The "Associazione Marta Nurizzo" born on July 11, 1996, takes its name after Marta, died on May 11, 1995 at the age of 21, owing to a bronchial-alveolar carcinoma.
The Associazione is a no-profit organization, recognized by the Italian Ministry for University and Scientific Research, aiming at promoting the research on lung cancer. It collects funds from supporters, private people and companies to grant research projects and fellowships in this field; promotional and cultural events are also organized for fund raising.

• The first fellowship (1997) of ITL 18,000,000 - approximately 9,250 € - was assigned to dr. A Colasante of Chieti University. Her Research Project "Transforming Growth Factors Beta1 receptors in human lung carcinomas" was carried out at the Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Sheffield University (U.K.).

• The second fellowship (1998) of the same amount was assigned to dr. F. Crosti. Her research project "Genetic susceptibility and environmental carcinogens in lung cancer", started at the Nelson Institute of Epidemiological Medicine, New York Medical Center, New York University, USA. The Associazione’s Scientific Committee, after the first quarterly check, suggested stopping the project since the local situation appeared not to be worth for the fellow.

• The third fellowship (1999) amounting to ITL 20,000,000 - approximately 10,350 € - was assigned to dr. M. Spinola, in charge at the Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (National Cancer Institute), Milano. Her research project "Identification of genetic prognosis-associated elements in patients with lung adeno-carcinoma" was carried out at the Department of Experimental Oncology of the same Institute.

From the beginning of the new millenium, the Associazione has focused its activity on the research project "Genetic predisposition to lung cancer", currently developed together with the "Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori", Milano (Italian National Cancer Institute, Milan) and the "Istituto di Ricerca Farmacologica Mario Negri", Milano (“Mario Negri” Pharmacological Research Institute, Milan). The research is aimed at investigating the genetic elements affecting lung cancer risk: the main target is therefore to collect the largest possible number of blood samples coming from patients under 60 who never smoked and, possibly, from their healthy relatives (brothers or sisters or parents). Till now, more than 200 patients’ samples and more than 165 control samples were collected and analyzed. Among them, 115 couples of samples (patient and brother/sister, having less than 60 years) were extracted to more deeply study the metabolic polymorphisms.

At the end of 2007 a new call for a 18,000 € fellowship (plus up to 5,000 € for stages and extra scientific activities) was made and the winner was dr. S. La Monica of the Parma University. Her research project was titled “Study of the resistance mechanisms to EGFR inhibitors in cellular lines of non small cell lung cancer”; at the end of 2008 the fellowship was renewed to allow the completion of the research at the Department of Experimental Medicine, Molecular Pathology and Immunology Section of the Parma University.

At present the 2010 "Marta Nurizzo" fellowship (20,000 €, plus an extra possible contribution of 4,000 €) is supporting the research of dr. F. Colombo. Her research project "Functional characterization of candidate genes associated with lung cancer prognosis" is taking place at the Italian National Cancer Institute, Milano.