With a solemn ceremony in the Campidoglio in Rome, three researchers of the Dame of the University of Udine, Cristiana Catena, Barbara Frossi e Giulia Antoniali, have been awarded a prestigious award, as part of the prize Recti Eques – Italian Paladins of Health, awarded by the Liber association to one hundred scientists throughout Italy. The topics of their research range from the consequences of Covid 19 disease, to celiac disease and the role of mast cells, up to an innovative study on tumors.
Cristina Catena
The teacher Cristiana Catena was awarded for work done in 2020 on Covid-19, with particular reference to the possible Short-term heart changes in patients after infection. “I am honored for the award received and for having been able to represent, on the occasion, the entire team of internal medicine specialists – explains the full professor of Internal Medicine at the Dame and director of the same specialization school while confirming the results obtained through the research conducted at the University hospital of Udine on a sample of 105 patients 41 days after the diagnosis of Covid-19. “The study showed that there are no structural or functional cardiac abnormalities in patients who survived the virus more than one month after diagnosis, even in cases of severe disease”.
Barbara Frossi
The results obtained in the research on the role of mast cells in the initiation and progression of celiac disease, work of Barbara Frossi, researcher in general pathology and member of the Dame Immunology research group. “Having understood that these cells, which play a key role in allergic reactions, are actually among the main players in the intestinal damage responsible for the disease, may lead to the planning of new therapeutic approaches”, highlights the researcher who adds: “It was a great honor to have represented our department at the prestigious event. It is a result that I want to share with all those who participated in the publication in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology because it is right to remember that scientific research is always the result of teamwork, passion and sharing. Events like this allow us to effectively show how active the Italian scientific community is and capable of obtaining truly remarkable results “.
Giulia Antoniali
The researcher in molecular biology Giulia Antoniali rose to the podium with an innovative study on tumors and, in particular, on the new role of a DNA repair enzyme, known as Ape1 protein, in the development and progression of cervical cancer, through the use of modern genomic and proteomic technologies, the flagship of the Dame. “I am honored for this prestigious award – underlines the researcher – the work highlighted for the first time the direct correlation between increased levels of Ape1 and greater resistance of cancer to drugs. This could pave the way for the development of new compounds capable of interfering with the functions of this protein in cancer cells ”. And he concluded: “I would like to thank the Airc Foundation, which financed the study, and share the recognition with the entire research group that made it possible to achieve this extraordinary result”.