Evelina Tacconelli, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Verona, on the antibiotic resistance alarm: "Among Italians and Greeks, the risk is higher. The disparities are dramatic: in Europe, there is a 900% gap between the best and worst performers, meaning that what we are doing is still not enough."
Padova, March 13, 2025 – A great turnout marked the opening event of the second edition of the World Health Forum Veneto at Padova Congress, an international gathering that brings together scientists, healthcare experts, and citizens interested in health and prevention topics. Five sessions covered subjects such as the environment and infectious agents, cancer etiology, microbiota and antimicrobial resistance, epidemiology, and nutrition. The event was inaugurated by the President of the Veneto Region, Luca Zaia, the Mayor of Padua, Sergio Giordani, the Rector of the University of Padua, Daniela Mapelli, Gilberto Muraro, President of Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Padova e Rovigo, and Antonio Santocono, President of the Padua Chamber of Commerce.
"Experimentation, study, medicine, and artificial intelligence—these are the watchwords of the second edition of the World Health Forum, our Olympics of research and healthcare, which we inaugurated today in Padua," said Zaia at the Forum’s opening. "Thanks to this event, Padua becomes an important hub for the development of all the themes regarding the scientific world that are dear to the Veneto Region, on which we invest 10.5 billion euros annually. Artificial intelligence, already employed in the pathology department led by Prof. Dei Tos, is one of the frontiers we will focus on moving forward, given its countless medical applications, with the potential to increase patient eligibility for medical treatment by 20%. I thank the scientific committee for selecting the 16 technical sessions that will animate these three days in Padova: the topics covered are not only at the forefront of modern medicine but will also guide our healthcare professionals in pursuing a better future."
The opening day then turned the spotlight on the link between the environment, lifestyles, and health, with key speeches on environmental and nutritional determinants of diseases. The topic of prevention was explored by Francesca Russo, Director of Prevention, Food Safety, and Veterinary Affairs of the Veneto Region and a member of the Scientific Committee, who discussed the region’s preventive health policies. The presented data included vaccinations for children within their first 15 months: in Veneto, neonatal coverage for the respiratory syncytial virus stands at 82.5%, while measles vaccination reaches 95%. The proportion of sedentary individuals aged 18 to 69 is 15.5%, compared to the Italian average of 28%, while smokers account for 21% versus the national percentage of 24.5%. Elderly vaccination coverage is also strong, with 55% of 65-year-olds vaccinated against pneumococcus and herpes zoster. Participation in cancer screenings stands at 64% for colorectal cancer, 77% for breast cancer, and 62% for cervical cancer.
How to tackle the global threat of antibiotic resistance was the focus of the speech by Professor Evelina Tacconelli, who explained: "The problem is well known clinically, but it remains dramatic. The AIFA report has shown a non-compliant use of antibiotics according to European Community guidelines, meaning that equal rights are not guaranteed to all citizens. For example, among Italians and Greeks, the risk is higher. The disparities are dramatic: in Europe, there is a 900% gap between the best and worst performers, meaning that what we are doing is still not enough. Even if we have the best surgeons, oncologists, and pediatricians in Europe, the risk of patients contracting infections is higher in some countries."
Friday, March 14 Program
The World Health Forum Veneto continues on Friday with its second day, again at Padova Congress, starting at 8:45 AM with opening remarks by Manuela Lanzarin, Veneto Regional Health Councillor. At 9:00 AM, the event moves into full swing with the keynote speech "Digital Pathology: Combining Archival Histology, Tissue Imaging, and Spatial Transcriptomics through Machine Learning" by Angelo Paolo Dei Tos from the University of Padova. Stefano Gustincich from the IIT Italian Institute of Technology in Genoa will then delve into "New RNAs from the Dark Side of the Genome."
The second session, "Organoids and Scaffolds: New 3D Models for Understanding Human Diseases," will feature Paolo De Coppi from University College London Great Ormond Institute of Child Health, analyzing "Prenatal Diagnosis and Fetal Medicine," and Nicola Elvassore from the Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine, discussing "Engineering Brain Organoids as Disease Models." Both sessions will be moderated by Stefano Piccolo.
The third session will explore "Metabolic Medicine: When the Energy Engine Fails," featuring Paul Wuh-Liang Hwu from the Center for Precision Medicine, China Medical University, Taiwan, and California Institute for Gene Therapy, along with Fatima Bosch from the Center for Animal Biotechnology and Gene Therapy in Barcelona.
At 11:45 AM, the fourth session, "Viruses: From Enemies to Allies in Gene Therapy," will begin with Katherine High, CEO of RhyGaze. Alessandro Aiuti from Vita-Salute San Raffaele University – San Raffaele Hospital in Milan will then discuss lentivirus for hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy.
The afternoon will focus on molecular medicine. The fifth session at 1:30 PM will cover gene correction with Franco Locatelli from the Superior Health Council – Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital in Rome and Paula Cannon from the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, moderated by Alessandra Biffi from the University of Padova.
The sixth session at 2:25 PM, on new drugs from pathogenic mutations, will feature speakers Danilo Norata from the University of Milan and Paolo Simioni from the University of Padova, moderated by Leonardo Salviati.
At 3:20 PM, Mauro Giacca from King’s College London and the University of Trieste, along with Marco Sandri from the University of Padova, will explore the connection between the heart and skeletal muscles in combating muscle loss. Moderator: Paolo Simioni.
The eighth session at 4:15 PM, moderated by Claudio Zanon from Motore Sanità and Alfredo Guglielmi from the University of Verona, will focus on new technologies in surgery. Speakers include Pietro Ruggieri, Andrea Angelini, and Franco Grego from the University of Padova, with a virtual intervention by Lumsden Alan B. from DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center – Houston Methodist Hospital.
The ninth and final session at 5:35 PM will be a roundtable on precision medicine and high-tech business investments, moderated by Giorgio Palù and Rosario Rizzuto: Speakers will include Lucia Aleotti (Menarini Group), Francesca Gennari (Therakos Italia), Nicoletta Luppi (MSD Italia), Gaudenzio Meneghesso (University of Padova), Mons. Renzo Pegoraro (Pontifical Academy for Life), science journalist Chiara Sabelli, and Fabio Turone (Center for Ethics in Science and Journalism - CESJ).
The second day of the Forum will conclude at 8:45 PM with a concert by the OPV – Orchestra of Padova and Veneto, performing Gustav Mahler’s Resurrection.
Registrations and Social Media Channels
Registrations for the three-day event are open and completely free on the website: https://worldhealthforum.it/il-programma-2025. The official social media channels of the World Health Forum 2025 are also active, including Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/whfveneto), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/worldhealthforumveneto), X (https://twitter.com/WHFVeneto), and Threads (https://www.threads.net/@whfveneto).
Promoters
The event is promoted by the Veneto Region, the Municipality of Padua, the University of Padua, the Padua Chamber of Commerce, and Fondazione Cariparo, in collaboration with the Public Health School Foundation and Venicepromex.
The World Health Forum Veneto is a three-day event featuring high-level meetings and discussions analyzing the present and exploring the future of medical science and technologies that can improve lives. Addressing some of the most pressing issues in healthcare and raising public awareness for general well-being are the main goals of the World Health Forum Veneto, a free event open to everyone: healthcare professionals, experts, students, and citizens.
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Giulio Todescan
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Giulia Capuozzo
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The World Health Forum Veneto is born with a specific purpose: to analyze the present and delve into the future of medical sciences and technologies that can improve life.
