This article was written by Giorgia Dalla Valle, Clinical Project Manager at Fondazione Penta ETS. It is taken from the Penta 2025 Annual Report.
In 2022, thanks to the Penta Education call, I enrolled in the Master of Science in Public Health (distance learning) at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), University of London. This opportunity, supported through Fondazione Penta’s Education Call and study permit provisions, has been instrumental in further strengthening my academic and professional profile while continuing my role as Clinical Project Manager.
My background as a midwife and clinical research midwife shaped my commitment to improving maternal and neonatal outcomes through research. Building on this foundation, the MSc is deepening my expertise in epidemiology, biostatistics, infectious disease control and health policy, enhancing my ability to analyse data, interpret evidence and translate findings into meaningful insights for maternal–child health.
The programme will conclude in September 2026 with a proposed dissertation directly linked to a Penta project: an analysis of Epidemiology of Pregnancy and Paediatric Infections International Cohort Collaboration (EPPICC) pregnancy data. The study will examine maternal, birth and infant outcomes among women with vertically versus horizontally acquired HIV. Conducted in collaboration with Network colleagues at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (GOS ICH) EPPICC epidemiology team, the project is carried out under the academic supervision of the LSHTM, with additional scientific collaboration from Claire Thorne and Rebecca Sconza within the EPPICC network. My thesis brings together my experience coordinating EPPICC with the analytical skills I am gaining through the MSc, creating a meaningful bridge between project management and scientific research within the Penta ID Network.
Looking ahead, I hope to contribute more actively to observational study analyses, play an increasing role within Penta’s work on pregnancy and congenital infections, and potentially pursue a PhD. This path reflects not only my personal and professional growth, but also Penta’s commitment to investing in people and nurturing the next generation of scientific leadership in maternal and paediatric infectious diseases and global health.