The incredible advantage I see in my research here is that I can explore all the secrets of immunity by utilizing the most innovative and advanced technologies.

Diana Boraschi, recipient of 2022 China Friendship Award and the first Guangdong Friendship Award

Chen Siqi

vankochensq@163.com

SCIENCE consists of observing the world by wat ching, listening, observing and recording, and is curiosity in thoughtful action about the world and how it behaves. It is not a distant, untouchable term, but comes in many aspects of our daily life.

Dr. Diana Boraschi, an Italian immunologist who works at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology Research (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is dedicated to the field closely related to human health, digging into questions on how our body is able to fight diseases and keep healthy.

“I study, in particular, the part of immunity that is not specific, meaning that it works against every type of infection. It is called innate immunity. We also call it inflammation, which is a very efficient protective immune mechanism,” Boraschi explained her research field in a simple and understandable way. “Thus, remember, inflammation is good, and fever is good because it helps us fight infections in the most efficient way. We only need to take drugs when it becomes too high [over 39 degrees Celsius].”

Engaging further research at SIAT

Boraschi, an immunologist for over 40 years, has worked in several countries and regions. She started her journey in Shenzhen in September 2021 as the director of SIAT’s Laboratory of Inflammation and Vaccines and as a distinguished professor at SIAT’s Department of Pharmacology. She is also a member of the Italian National Academy of Sciences.

According to Boraschi, working at SIAT was a natural decision because the institute provides a lively environment with emphasizing on technological innovation.

“I really hope we can make a meaningful contribution to expanding Shenzhen’s engagement in biomedical sciences at every level, from basic research to industrial development.”

Boraschi expressed her wishes of setting up an accessible test for everyone, which can show whether our immunity is strong enough to fight future infections, or considerably weak that we need to take preventive drugs. These wishes will hopefully become realities in the future.

Dedication awarded

Boraschi, who received the 2022 China Friendship Award, won the first Guangdong Friendship Award in March.

The first Guangdong Friendship Award was handed out to 49 foreign nationals from 23 countries for their outstanding contributions to the province’s development and international exchanges, while the China Friendship Award is the highest honor granted to foreigners by the Chinese Government.

Boraschi was pleased to see her efforts being well accepted by the Guangdong government.

“This [award with honors] means that what I do here in China, for example, research and training in the area of vaccination and human health, is particularly appreciated in the Guangdong territory,” Boraschi told Shenzhen Daily in an email interview.

She said research work can have a particular impact on the local social environment, especially when it comes to teaching and raising young talents.

“My students are here, in the institute where I work in Shenzhen. And my teaching and raising young talents will [hopefully] have an impact in Guangdong rather than anywhere else in the world,” the professor said.

However, she stressed that it doesn’t really matter where a scientist is located because “science for me has no borders and no limits and it implies sharing knowledge and collaborating with everybody everywhere.”

Intl. collaboration, basis for progress

In the congratulatory messages Boraschi delivered at the 2022 China Friendship Award via video, the scientist highlighted the vitality of international collaboration.

“I’m very happy to have the chance of collaborating with Chinese scientists. And I think the collaboration is the principal mode of science and technological innovation in China and all over the world,” she said.

“International collaboration is the basis for humanity’s progress as a whole. Collaboration means mutual understanding in a joint effort to solve common problems,” Boraschi added in the interview.

Boraschi held the view that scientists can communicate regardless of cultural backgrounds, habits and ways of interacting, because science “is an impressively unifying language.”

“I never had difficulties in discussing and working on scientific problems with scientists from any country in the world,” she said.

On the other hand, nowadays there are sharing restrictions in many scientific areas among countries worldwide due to strong commercial and industrial interests behind some technologies. However, cooperation is still possible in many sectors in research and development, she added.

“I am involved with activities for the internationalization of Chinese vaccines and, in general, sharing vaccine technologies among countries worldwide. It is not easy, again, because of the need for commercial and political agreements, but it is possible and should be pursued,” Boraschi said.