Research, Frattini (Roche Foundation): ‘It should be supported even more after the pandemic’

“After a dramatic experience like that of the pandemic, we realized that our role is even more valuable. Today there is an even greater need to be close to researchers and research in general ”. This was said by Francesco Frattini, general secretary of the Roche Foundation, who then underlined the joy of the return in the presence of the award ceremony of the winners of the “Roche Foundation for independent research”: “I was very happy to have the opportunity to reward researchers in person, which we couldn’t do last year. If it was possible to enjoy the award ceremony in the presence it is because medical-scientific research has allowed it ”. The general secretary of the Roche Foundation then illustrated the characteristics of the sixth edition of the initiative which has just been inaugurated: “The 2021 edition of the Roche Foundation call follows the already tested format, we will provide eight grants of 50 thousand euros each to finance as many research projects . The six therapeutic areas selected for the sixth stage of the initiative are characterized by a very high and largely unmet medical need, we are talking about oncology, hematology, complications of Covid, hemophilia, neuroscience and ophthalmology. Furthermore – concludes Frattini – we have decided to dedicate two special prizes to precision medicine, which is becoming increasingly important, and to the use of digital technologies for research, reflecting also in this case on one of the lessons we learned during the tragic experience we have lived in the last two years “.