The University of Siena at the Risk Management Forum: Innovation and sustainability in health risk management.

Professor Gabriele Messina, lecturer at the University of Siena, participated in the Risk Forum Management in Arezzo (26-29 November), presenting the University's concrete approach in combining scientific research and industry needs. Professor Messina illustrated how the University can act as a bridge between research and industry, supporting companies in every phase of the innovation process: from the initial idea to scientific validation, up to industrial scale production, with particular attention to health risk management and sustainability.

The team's research line focused on disinfection through light, a sustainable and eco-friendly method that, also thanks to global policies, is gaining increasing importance. The team from the University of Siena, led by Professor Messina (Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine) and Professor Gabriele Cevenini (Department of Medical Biotechnology), has obtained international recognition for the research and development of innovative solutions, responding concretely to the challenges related to risk management, prevention and public health.

What distinguishes the team's approach is the ability to offer tailor-made solutions, supporting companies in the realization of projects through the expert use of advanced simulation software, radiometric measurements, microbiological experiments and 3D prototyping.

Thanks to an iterative process, the method allows to obtain optimal results, creating an effective link between scientific research and industry. The results go beyond the confines of the laboratory, validating the technologies in real contexts, such as everyday living environments.
The University stand attracted great interest among the many healthcare professionals, who appreciated the solutions presented and were surprised by the innovation and concreteness of the University's responses to real problems.

Among the devices on display, several innovative solutions stand out, including a sophisticated design furnishing lamp, capable of disinfecting objects using UV-C light. An air purification system for domestic environments was also presented, designed to be installed in kitchen hoods, and a specific disinfection system for cinema equipment, based on UVC LED technology.

There was no shortage of devices oriented towards food safety, such as a disinfection system for food packaging with UV-C LEDs, and a ceiling light with a mix of traditional LEDs and nUVA LEDs (in the blue-violet range), designed to ensure continuous disinfection in civil and healthcare environments.

Other noteworthy devices include an innovative UV-C LED pen and pencil disinfection system and a solar-powered foldable box with UVC CHIP technology, ideal for small spaces and also appreciated by members of the military who visited the University's stand. Finally, a cutting-edge device for disinfecting the stethoscope, the symbol of the healthcare worker and often contaminated like hands, was exhibited, also based on UV-C LED technology.

Precisely on this last topic, the disinfection of the stethoscope membrane, Professor Messina presented a poster which highlights how over 200 international researches, more than half of which in the last 10 years, confirm the role of stethoscope contamination also with microbes that are involved in healthcare-associated infections.

In support of the experiences presented, scientific articles published by the team of professors Messina and Cevenini were displayed. Next to each article there was a QR code that linked to the official sites, where it was possible to consult the open access content of the article.

The University of Siena confirms once again its role as a point of reference in technological innovation, creating cutting-edge solutions to address global challenges in the field of health and sustainability. The synergy between academic research and industry is essential to respond to market needs, and the University is ready to continue playing a crucial role in this evolution.

The research activity presented in Arezzo is part of the University's "third mission", which aims to translate academic research into tangible benefits for society.

Previous 1 di 3 The next