Federiciana Maria Angela De Stefano is among the winners of the 2023 Fellowships

Maria Angela De Stefano, born in 1983, with a degree in Medical Biotechnology and a doctorate in Biomedical and Advanced Surgical Therapies, is the Italian researcher winner of the 11th edition of the Fellowships promoted by IBSA Foundation for scientific research. With a study project in the area of Regenerative Medicine titled 'The intracellular control of Thyroid hormone signaling in the metabolic and extrinsic control of muscle stem cell plasticity and muscle regeneration, ' the young scientist from Frederick stood out among 248 applications from 47 countries, receiving one of six fellowships worth 32.000, a sum that will enable her in the coming months to pursue her research at the Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology of the Hospital of the University of Naples Federico II.

Since its launch in 2012, the Fellowships program promoted by IBSA Foundation has already funded 52 fellowships, with a total value of more than 1.5 million euros, dedicated to young researchers under 40 working within universities, hospitals or research centers.

The 2023 edition has by far the highest numbers: 248 projects arrived from all over the world including Italy, which submitted the highest number of applications, as many as 72.

Awarding the six scholarships of the 2023 edition during the ceremony were Christian Wolfrum, Vice President for Research at ETH Zurich, and Silvia Misiti, IBSA Foundation's Director for Scientific Research, who commented -"Enhancing talent by investing in new generations of researchers is among the activities to support scientific research promoted by our Foundation, the one that has probably given us the greatest satisfaction over the years. We know how difficult it can be today for young graduates to embark on the path of research, and we hope that our Fellowships project can help give substance to the expectations and hopes of so many future scientists. The interest shown over the years in this program by so many girls and boys from around the world makes us think we are on the right track."

Applications for the 2023 call have been collected in five scientific areas-dermatology, endocrinology, fertility/urology, pain medicine/orthopaedics/rheumatology, and the special edition dedicated to Healthy Aging and Regenerative Medicine.

Building on the success of these editions, IBSA Foundation today announces the opening of the new call for Fellowships 2024 edition, confirming its commitment to independent research. As in 2023, projects pertaining to five areas can be applied for in the new edition: dermatology, endocrinology, fertility/urology, pain medicine/orthopaedics/rheumatology, and Healthy Aging/Regenerative Medicine, which, by virtue of the deep interest found, becomes a permanent category of the call. The sixth fellowship will be awarded to the scientific area with the highest number of applications.

Applicants who wish to submit their project can send proposals by January 31, 2025 through the platform provided.

All winners and their respective areas of expertise