Dr. Laura Brescacin is the winner for the best poster presentation at the IX National Seminar of the PhD students in Pharmacology and Allied Sciences held in Siena at the Chartusian monastery of Pontignano (September, 20th - 23rd 2005). The title of the poster, selected among over 100 presentations, is "The ruthenium drug NAMI-A antagonizes the TGF-ß pro-invasive effect in breast cancer cells". Dr. Brescacin, who is at the 2nd year of the Doctorate in Pharmacology and Toxicology, Intensive and Reanimative Care - cycle -XIX, to which participate the Universities of Bologna, Modena-Reggio Emilia, Padua and Trieste, is working in the laboratories of Callerio Foundation Onlus of Trieste.

Researchers of Callerio Foundation Onlus are among the 10 semi-finalists of Trieste Start Cup 2005 with the project "Microspheres". This project, aimed at developing a "microsphere" administrable by the oral route and capable of delivering drugs and vaccines, is based on the research work undertaken on 1999 with the contribution of Fondo Trieste. The market to which this technology is focused on is that of vaccination in zootechnics and particularly in aquaculture. The system has already been successfully tested with antigens for treating infective pathologies of culture fishes. Much more ambitious is the main scope masked behind the challenge of Start Cup 2005of the small enterprise "Microspheres": the possibility to realize a microsphere capable of preventing the occurrence of the invalidating nephropathy of diabetic patients. Laboratory studies in this sector are giving interesting results. Now the project will undergo economical-operational implementation with the support of the professional aid of the Camera of Commerce of Trieste. Next step is the selection of the three finalists expected for October 17th 2005.