Vaccinations and anti-infective therapies were at the forefront of medicine in the 20th century.

Globalization and transcontinental movements are now leading to the rapid spread of outbreaks of both old and new infectious diseases.

Basic research has made and continues to make a fundamental contribution to the creation and development of increasingly safe and effective vaccinations and innovative drugs capable of effectively combating pathogenic microorganisms. New discoveries have shown that some microorganisms can contribute to the onset of chronic and degenerative diseases, paving the way for new therapeutic possibilities.