Winners of the “Renato Ugo” Scholarships | 2024 – 2025

The “Renato Ugo” Scholarships were awarded in the course of the 2025 Industrial Innovation Day, the annual event promoted by Airi – the Italian Association for Industrial Research – held at Unioncamere and attended by around 130 experts and representatives from institutions, companies, and research bodies. Promoted and sponsored by Farmindustria, Fondazione Bracco, and Heidelberg Materials Italia, the scholarships went to four young scientists adjudicated to have produced the best theses in STEM fields.

The winning projects referred to: a new class of drugs for cystic fibrosis; the development of photocatalytic systems based on silica microparticles functionalized with brush polymers to improve efficiency and reduce costs; the innovative use of microemulsions for environmental remediation; and post-combustion technologies for CO2 capture in cement plants. This award represents a tangible recognition of the talent of young scientists and their ability to contribute to the country’s industrial innovation.

Fondazione Bracco has supported the “Renato Ugo” scholarships from their inception to promote gender empowerment in STEM subjects and provide concrete support to younger generations through the multi-year program “progettoDiventerò,” within the  context of which it  sponsored two of the winning thesis projects, namely:

• Alessia Lancini, Degree programme: Pharmacy and Industrial Pharmacy (LM 13), University of Padua
  Thesis title: Retrospective clinical study of the efficacy of kaftrio® in combination with kalydeco® for off-label use in patients affected by cystic fibrosis with N1303K mutation
• Simone Gagliarducci, Degree programme: Industrial Chemistry (LM 71)
  Sapienza University of Rome
  Thesis title: Environmental remediation through the use of microemulsions for the mobilization of residual pure-phase organic contaminants

Additionally, the event featured the presentation of the 11th edition of “Innovations of the Near Future”, a technological analysis and forecasting report from Airi, and the only national-level report of its kind. The report provides an updated map of 132 high socio-economic impact technological scenarios expected to drive innovation in strategic sectors in the short and medium term.