Over a year after the passing of Cavalier Roberto Bertazzoni, an Emilian entrepreneur and founding member of the Rizzoli Foundation, the family has decided to continue the Cavalier's philanthropic commitment to supporting the Rizzoli Institute, alongside the Foundation, to honor his memory.

The first step was the decision to fund two PhD scholarships in Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, which will be dedicated to the memory of the Knight.

The scholarships, announced by the University of Bologna and supported by the Rizzoli Foundation, will last three years and have a total value of €150,000. They will be dedicated to developing research topics related to spinal pathology, particularly deformities and damage resulting from the crushing of nervous or vascular structures at the spine.

These are extremely complex problems because surgical intervention on the spine means acting in close proximity to vital structures, and research is essential to study new methods that are as effective as they are safe for the patient.

Following a public selection process, the two scholarships were awarded to Dr. Luigi Falzetti and Dr. Giovanni Tosini, who will begin their research work on November 1°.

But that's not all, because thanks to the generous donations received by the Rizzoli Foundation in memory of Cav. Bertazzoni, who passed away in April 2024, has exceeded the sum of 60,000€ that will be allocated to the purchase of an ultrasonic scalpel, an advanced technology tool that allows for the rapid and precise removal of damaged tissue.

These characteristics make it particularly suitable in oncological, plastic and reconstructive orthopedic surgery. The scalpel uses the power and precision of ultrasound to ensure safety and usability, essential elements in precision surgery.

“The commitment of all the members alongside the Foundation – comments President Federica Guidi – and their generosity has always struck me, since the beginning of our journey. But Cavalier Roberto Bertazzoni's patronage truly deserves special praise: during his lifetime, he always stood by us with great involvement, and now his memory is still with the Foundation, leading it to ever greater heights, thanks to the commitment of his family. The two scholarships that the Bertazzoni family wanted to dedicate to the memory of the Cavaliere are a great achievement for us, as is the purchase of the ultrasonic scalpel that we were able to make thanks to the donations that friends and relatives made in memory of this very generous man”.

“The continued support of the Rizzoli Foundation and the local community is a testament to how valuable the Institute is considered to be for the community and our metropolitan area. Rizzoli continues its commitment, starting today also with these valuable contributions, to the search for increasingly innovative treatments to offer adequate responses even in cases of pathologies and conditions that cannot be resolved elsewhere” adds Rizzoli General Director Andrea Rossi.

“I am immensely grateful for this renewed generosity," commented Alessandro Gasbarrini, Director of Vertebral Surgery at Rizzoli. – Being able to dedicate resources to scientific research on aspects that so closely affect vertebral surgery is of essential importance for identifying new surgical techniques for such complex pathologies as those affecting the spine. We have already demonstrated over the years how research activities have allowed us to bring significantly improved methods to the operating room for our patients”.