A project by Unipd among the six winners of the Airalzh 2025 Grant
02.02.2026
The research project by Lorenzo Pini, a researcher at the Department of Neurosciences of the University of Padua and the Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), has been selected by the Airalzh Scientific Technical Committee and is thus one of the six winners of the AGYR Grant, for a total sum of 300,000 Euros.
With his research project, Lorenzo Pini aims to understand how prolonged exposure to pollutants – such as PFAS – can damage both the structure of brain connections and normal information exchange, making the brain system less efficient and more vulnerable over time, increasing the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases throughout life.
Using data from healthy individuals living in high pollution areas and from preclinical studies, the project aims to clarify how chronic exposure to pollution can affect brain health before symptoms appear.
Thanks to the contribution of Manuela Allegra, a researcher at the Padua branch of the Institute of Neurosciences of the National Research Council (Cnr-In), the project will integrate human data with evidence from preclinical models. This approach will allow a deeper understanding of the biological mechanisms through which environmental pollutants alter brain connectivity, providing a more comprehensive view of the impact of chronic exposure on brain health.
"Brain connectivity and communication between different areas of the brain are influenced by various factors such as age and genetic characteristics, but also by environmental factors," highlighted Lorenzo Pini. "The results of this project will lay the foundations for the development of new prevention strategies, supporting environmental protection policies and targeted interventions to protect the brain health of the population."
The winning projects of the AGYR Grant have been invited to present their work at the "SINdem4Juniors" Conference on 5th February in Bressanone. Airalzh Onlus has raised 1.8 million Euros with the AGYR Grants over the past 5 years, funding 38 research projects by researchers under 40. On Friday, 13th February 2026, the "Call for Proposals" for the new AGYR Grant 2026 will be published, with an allocation of 400,000 Euros. Wednesday, 1st April 2026 is the deadline for submitting applications.
