From Molecular Biology to Science Diplomacy: A Long and Winding Road

Abstract

As young kids we view science as a fascinating world of breakthrough discoveries, and it was probably this childish idea that drove me into choosing biological sciences as a field of study. Like all aspects of our existence, however, life in science can take unpredictable paths and my personal journey through it was hardly linear, mostly as a consequence of close encounters with unavoidable obstacles, and partly reflecting my constant desire for new challenges. Yeast molecular genetics was the field where I moved the first steps during my Ph.D. experience in the United States, and molecular nutrition/nutritional systems biology is the broad scientific area of my professional lifetime since returning to Italy. Walking backwards the route of Darwinian evolution, I spent the last decade of my life in science studying food microbiology, until a final sharp turn led me to conclude my career within the trans-disciplinary field of science diplomacy at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On the verge of retirement it is hard to say whether this non-linear path had more pros or cons, but it leaves me with the rewarding feeling of having learned a lot, and I must thank for this all the people I met and teamed with along the way. Being them mentors, collaborators, young fellows or students, sharing part of my path with them has always provided precious take-home lessons. Regrettably, I felt all along that the outcomes of my hard work were more valued and supported outside than within my own institution.