APCOM

For the first time, six faculties of medicine of Lombard universities, three of which are based in Milano, joined forces to try to reduce the gap between scientific research and business. Their deans published a survey called 'Quality network of scientific research of Lombard Medical Faculties', which lists the university centres that carry out top level research in 14 macro-areas of study, like immunology, endocrinology and genetics. This analysis will allow companies working in those fields to identify the research centres of their interest in a quick and easy way.

In addition to the macro-areas, the deans' panel specified 119 areas of excellence and 1,212 researches carried out by the region's faculties of medicine that have practical applications. The panel also created a skill metrics that can used as a model by other regions both in Italy and in Europe.

The initiative meets the innovation, training and research targets identified by the regional health plan for the years 2007-2009. The programme aims to promote and develop the universities' skills and activities in biomedical research. The goal is to create synergies between the discoveries made in laboratories and clinical applications carried out by hospitals and pharmaceutical companies.