Nov. 7 – A new partnership between the Ministry of Environment and the Centre for Research on Cancer (BIDMC) of the American University of Harvard aims at understanding why, controlling for environmental conditions and lifestyle, cancer affects some people and not others.
The Minister Corrado Clini broadened the research base of the human genome to companies specialized in environmental innovation, hence increasing the chances of understanding the mechanisms by which two people exposed to the same carcinogens (asbestos, chloride vinyl and so on) or similar hazardous lifestyles (such as smoking) can have very different fates. “The project, already approved by the CIPE, will establish a reference center for the development of genome studies in Italy – said Clini – The aim is to understand environmental risks and protect our health. For example, if we understand the genetic mechanisms of cancer formation, it is possible to determine in advance who can safely work with carcinogen materials and who can’t.”
