The first ever Arrigo Recordati International Prize for Scientific Research was awarded to Giuseppe Mancia, for his work in the field of hypertension, specifically ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in research and clinical practice, on February 19, 2001 at the Palazzo Marino in Milan, Italy.
Giuseppe Mancia
Giuseppe Mancia is Professor of medicine and chairman of the department of clinical medicine, prevention and applied biotechnologies of the University of Milan - Bicocca. He is also chairman of the department of medicine at the S. Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Milan, Italy.
Giuseppe Mancia has been honored for his scientific contributions many times and was the recipient of the Heymans lecture and award from the International Society of Pharmacology, the International Merck Sharp & Dohme Award from the International Society of Hypertension, and the Folkow award from the European Society of Hypertension.
Professor Mancia is president of the European Society of Hypertension and member of the Executive Scientific Council of the American Society of Hypertension. He is also past-president and secretary of the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) and chairman of the World Health Organization-ISH liaison committee for the guidelines on hypertension.
Giuseppe Mancia's special research interest concerns pathophysiology, diagnosis and therapy of hypertension, heart failure, coronary and other cardiovascular diseases. His expertise includes ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, neural control of the circulation, large artery mechanics and clinical trials.
In addition to publishing hundreds of scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and a book on hypertension, Professor Mancia is deputy editor of the Journal of Hypertension, past-editor of various international journals on hypertension, and he serves on the editorial board of more than 30 international journals on cardiology, hypertension and internal medicine.
Professor Mancia graduated from the University of Siena, Medical School where he earned his Ph.D. in Physiology. After graduation he spent 3 years in the United States as a postdoctoral fellow at Mayo Clinic and Foundation, and as a resident in cardiology at Virginia Commonwealth University before being appointed professor of medicine at the University of Milan.
The event Chairperson was Salvatore Carrubba, the City Councilor for Cultural Affairs for the City of Milan, who oversaw the gala ceremony inviting Gabriele Albertini, the Mayor of Milan, and Giovanni Recordati, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Recordati Industria Chimica e Farmaceutica, to give the welcoming address.
A speech in honor of the award's namesake Arrigo Recordati, was given by Marco Vitale, who is a Member of the Board of Directors of Recordati Industria Chimica e Farmaceutica. Following his comments The Prize was officially presented by James W. Black, the President of the Prize Jury, and Gabriele Albertini, the Mayor of Milan.
James W. Black
James W. Black is a Professor of Analytical Pharmacology Emeritus at King's College, London, England and also a Nobel Laureate in Medicine.
Dr. Black's special research interest concerns the interpretation of complex drug actions using mathematical models. Specifically, his interest in cardiovascular physiology drew him to research at Imperial Chemical Industries in London, England which led to the discovery of pronethalol, the first clinically evaluated beta-blocker. In 1988, he founded an independent research organization for promoting the rational basis for new drug research.
Dr. Black was knighted Sir James in 1981 and received the Nobel Prize for Medicine for discoveries of important principles for drug treatment in 1988.
He received a Doctorate of Medicine at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. After graduation, he spent 12 years in academic physiology successively at the Universities of St. Andrews, Singapore and Glasgow.