The public and private sectors have joined forces to develop and deliver health care solutions that both improve patients’ lives and also have a measurable economic impact. This innovative partnership model includes the participation of governments, universities, research institutes, medical centers, industry, and patients themselves—all playing an active role in addressing a common goal.
The Italian government pioneered this concept in 2006 with the creation of the Ri.MED Foundation, together with its cofounders—the Regione Sicilia, the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), the University of Pittsburgh, and UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center). Based on an Italy-U.S. scientific cooperation agreement, Ri.MED was established as a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting biomedical research and development, with its application to biotechnology, and having a particular focus in Sicily and the south of Italy.
The integration of Ri.MED with the Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione (ISMETT) has enabled the Ri.MED-affiliated scientists to further the development of a diversified pipeline of preclinical products based on innovative approaches such as regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and the application of quantitative systems pharmacology to drug discovery.
The X Ri.MED Symposium has exemplify international collaborative programs that demonstrate synergistic and integrated contributions from preclinical research through clinical application and regional economic development.
