October 22nd 2007
The Collegium Ramazzini, an international academy of experts in the fields of occupational and environmental health, is celebrating 25 years of service as a bridge between the world of scientific discovery and the social and political entities that must act on these discoveries to protect public health. Founded in 1982 by Irving J. Selikoff (USA), Cesare Maltoni (Italy) and other eminent scientists, the Collegium will commemorate its Jubilee anniversary in Carpi, Italy from October 25-28, 2007.
More than 100 fellows of the Collegium and guests from 25 countries will be attending the three-day event in Carpi. The conference includes more than 40 scientific presentations on topics ranging from recent advances in environmental and occupational heath to tracking emerging health hazards. Special focus will be dedicated to the environmental and occupational origins of common complex diseases including cancer, neurodegenerative, chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. A detailed program of the scientific sessions, all of which are open to the public, may be found on the website of the Collegium Ramazzini at www.collegiumramazzini.it.
Each year the annual meeting of the Collegium, known as “Ramazzini Days,” is generously hosted by the Town of Carpi, birthplace of Bernardino Ramazzini, the 17th century physician considered the father of occupational medicine. Four different mayors of Carpi, Werther Cigarini, Claudio Bergianti, Demos Malavasi and Enrico Campedelli, have presided over Ramazzini Days since its inception in 1983. The event is organized by the European Ramazzini Foundation (Italy) and financially supported by the National Ramazzini Institute (Italy), a social cooperative with more than 18,000 members whose mission is to promote scientific research and disseminate information for the prevention of cancer. In 2007, additional financial contributions for the event were also received from the Legacoop Bologna, the U.S. National Toxicology Program and the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Additional institutional patrons of the event include the Universities of Modena and Reggio Emilia, INAIL, the Region of Emilia Romagna, the Province of Modena and the Circolo Medico Jacopo Berengario.
The 25th anniversary edition of Ramazzini Days will be held in the Collegium’s international headquarters, the Palazzo dei Pio, newly reopened after seven years of extensive restoration. All scientific sessions, as well as the presentation of the Ramazzini Award, will be held in the frescoed Sala dei Mori and adjacent loggia, thanks to a rewarding collaboration with the City Councilman for Cultural Affairs, Dr. Alberto Bellelli and the Director of the Museum of Carpi, Dr. Manuela Rossi.
Special events open to the public
On Friday, October 26th at 18:00, conference participants and the citizens of Carpi are invited for a special viewing of the 18th century portrait of Bernardino Ramazzini by Luigi Bianchini Ciarlini, to be accompanied by Venetian chamber music of the era. The painting, from which the logo of the Collegium Ramazzini is derived, depicts Ramazzini in his black doctoral toga with white lace sleeves. One of the more beautiful details of the painting is Ramazzini’s elaborate wig worn according to the Venetian fashion of the time. On the table where Ramazzini is seated, a paper identifies him as ‘carpensis philophus ac medicus’ (Philosopher and Physician of Carpi).
Each year as a tribute to the “Master of Carpi,” the Mayor of Carpi and the members of the Collegium Ramazzini bestow the prestigious Ramazzini Award upon a scientist or scientists who have made outstanding contributions in their field. The 2007 award ceremony, to be held on Saturday, October 27th at 19:00, will honor Dr. Fiorella Belpoggi for her advancement of the use of long-term bioassays to determine cancer risk from agents present in the industrial and general environment. Dr. Belpoggi, a member of the Collegium Ramazzini’s Executive Council and Vice Scientific Director of the Cesare Maltoni Cancer Research Center in Bologna, Italy, will deliver the Ramazzini lecture on “Fuels: a persistent threat to public health.” Simultaneous translation of the award and lecture will be provided in Italian.
For additional information, please contact:
Kathryn Knowles
European Ramazzini Foundation
Tel. +39 051.6640460
development@ramazzini.it
www.collegiumramazzini.org
Diane Woodford
Office of the Mayor
Comune di Carpi
Tel. +30 059.649792/4
diane.woodford@comune.carpi.mo.it
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Contacts
The General Secretariat of the Collegium is located in the Castle of Bentivoglio, near Bologna.
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