Stella Maris Foundation
Fondazione Stella Maris, Pisa, ItalyGeneral Information
The IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris (FSM – Stella Maris Foundation) is the only Scientific Institute for Research Hospitalization and Health Care (IRCCS) in Tuscany and the only one in Italy exclusively dedicated to assistance and research in Child and Adolescent Neurology and Psychiatry. It is an avant-garde structure that combines the highest levels of care with a very high-quality of scientific research in neuroscience. Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), intellectual disabilities, neurological disorders, rare diseases involving the developing brain, eating disorders, ADHD are just a few of the pathologies studied and treated at Stella Maris. The tertiary care university Hospital Centre of Calambrone, organized in a multi-professional way, is an internationally recognized hub that involves the activity of university professors and researchers. IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris takes advantage of methods and state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques, in terms of neuroimaging (1.5T MRI scanner), electroencephalographic (EEG) equipment, and neurogenetics laboratory.
Each year, the centre admits more than 2,400 inpatients and has a total volume of more than 20,000 outpatients, of whom 6,800 patients in developmental neurology and psychiatry. In particular, the ASD Unit receives about 300 new patients/year for diagnosis and treatment from all over Italy.
IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris is located in the central headquarter of Calambrone and the branches of San Miniato (Casa Verde and La Scala) and Montalto di Fauglia. The Foundation also acts as a learning centre for the University of Pisa and hosts the School of Specialization in Child Neurology and Psychiatry and a Degree Course for Developmental Therapists.
Role in AIMS-2-TRIALS
The Foundation will be involved in Testing New Medicines project, to perform studies assessing the efficacy of a medicine that targets core and/or co-morbid symptoms in ASD, for those who want medical support. SMF will cooperate in developing innovative approaches to evaluate drug’s efficacy. SMF will be one of the recruiting centres for studies running clinical trials.
As part of the Autism Policy and communication projects, SMF will organise activities for the dissemination in Italy of new ideas about autism emerging from AIMS-2-TRIALS.
Filippo Muratori
Professor
Sara Calderoni
Lecturer
Eugenia Conti
Postdoctoral Researcher