Research at DMC

The Department of Medicine and Surgery (DMC) is recognised as a scientific centre of excellence. Across its various areas of interest, the DMC’s involvement in drafting guidelines, consensus documents and scientific statements for national and international scientific societies on the topics described below, as well as its participation in expert committees focused on a range of issues, gives its academic staff a significant impact on the scientific community.

The Department carries out research in the field of endocrine-metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, including arrhythmology, geriatric cardiology, thrombosis and haemostasis, as well as in pulmonology, maternal and child health and neonatology, haematological and oncohaematological diseases, and infectious diseases. This work also supports public health policies by contributing to the development of research projects, preclinical experimentation and clinical studies, as well as consensus documents for clinical practice. Its approach is multidisciplinary, as shown, for example, by its work on infectious disease issues in immunocompromised patients, including patients who have undergone solid organ and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and on the safety of organs and tissues for transplantation.

In addition, surgical research includes clinical and experimental projects aimed at methodological and technological innovation, with vascular surgery playing a prominent role in the development of new procedures. Thoracic surgery and obstetric-gynaecological surgery, including aspects of oncological surgery and minimally invasive surgery, are also involved in multicentre and international studies.

The DMC conducts basic, clinical and translational research in biomedical and clinical fields on the above-mentioned topics of high scientific relevance, with recognition at both national and international level.

The DMC conducts research in the fields of clinical pharmacology, research methodology, ethics and integrity, and public health.

DMC faculty members hold prestigious positions in these fields. The approach integrates clinical, preventive and long-term follow-up aspects in a multidisciplinary manner and includes preclinical trials and clinical studies.

In particular, clinical pharmacology integrates basic, clinical and translational research, with a significant impact in various areas, particularly in the study of immune and pharmacological responses, in the fields of neurology, neuropharmacology and pharmacogenetics.

The areas of public health, hygiene, occupational medicine and medical statistics focus on a range of fields, including epidemiological studies on the links between pollution and immune responses and on the interaction between lifestyle and cardiovascular and degenerative diseases, including through involvement in major international clinical and biomolecular databases.

The integration of biomedical and clinical fields with basic, clinical and translational research ensures a high level of scientific reputation for the activities carried out in these sectors, always with a strong focus on research integrity.

A key area of focus is cellular pathology, which centres on the study of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying tumour progression, the role of the extracellular matrix and hyaluronic acid, lymphatic spread pathways, and the application of advanced imaging techniques. In the fields of genetics, molecular biology and gene therapy, the Department is engaged in developing innovative approaches for the treatment of rare genetic diseases, including studies on the pharmacological suppression of stop mutations, through experimental models and clinical trials based on DNA analysis. Research activities include studies on immunosenescence, innate immunity in endocrine autoimmune diseases, the impact of vaccinations and infections, as well as the influence of environmental and climatic factors on health, including through dedicated epidemiological projects.

The more ‘basic’ and ‘in vitro’ research areas are further complemented by the translational research carried out in the DMC laboratories, which synergistically includes research on healthy individuals and patients in order to elucidate the pathophysiological processes underlying the onset and progression of diseases. 

The University’s institutional research repository, where information on academic output is collected, preserved and documented for dissemination purposes, is IRInSubria – a publicly accessible institutional repository (which also includes doctoral theses).

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The Department’s research activities are supported by projects funded through competitive national and international calls, as well as by associations, agencies, foundations, and private national organisations.

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