Eight Italian oncologists are among the 123 researchers set to be awarded by the American Society of Clinical Oncology in its annual conference opening in Chicago today. Only two of the eight Italians – six women and two men, all aged between 29 and 36 - who will receive the Conquer Cancer Foundation Merit Award live and work in Italy.

One of the oncologists, Emanuela Palmerini from the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute in Bologna, will receive the award for the second year running for her work on rare bone tumours, while a young researcher specialising in colon cancer, Daniele Rossini from the Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, will also be awarded for his ground-breaking work.