Caulfield and Easton awarded the ‘Lombard Nobel’: “Now, research in Lombardy”

On the stage of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, two pioneers of genomic medicine, English professors Mark Caulfield and Douglas Easton, received the 2025 “Lombardia è Ricerca” International Award from the Lombardy Region. They explained how, thanks to this ‘Lombard Nobel’ worth one million euros, they will now collaborate with four centres in Lombardy – Human Technopole and Humanitas University, the National Cancer Institute (INT), and the European Institute of Oncology (IEO) – on personalised medicine and prevention projects focused on rheumatoid arthritis and breast cancer. These projects will have significant benefits for patients, particularly concerning two conditions that predominantly affect women.

The event on November 8

The award ceremony took place on Saturday, November 8, as part of the Research Day, an annual event organised by the Lombardy Region in collaboration with the Umberto Veronesi Foundation ETS to celebrate the value of scientific research and innovation.

Attending the event were Lombardy Region President Attilio Fontana, the regional Minister for Universities, Research, and Innovation, Alessandro Fermi, Professor Paolo Veronesi, President of the Umberto Veronesi Foundation and Director of the IEO Breast Cancer Programme, and among the distinguished guests, the President of the Senate, Ignazio La Russa. Also present was the President of the Regional Council, Federico Romani.

The “Lombardia è Ricerca” International Award

The “Lombardia è Ricerca” International Award is a recognition given annually by the Lombardy Region, since 2017, for significant scientific discoveries that can have a major impact on the quality of life of citizens. This year’s edition focused on ‘Innovative methods for early diagnosis or preventive medicine’.

Mark Caulfield and Douglas Easton were jointly selected for their contributions to identifying genes and variants that influence the risk of heart attack and hypertension (Caulfield), as well as breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers (Easton).

Fontana: Our region is a laboratory for innovation

“The theme of the 2025 edition of the ‘Lombardia è Ricerca’ award – emphasised Lombardy Region President Attilio Fontana – is dedicated to innovative methods of early diagnosis and preventive medicine, in a particularly significant year. 2025 marks the centenary of the birth of Umberto Veronesi, one of the country’s greatest doctors and scientists, who transformed cancer care into a mission of civilisation, hope, and trust in research. Veronesi taught us that medicine must not only treat disease, but also prevent it by detecting it early and, above all, respecting the person and their quality of life.”

“In this edition – Fontana continued – every scientist could submit their own project, without the need to be nominated by other researchers. Moreover, at the time of registration, they had to already specify the translational research project in collaboration with Lombard public or private research institutions. This choice is important for two reasons: on one hand, it shows openness and trust in the scientific community, demonstrating that in Lombardy, everyone is encouraged to present ideas, visions, and solutions. On the other hand, it highlights how the Lombard context is ready to effectively and immediately embrace the most innovative inputs from the world of research. Once again, Lombardy proves to be a cutting-edge region, a laboratory for biomedical innovation where some of Italy’s leading excellence in cancer and autoimmune disease research is concentrated.”

Fermi: Lombardy continues to lead in scientific research

“The ‘Lombardia è Ricerca’ international award – stated Minister Fermi – has a unique feature: 30% of the prize goes to the winners, while 70% is allocated to support a translational research project (focused on applying fundamental scientific discoveries to the development of therapies and medical treatments for patients) that the winners will implement in collaboration with public and private research institutions in Lombardy. The centrality of this project, mandatory for candidacy, highlights how crucial it is for us that our region remains a beacon in the field of research. I am proud to know that Professor Easton has selected the European Institute of Oncology and the National Cancer Institute of Milan as partner centres for his project.”

On the Scala stage, Fermi also recalled the calls and funding through which the Lombardy Region is supporting the research and innovation ecosystem in the area.

Genetic studies on rheumatoid arthritis and breast cancer

The two award-winning scientists have presented projects to be carried out in Lombardy: Caulfield has chosen Humanitas University and Human Technopole, while Easton has selected the National Cancer Institute and IEO.

Caulfield’s project focuses on autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, while Easton’s project, ‘The genetic landscape of breast cancer predisposition variants in Italy’, focuses on studying genes to precisely define the role of individual genetic variants in the development of breast cancer.
On the Scala stage, the two winners, in conversation with Corriere della Sera journalist Massimo Sideri, also illustrated the goals achieved through their studies and the untapped potential of their research, which will now be developed in Lombard research centres.

Caulfield: Early diagnosis of arthritis will bring real benefits to patients

“It is an immense honour to receive one of the world’s most prestigious awards, the ‘Lombardia è Ricerca’ International Award – said Mark Caulfield – This recognition celebrates the discoveries made by my team and me on over 2,000 genes related to blood pressure, my scientific leadership in the 100,000 Genomes Project, and the co-creation of the National Genomic Medicine Service, which ensures equitable access to genomic testing for 56 million people in England. This award will enable me to continue my mission, transforming healthcare through a new partnership led by Queen Mary University, in collaboration with Humanitas University and Human Technopole, focused on the early diagnosis of arthritis, with the aim of bringing tangible benefits to patients.”

