The ERNs and Bambino Gesù Hospital

The Hospital participates in 20 of the 24 networks created by the European Union to improve the care provided to patients with rare diseases.

ERNs (European Reference Networks) are networks involving European clinical centers, aimed at optimizing the treatment of rare or complex disease, and at facilitating the management of patients with conditions requiring highly specialized treatments. In 2017, Bambino Gesù Hospital immediately joined the ERN project, with its participation in 15 networks.

The number of networks in which the hospital participates increased to 20 at the beginning of 2022. In European countries, these networks bring together the clinical centers of excellence that have been selected based on their activity and expertise in the different areas pertaining to the different networks. To date, over 300 hospitals in 26 European countries participate in the ERN project.

Bambino Gesù Hospital is the first European pediatric center in terms of participation in the ERNs, as it takes part in 20 of the 24 ERNs established so far. Here is the list of ERNs in which the hospital participates:

1. BOND – European Reference Network on bone disorders
   Contact person: Michaela Veronika Gonfiantini
   Unit involved: Complex Operating Unit of Rare Diseases and Medical Genetics
2. EUROBLOOD – European Reference Network on hematological diseases
   Contact person: Franco Locatelli, Angela Mastronuzzi
   Units involved: Operating Unit of Oncohematology; Simple Operating Unit of Neuro-Oncology
3. ERNICA – European Reference Network on inherited and congenital anomalies of the digestive and gastrointestinal tract
   Contact person: Pietro Bagolan, Andrea Conforti
   Unit involved: Complex Operating Unit of Neonatal Surgery
4. ERN RARE-LIVER – European Reference Network on hepatological diseases
   Contact person: Manila Candusso, Marco Spada
   Units involved: Simple Operating Unit of Hepatology and Clinic of Transplants; Complex Operating Unit of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and of Liver and Kidney Transplantation
5. ERN GENTURIS – European Reference Network on genetic tumor risk syndromes
   Contact person: Marina Macchiaiolo
   Unit involved: Complex Operating Unit of Rare Diseases and Medical Genetics
6. GUARD HEART – European Reference Network on rare heart diseases
   Contact persons: Fabrizio Drago
   Unit involved: Complex Operating Unit of Cardiology of San Paolo and Palidoro – Santa Marinella and Arrhythmology
7. EYE – European Reference Network on rare eye diseases
   Contact person: Luca Buzzonetti
   Unit involved: Complex Operating Unit of Ophthalmology
8. METABERN – European Reference Network on rare hereditary metabolic disorders
   Contact person: Carlo Dionisi Vici
   Unit involved: Complex Operating Unit of Metabolic Disorders
9. RITA – European Reference Network on immunodeficiency, autoinflammatory and autoimmune diseases
   Contact persons: Fabrizio De Benedetti, Caterina Cancrini
   Units involved: Complex Operating Unit of Rheumatology; Simple Operating Unit of Primary Immunodeficiencies
10. ITHACA – European Reference Network on rare malformations and developmental abnormalities
    Contact person: Davide Vecchio
    Unit involved: Complex Operating Unit of Rare Diseases and Medical Genetics
11. VASCERN – European Reference Network on rare multisystemic vascular diseases
    Contact person: Andrea Diociaiuti
    Unit involved: Complex Operating Unit of Dermatology
12. EPICARE – European Reference Network on rare and complex epilepsies
    Contact person: Federico Vigevano, Nicola Specchio
    Unit involved: Complex Operating Unit of Neurology
13. RND – European Reference Network on rare neurological diseases
    Contact person: Enrico Bertini, Ginevra Zanni
    Unit involved: Operating Unit of Muscular and Neurodegenerative Diseases
14. EURO-NMD – European Reference Network on rare neuromuscular diseases
    Contact person: Enrico Bertini
    Unit involved: Operating Unit of Muscular and Neurodegenerative Diseases
15. PAED CAN – European Reference Network on rare pediatric cancers
    Contact persons: Angela Mastronuzzi
    Unit involved: Simple Operating Unit of Neuro-Oncology
16. ERN LUNG – European Reference Network on rare lung diseases
    Contact person: Renato Cutrera
    Unit involved: Complex Operating Unit of Broncho-pneumology
17. ERKNET – European Reference Network on rare kidney diseases
    Contact person: Francesco Emma
    Unit involved: Complex Operating Unit of Nephrology and Dialysis
18. ERN SKIN – European Reference Network on rare skin disorders
    Contact person: Maya El Hachem
    Unit involved: Complex Operating Unit of Dermatology
19. EUROGEN European Reference Network on rare urogenital diseases
    Contact person: Pietro Bagolan, Daniela Iacobelli, Giovanni Mosiello
    Units involved: Complex Operating Unit of Neonatal Surgery; Complex Operating Unit of Continence Surgery and Neuro-Urology
20. ERN TRANSPLANT CHILD – European Reference Network on Transplantation in children
    Contact persons: Manila Candusso, Marco Spada
    Units involved: Simple Operating Unit of Hepatology and Clinic of Transplants; Complex Operating Unit of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and of Liver and Kidney Transplantation