Prof. Fabiana Quaglia of Spoke 8 Welcomed to Panama’s Premier Science Congress

2 October 2025, Panama City, Panama — The 20th edition of Panama’s flagship scientific gathering, the Congreso Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (APANAC 2025), welcomes Prof. Fabiana Quaglia, Scientific Coordinator of Spoke 8 and Full Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Napoli Federico II, as a distinguished keynote speaker.

This milestone congress, commemorating 40 years of the Panamanian Association for the Advancement of Science (APANAC), runs from September 30 to October 3, 2025, in Panama City.

Prof. Quaglia, an internationally recognized expert in RNA/DNA delivery platforms, presents her pioneering research on nucleic acid-based therapies — an area of growing global importance in biomedicine, pandemic preparedness, and precision medicine.

Prof. Quaglia visits Ciudad del Saber (City of Knowledge), a pioneering sustainable campus in Panama City dedicated to advancing knowledge, innovation, culture, and human development on both a national and global scale. Located on the former Clayton military base, Ciudad del Saber is a vibrant hub where universities, research centers, NGOs, and businesses come together to foster collaboration across the public, private, and academic sectors. Established with the vision of promoting sustainable development, entrepreneurship, and advanced training, it has evolved into a leading regional center for science, technology, culture, and social impact.

Today, the City of Knowledge hosts international conferences, incubation programs, and cooperation initiatives, strengthening its role as a catalyst for innovation and cross-sector partnerships.

Her participation reflects a broader initiative of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), spearheaded by scientific attaché Dr. Roberto Marani (seen here with Roberto Marani , the scientific delegate of the embassy who promoted the meeting) and supported by Ambassador Fabrizio Nicoletti, to deepen scientific collaboration between Italy and Panama. Italy serves as co-organizing country for this year’s congress, underlining the significance of the partnership.

A Global Scientific Platform

APANAC 2025 will convene more than 400 national and international scientists, across seven key thematic pillars, including:

  • Health and biomedicine
  • Engineering and technology
  • Sustainability

The congress is organized in alliance with Panama’s National Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation (SENACYT), with support from the Ciudad del Saber, the University of Panama, and the newly launched Centro Regional de Innovación en Vacunas y Biofármacos (CRIVB AIP), inaugurated on 12 September 2025. Prof Quaglia is welcomed to the CRIVB AIP, which is set to become a regional hub for vaccine development and biotechnology research.

In addition to her keynote lecture, Prof. Quaglia will hold strategic meetings with Panamanian authorities and academic institutions, exploring pathways to strengthen collaboration with Italy’s National Centers for health sciences and technology.

RNA/DNA Therapeutics: A Cornerstone of Precision Medicine

In her keynote, Prof. Quaglia will spotlight how personalized and precision therapies are transforming modern medicine by tailoring treatments to the molecular and genetic characteristics of individual patients.

She will emphasize the unique versatility of RNA and gene therapies, which allow for direct modulation of disease-driving mechanisms at their source. Their sequence-defined programmability enables rapid customization based on patient-specific mutations, transcriptomic profiles, or tumor neoantigens—making them especially promising for rare, heterogeneous, or treatment-resistant conditions.

Her presentation underscores why RNA-based therapeutics and gene therapy approaches are emerging as cornerstone tools in next-generation precision medicine.

Building International Partnerships

Prof. Quaglia’s invitation to APANAC 2025 not only showcases her scientific leadership but also provides a platform to present the structure and mission of Spoke 8. She will outline opportunities for expanding international partnerships, fostering collaboration across borders to strengthen scientific innovation and collective health security.

As the world faces persistent and emerging global challenges, APANAC 2025 highlights the indispensable role of international scientific cooperation. Prof. Quaglia’s presence at this congress signals a shared commitment to advancing biomedical science for the well-being of all.

Latest news

National Center Researchers Join Tribute to Professor Federico Rea

The National Center at the 2025 Borsa della Ricerca Forum

The National Center at Science4All 2025: Science at the Heart of Society

Spoke 10 Advances GD2-CAR T Cells Toward Clinical Success for High-Risk Neuroblastoma

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: National Center Researchers Identify New RNA Markers

The Future of Science Takes Center Stage at the 2025 Graduation Day in Trieste