Graduation Day
Ceremony of proclamation of the Research Doctors
Session Academic Year 2018/2019
Trieste, 24 May 2019, University of Trieste
Aula Magna di Ateneo - Campus of Piazzale Europa 1, Central Building, 3rd floor
Program
11.00 Welcome of the Rector of the University of Trieste prof. Maurizio Fermeglia
11.15 Greeting addresses
Mayor of Trieste, Mr. Roberto Dipiazza
Regional Councillor for Labour, Training, Education, Research, University and Family, Mrs. Alessia Rosolen
11.30 Mention and awarding of the winners of the Doctoral Thesis Award EUT Edizioni Università di Trieste 2017 e 2018
11.45 Lectio magistralis by Prof. Stefano Piccolo
Professor of Molecular Biology at the School of Medicine of the University of Padua Department of Molecular Medicine
New tools for interrogating cancer biology
12.15 Proclamation of Research Doctors - Touch Throw
12.30 Closing of the Ceremony
Stefano Piccolo graduated in Padua where he also obtained his PhD working with Giorgio Bressan on extracellular matrix proteins. For his post-doctoral research work, he joined Edward De Robertis' group at the University of California Los Angeles/Howard Hughes Medical Institute and then returned to Italy where he is now Full Professor of Molecular Biology at the School of Medicine at the University of Padua.
His most innovative contribution has been the discovery that cells use YAP/TAZ to translate the information they receive from the physical and structural characteristics of their microenvironment, their shape and cytoskeletal organization. The discovery that cellular mechano-translation is a global regulator of cell behavior through nuclear factors YAP/TAZ is having effects that transform our understanding of the physiology and molecular bases of the disease.
Using a combination of experimental approaches, Piccolo then outlined key roles of YAP/TAZ in stem cells and cancer, contributing to the current view that these factors are molecular determinants of cancer stem cell attributes.
Piccolo has received various honors for his scientific achievements. He was elected to the EMBO (2007), the Accademia dei Lincei (2014) and his studies have earned him various national and international awards, such as the BIOTECH Award (1999), A. Minich award (2003), Swissbridge Award (2005), Chiara D'Onofrio Award (2007), Debiopharm Award (2011), Tartufari award (2012) and the Venosta-FIRC award (2012).
During the ceremony the "Choir and Orchestra of the University of Trieste" will perform.
Contacts:
comunicazione@amm.units.it
