Building long-term scientific partnerships
Beyond its scientific objectives, the program reflects a broader commitment to international collaboration and knowledge exchange.
The initiative builds upon an established relationship between the Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology at the University of Naples Federico II and the Kenyan university system. Over recent years, the Department has developed research and educational collaborations with Kenyatta University and the University of Nairobi, hosting students and early-career researchers while promoting joint scientific activities.
By welcoming a Kenyan researcher into its laboratories, the project aims not only to advance research in precision oncology but also to strengthen long-term partnerships between Italian and Kenyan institutions.
“This initiative demonstrates how investments made through the PNRR can continue generating value well beyond the construction of research infrastructures,” said Prof. Rosario Rizzuto, President of the National Center for Gene Therapy and Drugs based on RNA Technology. “The program gives concrete expression to the objectives of the Mattei Plan for Africa by promoting scientific cooperation based on the exchange of expertise and the development of long-term partnerships. Opening our laboratories to researchers from other countries transforms the scientific assets built over recent years into a lasting engine for innovation and international collaboration.”
Prof. Gerolama Condorelli, Scientific Coordinator of the project, highlighted the importance of the initiative for both research and international cooperation:
“This project will enable us to develop new precision medicine strategies based on aptamers and RNA technologies, with the goal of identifying increasingly effective tools for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The participation of a Kenyan researcher represents a significant added value, because scientific progress is driven by the exchange of expertise, experience and diverse perspectives. For our Department, it is also an opportunity to strengthen a collaboration with Kenya that has grown through years of shared scientific and educational activities and is now entering a new stage of maturity.”
