As part of this commitment, it created CORIT (Consortium for Research on Organ, Tissue and Cell Transplant and Regenerative Medicine) in 1997 as its operational arm for research activities. Padua Hospital and University were founding members, and the consortium now also includes Verona Hospital and University, Udine University Hospital, Vicenza, Treviso and Rovigo health authorities, Trento Provincial health authority and the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (a research institution that provides scientific and technical support to the central and regional government in the fields of animal health and welfare, veterinary public health and environmental protection). Over the years CORIT has created a pool of resources with important know-how in fields such as transplant immunology and the management of complex research projects, including European projects.

The results so far are very gratifying, and have had world resonance - to such an extent that we now wish to take up a new challenge for the three year period from 2009 to 2011 - the creation of our Regenerative Medicine Research Plan for 2009-2011. This plan was developed as a joint initiative by CORIT and the Veneto regional government to improve the coordination and productivity of research in this field, with the strategic objective of identifying new treatment possibilities for our people by developing research studies on stem cells and bioartificial organs. But to achieve these new and ambitious goals we also need your contribution.