Empowering the future of medical research: a Tutor’s perspective on the Virgilio Program by Matteo Villa, PhD Student and Tutor

I have been serving as a tutor within the Virgilio Program since 2021, and over the years, I have mentored various students during their laboratory rotations.
I chose to participate in this project because I firmly believe that in today’s and future medical-scientific world, establishing a strong connection between clinical practice and research is increasingly crucial. In my view, this connection will form the foundation for improving the translational approach of pre-clinical research and achieving clinically relevant scientific discoveries.

In this perspective, it is essential to offer medical students the opportunity to cultivate an interest in scientific research from the early stages of their studies. The Virgilio Program represents a great opportunity for them to begin learning the fundamentals of laboratory work in all its aspects.
The laboratory experience is highly immersive, and students have the opportunity to work alongside their tutors, learning the basics of laboratory management, experiment design and execution, as well as the analysis and interpretation of obtained results. From my experience, it is truly rewarding to observe how passionately students engage in their laboratory rotations, demonstrating genuine curiosity, interest, and a desire to learn.

As a tutor, it is crucial to guide students in discovering research activities by providing them with a theoretical background that enables them to understand and plan experiments, following a rational and scientifically valid approach to achieve the research project’s objectives. At the same time, it’s important for the tutor to equip students with the tools that will enable them to learn and work independently on a project in the future.

Personally, the role of a tutor continuously offers me the opportunity to improve my explanatory skills. Being stimulated by the questions and curiosities of the students further motivates me to maintain a deep understanding of the subjects and consistently enhance my communication abilities.
I strongly recommend this experience to all medical students who wish to cultivate the connection between basic and clinical research in their professional journey and who are curious and eager to explore the world of research.

Matteo Villa, PhD student – Translational and Molecular Medicine (DIMET)
Molecular Oncology Lab
School of Medicine and Surgery
University of Milano-Bicocca