Save the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn

I received the following email from Roberto Di Lauro, president of Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn.

The Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn of Naples is at risk of being closed by the Italian Government.

If you agree in signing the petition reported below, please go to http://www.szn.it click on "sign the petition" and fill in the form.

We learned that the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn di Napoli will be suppressed according to the Decree-Law adopting urgent measures on financial stabilization and economic competitiveness, that the Italian Government is in the process of final approval.

The Stazione Zoologica, founded 130 years ago by Anton Dohrn, is among the most prestigious Italian Research Institutes. It acts in the field of marine biological research and is known for the multidisciplinary nature of its activities and for the excellent scientific output.

Current research activities, international and national collaborations, exchanges with scientists of different nationalities, and participation in numerous scientific projects in Europe and worldwide are a clear sign of the nature of the Stazione as an international research institution.

The Stazione Zoologica coordinates the project EMBRC, the only European infrastructure in the biomedical sciences coordinated by an Italian Institution and involving 14 institutions from seven European countries. The EMBRC project is a clear testimony of how the international spirit of the Institute is still alive and present.

Active participation of distinguished scientists, including three Nobel Laureates, as members of the Scientific Council of the Stazione is another demonstration of the relevance of the Institution among the international scientific community.

We manifest our serious concern for the suppression of the Stazione Zoologica, which would greatly reduce the impact of the Italian presence in the international scientific community.

We therefore ask that the Stazione is maintained as an autonomous structure. It is the autonomy, uniqueness, diversity and freedom of research that allowed the Stazione Zoologica to reach its present level of excellence in science and will continue to be among the flagships of the Italian research in the world.