Roberto Bellotti and Sabina Tangaro received the “La Salute in Puglia” Award

Prof. Roberto Bellotti and Prof. Sabina Tangaro, from the University of Bari Aldo Moro, have received the “La Salute in Puglia” Award, presented during the Gala held on 2 October in Bari. The award recognises two scientific and academic careers characterised by a strong focus on innovation and on the application of expertise in Physics, data analysis and advanced technologies to issues of relevance to health. Roberto Bellotti, Rector of the University of Bari Aldo Moro and a physicist, has developed a strongly interdisciplinary scientific career, fostering the integration of Physics, computational methodologies, data analysis and biomedical applications, while contributing to the development of advanced research infrastructures and expertise. Sabina Tangaro, Professor of Applied Physics and Director of the School of Specialisation in Medical Physics at the University of Bari, conducts research in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and advanced data and image analysis for health. Her work covers a broad range of applications, from oncological and neurodegenerative diseases to biomarker discovery, as well as research into the microbiome, nutrition, and the interactions between environment, food and health. Prof. Bellotti and Prof. Tangaro have shared research activities for many years, developing an interdisciplinary vision based on the integration of physics expertise, advanced data analysis methodologies and digital infrastructures. METROFOOD-IT represents one of the areas in which this collaboration has been applied to emerging challenges in the agri-food sector, bringing research-based technologies and expertise to support food quality and safety, nutrition and health. METROFOOD-IT, a research infrastructure dedicated to metrology and data for the agri-food system, promotes an approach in which digital infrastructures, data management and analysis, High Performance Computing and Artificial Intelligence methodologies contribute to the development of new tools for research and innovation. The “La Salute in Puglia” Award presented to Prof. Roberto Bellotti and Prof. Sabina Tangaro therefore highlights the value of research that brings together different disciplines and areas of expertise, building connections between health, food, the environment, data and technologies, and transforming scientific knowledge into innovation at the service of society and the local community.