The IAEA has designated Italy’s Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS as a Collaborating Centre for radiation oncology and medical physics, building on a decade of cooperation. Over the next four years, the IAEA will work closely with the hospital to enhance the cancer management capabilities of countries around the globe.
“In helping the IAEA to implement its own programmatic activities, Collaborating Centres promote the practical use of nuclear technology around the world,” said Najat Mokhtar, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, during the signing ceremony held on the margins of the IAEA’s 69th General Conference. “Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS’s support across research, development and training will directly assist the IAEA in enhancing access to high-quality cancer care.”
Under the new agreement, the institution will continue to support the IAEA’s human health programme through coordinated research projects, guidance documents, scientific publications, quality assurance review missions and knowledge-building initiatives such as medical conferences.
As part of the IAEA’s flagship Rays of Hope cancer initiative, the hospital will also provide comprehensive support to its Anchor Centres — dedicated capacity-building hubs for cancer care in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Among other activities, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCSS will help strengthen Anchor Centres’ research and training capabilities and facilitate expert-led missions.
“Our institution has always been committed to offering excellence and quality in clinical care, research, and education,” stated Maria Antonietta Gambacorta, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at Catholic University of Rome and Director of Gemelli Advanced Radiation Therapy. “This agreement highlights how the educational aspect is an integral part of our mission; indeed we offer numerous training opportunities with particular attention to practical aspects, not just theoretical ones.”
“We have facilities and organizations to provide integrated educational programs aimed not only at physicians but also at technicians, nurses, psychologists and all team members,” added Luca Tagliaferri, Director of the Inpatient Radiotherapy Unit. “We believe that multiprofessionalism is the foundation of an excellent quality offering in both clinical care and research.”
Inaugurated in 1964, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli is a comprehensive cancer centre managing more than 50 000 patients annually that has been recognized as one of the world’s 50 best hospitals. The hospital has previously supported IAEA cancer projects in Africa and Europe, trained IAEA fellows in radiation medicine and participated in IAEA research on resource-sparing treatment for rectal cancer, among other initiatives.
