Exciting perspectives for Translational Myology in the Abstracts of the 2018Spring PaduaMuscleDays: Giovanni Salviati Memorial - Chapter I - Foreword.

Myologists working in Padua (Italy) were able to continue a half-century tradition of studies of skeletal muscles, that started with a research on fever, specifically if and how skeletal muscle contribute to it by burning bacterial toxin. Beside main publications in high-impact-factor journals by Padua myologists, I hope to convince readers (and myself) of the relevance of the editing Basic and Applied Myology (BAM), retitled from 2010 European Journal of Translational Myology (EJTM), of the institution of the Interdepartmental Research Center of Myology of the University of Padova (CIR-Myo), and of a long series of International Conferences organized in Euganei Hills and Padova, that is, the PaduaMuscleDays. The 2018Spring PaduaMuscleDays (2018SpPMD), were held in Euganei Hills and Padua (Italy), in March 14-17, and were dedicated to Giovanni Salviati. The main event of the "Giovanni Salviati Memorial", was held in the Aula Guariento, Accademia Galileiana di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti of Padua to honor a beloved friend and excellent scientist 20 years after his premature passing. Using the words of Prof. Nicola Rizzuto, we all share his believe that Giovanni "will be remembered not only for his talent and originality as a biochemist, but also for his unassuming and humanistic personality, a rare quality in highly successful people like Giovanni. The best way to remember such a person is to gather pupils and colleagues, who shared with him the same scientific interests and ask them to discuss recent advances in their own fields, just as Giovanni have liked to do". Since Giovanni's friends sent many abstracts still influenced by their previous collaboration with him, all the Sessions of the 2018SpPMD reflect both to the research aims of Giovanni Salviati and the traditional topics of the PaduaMuscleDays, that is, basics and applications of physical, molecular and cellular strategies to maintain or recover functions of skeletal muscles. The translational researches summarized in the 2018SpPMD Abstracts are at the appropriate high level to attract approval of Ethical Committees, the interest of International Granting Agencies and approval for publication in top quality, international journals. This was true in the past, continues to be true in the present and will be true in the future. All 2018SpPMD Abstracts are indexed at the end of the Chapter IV.

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In a recent Commentary of Biology, Engineering, and Medicine (BEM),[1] is described how Myologists working in Padua (Italy) were able to continue for half of century the tradition of studies on skeletal muscles, that started with a research project that had the aim to explain if and how skeletal muscle produces fever by burning bacterial toxins. Though the concept sounds very strange today, recent results on effects of myokines may reopen interest on it.[2] Anyhow, beside publications in high impact factor journals by Padua scientists and clinicians, I hope to convince readers (and myself) of the relevance of the editing of Basic and Applied Myology (BAM), retitled from 2010 European Journal of Translational Myology (EJTM), of the institution of the Interdepartmental Research Center of Myology of the University of Padova (CIR-Myo), and the PaduaMuscleDays (PMD), a series of International Conferences organized in Euganei Hills and Padova. I have some difficulties to reply to the eventual question of how many PMDs were held during the years since they were held irregularly twice a year, from their inception in 1984 with the First Abano Terme Meeting on Rehabilitation. The 2018Spring PaduaMuscleDays were held in Euganei Hills and Padua (Italy), March 14-18. The main event, the “Openings of the Giovanni Salviati Memorial”, was held in the Aula Guariento, Accademia Galileiana di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti of Padua to honor a beloved friend and excellent scientist 20 years after his premature passing (Figures 1 and 2). We all share the sentiments of Prof. Nicolò Rizzuto that Giovanni Salviati will be remembered not only for his talent and originality as a biochemist, but also for his unassuming and humanistic personality, a rare quality in highly successful people like Giovanni. The best way to remember such a person is to gather pupils and colleagues, who shared with him the same scientific interests and ask them to discuss recent advances in their own fields, just as Giovanni have liked to do. This has not been a difficult task, because Giovanni, thanks to his widely recognized scientific knowledge and his unforgettable personality, had been in close touch with many basic and clinical scientists around the world. Established scientists found in Giovanni a valued collaborator, rich in knowledge, expertise, and humanity, while younger scientists were introduced to research in the rigorous but pleasant atmosphere of Giovanni’s lab. Presentations summarize recent results in the field of muscle physiopathology by basic and clinical scientists. Many of them are members of, or have collaborated with, two prestigious institutions in which Giovanni worked: the Department of Biomedical Sciences (formerly Institute of General Pathology) at the University of Padova, and the Department of Neurology at Columbia University. The former, since the pioneering years under the leadership of the late Professor Massimiliano Aloisi, is recognized worldwide as a center of excellence for research in muscle physiopathology. The latter is not only one of the best centers for the study of neuromuscular diseases, but also an invaluable resource for Italian science. In the Clinical Research Center directed by Salvatore Di Mauro, many young Italian scientists have been trained in the past 50 years, and many have returned to Italy, where they have established highly competitive research groups .[3] Many of them accepted invitation and sent proposals for presentations still influenced by their previous collaboration with him.[4-70] All the Sessions of the 2018SpPMD were thus inspired to the research aims and results of Giovanni Salviati as they developed during recent years (Figure 2). As was in the past PMDs,[71-97] the abstracts of 2018 are on physical, pharmacological and cellular strategies to maintain or recover functions of skeletal muscles. They are at the very high level needed to attract support by International Granting Agencies and approval by Ethical Committees. Many of the abstracts demonstrate indeed that their results are mature to be translated to clinical applications. This was true in the past,[96,97] it will be hopefully true in the future.

Fig 1.

Giovanni Salviati