Istitutio Superiore di Sanità

The Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) is the leading technical and scientific body of  the Italian National Health Service. Its activities include research, clinical trials, control and training in public health; it also serves as a major national clearing house for technical and scientific information on public health issues. The ISS, where required and for specific purposes, acts as funding agency to support scientific programs of national relevance and to promote an Italian harmonious participation to international activities where a particular control is required in order to guarantee the correct use of the allocated budget. The ISS is deeply concerned in issues related to the welfare of experimental animals. It advises the Ministry of Health on experimental procedures performed under special licence and coordinates the activities aimed at developing alternative methods. It plays a major role in spreading the welfare culture in the scientific community and in the country. Furthermore, the Institute plays an important role regarding regulatory issues being the central competent authority for the authorization of phase I clinical trials.

The ISS conducts scientific research and intervention in a wide variety of fields of special relevance for public health. In particular, the ISS promotes basic, translational and clinical research finalized at the identification of safer and more effective interventions for the prevention and treatment of major diseases, i.e. neurological diseases, cancer and  infectious diseases.

The Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences of the ISS directed by Dr. Filippo Belardelli is involved in studying genetic, metabolic and neurological diseases with special attention to rare diseases, immunotherapies and new protocols of biotherapies. In addition, the Department has been involved since many years in studies on novel strategies for the development of cancer vaccines and in promoting and coordinating Phase I-II clinical trials mainly based on the use of IFN-alpha as a vaccine adjuvant.
 

To ISS's website