PFAS: Giulia Moro's research selected by Chemical Research in Toxicology

Ca’ Foscari alumna Giulia Moro was the only Italian researcher to be selected by the prestigious American Chemical Society for the special issue of the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology dedicated to women in STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Moro’s study is on PFAS-albumin interactions and their consequences on human health.

After completing in 2022 her PhD in Chemistry and Bio-engineering across the Universities of Antwerp, Trieste, and Venice, Moro is now a post-doc fellow of the Umberto Veronesi Foundation at the University of Naples Federico II, where her research focuses on developing tests to predict the efficacy of immunotherapy in lung cancer.

Nowadays, many female scientists are leading breakthrough discoveries and inventions around the world, but despite their contributions, women still account for only 33.3 percent of researchers globally (UNESCO Source 2023). Even at Ca' Foscari, female students enrolled in science courses are a stark minority, but the scenario is set to change thanks to the commitment and perseverance of female researchers like Moro.

We asked Moro what she would say to girls who intend to pursue STEM disciplines.

“I have a sense that the new generation is open to a world in which gender identity will no longer confine us to certain paths, careers and contexts; it will become a fluid and often changing dimension. [I say to girls:] Don’t wait for others to tell you that you should be strong, ambitious, determined... Let your passion be your guide, and not social pressures or the need for recognition.”