Advancing Medicine through Innovation - Expo 2025 Osaka

The session entitled Advancing Medicine through Innovation, presented by the National Center for RNA and Gene Therapy, offers a vision for the future of medicine.

Dr. Elena Quagliato, Program Managing Director of the National Center, takes the stage on 9 April by introducing a powerful message of transformation through science and setting the tone for a session that explored the full scope of the Center’s mission, from high-impact research on rare diseases and cancer to groundbreaking innovations in diagnostics, AI-driven drug discovery, and personalized therapeutics.

“We are here to share how and why we are Advancing Medicine through Innovation, as our work mirrors the Expo’s vision—of designing a future society that is more resilient, connected, and healthier.”

Introduced by the Center’s Research and Communication Manager Dr Emanuela Roman, the session welcomes a powerhouse of Italian scientific leadership, including: Prof. Alessandra Renieri of the University of Siena, Prof. Elisabetta Ferretti of La Sapienza University of Rome, Prof. Gian Gaetano Tartaglia of the Italian Institute of Technology, Prof. Rosario Rizzuto President of the National Center and Spoke 4 leader at the University of Padua, Prof. Gabriella Viero of the Italian National Research Council, Prof. Manuela Helmer Citterich of the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Prof. Marisa Brini of the University of Padua, and Dr. Marco Silvestri of the National Centers industrial partner Isinnova.

Representing a leap forward in translating lab discoveries into patient-focused solutions, some of the key research themes included Novel Split-GFP based Sensors, Multimodal and multi-target approaches to RNA applications, and Breaking Boundaries in Biotechnology.

In her closing statement, Dr. Quagliato reaffirmed the Center’s long-term vision: “Following the subthemes of the 2025 Osaka Expo, we pledge to empower and connect lives—to bring science from the lab into the lives of people everywhere. As technologies like AI, machine learning, and biomedical twins reshape healthcare, we are proud to be part of a future where treatments are smarter, faster, and more sustainable.“

Whether through personalized cancer therapies or AI-driven RNA drug discovery, the National Center for RNA and Gene Therapy is not just presenting science—it is presenting the future.