• 'Lombardia è Ricerca' regional award – the deadline for applications is 25 June

About research on the topic of sustainability. One million euros for the most significant discovery     

 

Applications for the 'Lombardia è ricerca' International Prize (organised by the Lombardy Region) can be submitted until 25 July 2021.

The Prize, worth 1 million euros, will be awarded to discoveries with a significant impact on the lives of citizens in the Life Science field, in which Lombardy already boasts excellence: the winner - or winners - is also called upon to collaborate with research facilities in the region. 

The award ceremony takes place on 8 November, on Research Day - so far hosted by Milan's La Scala Theatre - established by the Lombardy Region in memory of oncologist Umberto Veronesi, on the anniversary of his death.

The topic of this year's International Award is 'Environmental Sustainability and Quality of Life', in the strategic area of 'Improving people's quality of life, in harmony with the development of the production system and the transition to new models of development'. This is a topic at the heart of the European Green Deal, which is also a key part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

The deadline for submitting applications, previously set for 18 June, has been extended to 25 July. This is what the Regional Council has decided, taking into account the context related to the development of the Covid-19 pandemic, which could keep the scientific community busy until now, and the overall difficulties related to the recovery of all economic and social activities.

How the award nominations work: the protagonists

The nominations come from the Italian scientific community. They can be proposed by all the scientists included in the Top Italian Scientist list, having an H-index equal to or greater than 30, in the areas selected by the award regulations, which vary according to the topic of the current edition.

Self-applications are not allowed: scientists can indicate the name of one or more researchers - and their discoveries - that they consider deserving of the award. The nominees are then evaluated by a Jury of 15 top scientists, who will select one or more winners.

The whole process is certified and transparency is ensured thanks to block chain technology.

The extension of the deadline for submitting nominations of the discoveries deemed worthy also allows the VIA Academy's Top Italian Scientist list to be updated. This enables the widest possible participation.

Previous winners

In its first three editions, the Award Jury awarded neuroscientist Giacomo Rizzolatti for his discovery of mirror neurons; gene therapy researchers Michele De Luca and Graziella Pellegrini along with surgeon Tobias Hirsh; and molecular biologist Guido Kroemer who developed the concept of 'caloric restriction mimetics' (CRMs) by identifying and characterising natural or pharmacological substances capable of inducing autophagy to combat cardiovascular ageing and boost anti-tumour immunity.

As provided for by the award regulations, the winners have set up collaborations with research centres in Lombardy.

To find out more about the Prize and the profiles of the 15 top scientists on the jury, please visit the dedicated page: click here.

A new initiative is online on this platform that raises awareness on R&I horizons and results, but also of the centrality of citizen involvement in the design of innovation paths, through the voice of the 10 experts, who make up the 'Regional Forum for Research and Innovation' set up by the Lombardy Region to support its policies.

This is a series of webinars, promoted by the Lombardy Region in collaboration with Giannino Bassetti Foundation, which was set up in 1994 to promote responsible innovation at national and international level. The initiative 'In dialogue with the Regional Forum for Research and Innovation' includes six online meetings starting on 25 May and ending on 6 July 2021.

For a detailed programme of meetings and streaming (starting 25 May and then on the days indicated in the programme) on Open Innovation, please visit click here.

To register for the first meeting and follow it via Zoom, click here

The webinar cycle page also includes profiles of the 10 experts in science, social sciences and humanities in the Regional Forum, with a summary of their activities and a series of interviews. The experts are working in national centres as well as in the UK, USA, France, Germany, Belgium.

Discussion topics

Our Open Innovation platform is therefore hosting a series of conversations, which will focus on topics of great relevance for the development of territories.

The first meeting will discuss, for example, the 'role of society in the co-design and co-creation of research as well as innovation policies and processes'; therefore of Big Data and its accessibility and sustainability. Particular reference will be made to the field of health and e-Health; gender policies for scientific research; Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), with a look at the United States; Mission-oriented innovation policies and, finally, the growing importance of social impact technology companies.

At the heart of this is the idea of innovation as an open, participatory, inclusive, responsible process, attentive to the social as well as the economic dimension and impact.

You too can take part in the reflection on the innovation needed in the area by following the live streaming from 25 May.

 

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