On September 16, 2015 CeMM was honored by the visit of H.E. Sergio Mattarella, President of the Republic of Italy, and H.E. Heinz Fischer, President of the Republic of Austria. It was the first official visit of President Mattarella to Austria and we are very grateful for this unique opportunity to present CeMM and its research highlights to such an honorable audience.

The visit started with a short introduction to CeMM’s art façade created by Peter Kogler and a stopover on the CeMM terrace to enjoy the beautiful view over Vienna. The guests then entered the CeMM Brain Lounge, where Italian students and postdocs had the opportunity to welcome the presidents, and where CeMM Director Giulio Superti-Furga gave a presentation on CeMM’s research and goals for the future. The delegation left CeMM after a tour through the mass spectrometry laboratory and the PLACEBO screening laboratory.

It was a memorable event for everybody at CeMM, and we would like to thank our honorable guests for their time, appreciation and good wishes for the future. The visit of the presidents of two European nations of a research institution at times of important other challenges represents a powerful statement on the importance of knowledge creation and training of young people. As a community we are deeply moved and grateful for this act of trust and empowerment.