of ISMETT and Ri.MED of over €16 million, thanks to a 50% co-funding that involves the Presidency of the Region of Sicily with a 2014-2020 Operational Programme European Regional Development Fund (OP ERDF), and on the Heart Center and the new Pediatric Unit realized with over €17 million with a 2007-2013 Sicily OP ERDF.

Senator Cattaneo also asked to meet the ISMETT and Ri.MED researchers to discuss research projects, particularly the ongoing neurosciences projects funded by ISMETT and Ri.MED, with UPMC and the Italian Ministry of Health.