National Center Patronage Puts Precision Medicine at the Heart of Microfluidic Horizons 2026

22 May 2026, Padua – Continuing its commitment to the advancement of biomedical technologies and precision medicine, the National Center offered its patronage to the internationally recognized Microfluidic Horizons 2026 conference. Held in Padua from 18–22 May 2026, the conference welcomed leading scientists, engineers, clinicians, and innovators working at the frontier of microfluidics, biotechnology, and translational medicine.

Reinforcing Italy’s expanding role in the global precision medicine landscape, the conference features plenary lectures, oral presentations, poster sessions, and scientific discussions highlighting how microfluidics, organ-on-chip systems, and RNA-based technologies are transforming the future of medicine. In doing so, the event further advances the National Center’s mission to promote a healthcare model that is increasingly precise, decentralized, sustainable, and patient-centered.

The conference concluded with closing remarks delivered by National Center President Rosario Rizzuto titled Gene Therapy and RNA Drugs: A National Center Responding to the Challenge of Precision Medicine.

In his address, Rizzuto focused on one of the defining challenges facing modern healthcare: transforming rapidly growing molecular knowledge into highly targeted therapies tailored to individual patients while preserving the sustainability of healthcare systems.

The National Center’s participation in the conference also reflected years of work dedicated not only to advancing research, but also to making complex technologies such as organ-on-chip systems, RNA therapeutics, and microfluidic platforms more accessible and understandable to a broader public audience.

Through Platforms for RNA/DNA Delivery, the activities of Spoke 8, researchers across Italian institutions and industrial partners develop advanced RNA delivery systems designed to transport therapeutic molecules safely and efficiently to specific cells and diseased tissues. Their work includes the development of lipid and polymeric nanoparticles, viral vectors, vesicles, and next-generation delivery technologies capable of improving the precision and effectiveness of RNA-based therapies.

Research activities within Spoke 8 continue to explore alternative biological models including organoids and organ-on-chip platforms to evaluate toxicity and biological activity, particularly in oncology applications. These systems allow scientists to recreate highly controlled physiological environments while reducing reliance on traditional experimental models.

Microfluidics plays a central role in this effort by enabling the production and testing of RNA-based nanoplatforms at increasingly scalable levels. Combined with advanced imaging, omics sciences, artificial intelligence, and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) production strategies, these technologies support the transition from laboratory research toward clinically viable therapies.

While the event draws a parallel with those involved in Spoke 8 towards developing Platforms for RNA/DNA Delivery, the broader scientific contribution of the National Center’s network includes researchers from Spokes 1, 2, and 4 contributing important publications in the field of microfluidic-enabled RNA delivery systems and nanoparticle engineering.