Programme of Events

 

The University of Pavia is celebrating 100 years since Camillo Golgi was awarded the Nobel prize for Medicine. In addition to the University of Pavia, where Golgi taught General Pathology and Histology and was also Rector, the University of Brescia and the Biomedical Research Foundation named after Golgi (Golgi was born in Corteno, province of Brescia, now called “Corteno Golgi”) have decided to honour the eminent scientist with a series of cultural, scientific and celebratory events throughout 2006.

In 1906, the Karolinska Istitutet of Stockholm awarded the Nobel prize for Medicine to Camillo Golgi for his discovery of the “black reaction”, which allowed nervous structures to be visualised. Golgi was the first Italian to receive the prestigious award.

Founder of modern Anatomy and Histology on the nervous system, Golgi also heralded great advances in Cytology studies with his identification of the Internal Reticular Apparatus, later known as “Golgi’s apparatus”. His numerous other discoveries include: the description of the evolution of the malarial pathogen agent in the blood and the identification of the optimal period for administering quinine in malaria treatment.

Not only was Golgi a scientist and university teacher, but also Senator of the Kingdom of Italy and President of the Consiglio Superiore di Sanità (Senior Healthcare Committee).

Below is a list of the scientific and celebratory events organised by the University of Pavia to mark the centenary of Golgi’s Nobel prize:

 

• 21st –25th June 2006
  International Society for the History of the Neurosciences (ISHN) congress in concert with the “Ottorino Rossi Award Conference” organised by the University of Pavia History Museum and the Mondino Neurological Institute of Pavia. See link to ISHN website: http://www.bri.ucla.edu/nha/ishn/call2006.htm
• 15th –17th September2006
  Congress of the Italian General Pathology Society and the Italian Society for the History of Medicine organised by the Experimental Medicine Department, Anatomy and Histology sections, at the University of Pavia. See link to website: (access)
• 19th –22nd September 2006
  Congress of the Italian General Pathology Society organised by the Experimental Medicine Department, “Camillo Golgi” General Pathology section.
• 19th –22nd September 2006
  Congress of the Italian Society for the History of Medicine, organised by the University of Pavia History Museum. (access)
• 1st –7th October 2006
  Neurosciences Congress entitled, “The Node and the Network. The fundamental contribution of Camillo Golgi to modern neuroscience”, organised by the Department of General Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Pavia. (access)
• Camillo Golgi exhibition
  Organised by the University of Pavia, the exhibition is dedicated to the life and scientific activity of Camillo Golgi. One section will focus on the Golgian school, one of Italy’s most important scientific schools. (access)
• Digital catalogue of “Golgian” documents

The documents are held at the University of Pavia History Museum and the Esperimental Medicine Department, General Pathology Section.

 

These events will be complemented by a number of publishing projects that include: the reprint of Golgi’s papers; the publication of his scientific and personal biography; and the digitalisation of important documents on the life and work of the Pavian scientist, which will be available online.