Easton: More effective screening to identify women at higher risk

“It is an immense honour and privilege for me to receive the prestigious ‘Lombardia è Ricerca’ International Award on a day dedicated to the memory of Umberto Veronesi, an extraordinary figure in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer – said Douglas Easton – I am deeply honoured and wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Lombardy Region and the organisers of the award for this important recognition. Together with my collaborators here in Milan, this award represents further encouragement to deepen our understanding of the genetic basis of breast cancer, to more accurately identify the women most at risk, and to improve their prognosis through increasingly effective screening and prevention programmes.”

IEO: This project will define the exact role of each genetic variant

The IEO also emphasised the relevance of the project that will be carried out with Professor Easton and its potential impact in Lombardy, noting that the scientist has played a key role in the development of oncology genetics as a new discipline. He contributed to identifying the BRCA 1 and 2 genes, which predispose individuals to breast and ovarian cancer, and founded, about 20 years ago, the BCAC consortium, which is now part of ‘Confluence’, the world’s largest germline genetic variant database, which also includes data from IEO.

“Participation in the Lombardy Region project, together with Dr. Paolo Radice’s research group at the National Cancer Institute of Milan, will allow us to characterise the most common breast and ovarian cancer genetic variants in Italy – explained Paolo Peterlongo, Deputy Director of the Medical Genetics Laboratory – The challenge in genetics today – he added – is not only to continue discovering the variants in DNA that increase cancer risk, but to determine their ‘weight’, i.e., the extent to which each variant increases that risk. We have already identified new variants, in addition to BRCA 1 and 2, whose risk we do not fully understand. To achieve this, it is crucial to have access to the largest possible dataset, so we can better utilise the potential of our current laboratory tests.”

“We already have refined risk profiling tools, but they need to be further improved to transform them into highly personalised preventive clinical interventions – said Bernardo Bonanni, Director of the Division of Prevention and Oncological Genetics at IEO – We hope that access to Confluence, which contains a wealth of multivariate genetic data, including for men, will help us define the exact role of each genetic variant and enable us to implement increasingly useful preventive programmes. This will be an important evolution, pushing the boundaries of genetic diagnostics in the prevention of breast and ovarian cancer.”

Genetic studies and their clinical application are conducted at IEO within the Division of Prevention and Genetics (with its High-Risk Center, HRC), which is now a point of reference in Italy for people at high risk of developing cancer due to personal, genetic, or family characteristics. Every year, more than 2,500 people access the HRC, and around 1,600 subjects with genetic mutations are under active surveillance.

Veronesi: An award that reaffirms research as a driver of collective well-being

“The ‘Lombardia è Ricerca’ 2025 Award, presented to Professors Mark Caulfield and Douglas Easton – said Professor Paolo Veronesi, who remembered his father Umberto, to whom the day is dedicated – honours two scientists who have made a decisive contribution to the evolution of genomic medicine, opening new perspectives for early diagnosis and the prevention of oncological and cardiovascular diseases.”

“Their research – he clarified – is a virtuous example of how scientific innovation can translate into tangible benefits for people’s health and increasingly effective tools for precision medicine. This recognition, awarded on the day dedicated to my father’s memory, reaffirms the value of research as a driver of progress and collective well-being. Through the Veronesi Foundation, we have always committed ourselves to supporting excellence in research and promoting the culture of prevention and health, believing that only through knowledge can we build a healthier, more aware, and sustainable future. Collaborating with the Lombardy region, as promoted by the Lombardy Region, strengthens this mission and maximises the potential of science, turning it into development, innovation, and health for everyone.”

The Award for Students: Projects for Prevention and Support for Vulnerable People

Research Day also gave space to tomorrow’s potential researchers. The ceremony at La Scala ended with the presentation of the ‘Lombardia è Ricerca’ 2025 Award for Schools, which went to the three best projects from last school year, focusing on health promotion and support for vulnerable individuals.
An emotional event: the top three teams took the stage, where, hosted by Gerry Scotti, they discovered their rankings in real-time.

The first prize of €13,000, entirely for the students, went to the project titled ‘RicordaMI: a game to remember an action, to stay’ from the ‘Ettore Majorana’ High School in Rho (MI). The second prize of €9,000 was awarded to ‘FreeScreening’ from the State Technical Economic Institute ‘Caio Plinio Secondo’ in Como, while the third prize of €7,000 went to the students of the ‘Facchinetti’ State Higher Education Institute in Castellanza (VA) with their project titled ‘SPEAK-I: when technology gives voice to inclusion.’

“This award – commented President Fontana – is not only a showcase for excellence, but a driving force for change, capable of inspiring many young people to believe, collaborate, and dream of a medicine that anticipates illness and protects life. The school projects are a tangible testimony of this, they are beautiful and full of vision. The future is in the ability to prevent, innovate, and unite forces for the common good.”