SIMIF 2025 – A WARM AND INSPIRING EXPERIENCE!

Our group enthusiastically took part in the SIMIF 2025 conference, held in an atmosphere of warmth, collegiality, and a distinctively blue spirit—echoed in the musical mood of the closing bus ride, overlooking the Port of Messina and the iconic Madonnina del Porto, to the tune of Adriano Celentano's "Azzurro":
🎵 "Azzurro, il pomeriggio è troppo azzurro e lungo per me... mi accorgo di non avere più risorse senza di te".

We were proud to share this occasion with renowned speakers, including Prof. Maria Teresa Palamara, Director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, and Prof. Stefania Stefani, current President of the Italian Society of Microbiology (SIM)—both of whom are pictured here.

👏 A heartfelt thank you goes to the organizing committee, in particular Prof. Antonella Nostro, Dr. Andreana Marino, and Prof. Giuseppina Mandalari, for their warm and attentive welcome, and for the flawless organization of the event. Every detail was managed with professionalism, care, and—deserving special mention—a rare level of kindness.

On Saturday, June 14th, from the podium reserved for the Rector of the University of Messina, a talk was presented on host-directed therapies, an emerging strategy in the fight against infectious diseases. The presentation generated strong interest among participants and provided a valuable opportunity to highlight the research being carried out by our laboratory in this cutting-edge field.

📌 The group also contributed enthusiastically to the poster session, with several posters presented—two of which reached the semifinals in the Facebook vote for the most popular presentations! A recognition that fuels our motivation and pride.

This event marked another meaningful step in the ongoing collaboration between Scylla Biotech S.r.l. and the University of Messina, through the work of young researchers actively involved in co-funded doctoral programs. In particular, PhD students Alessia Berbiglia and Riccardo Galasso, affiliated with both institutions, played an active role in the scientific dissemination, together with Francesco Coppolino, a UNIME research fellow contributing to the FRAIR project led by Scylla.

We return from SIMIF 2025 with not only new scientific insights, but also a renewed sense of enthusiasm and community that will continue to energize our work in microbial biotechnology and immunological innovation.