SANDRA MISALE PRIMA DONNA 2026
SANDRA MISALE RANKS AMONG THE WORLD’S LEADING CANCER RESEARCHERS. JOURNALISTS FRANCESCA CIANCIO AND ANDREA CUOMO, ALONG WITH 9 YOUNG TALENTS, WERE ALSO HONORED ALONGSIDE HER
Francesca Ciancio winner of the Casato Prime Donne Award 2026 journalistic section
In Montalcino, on Saturday, September 19, the Casato Prime Donne Award honours Sandra Misale—a 41-year-old woman born in Calabria who now heads a laboratory bearing her name at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. If patients suffering from pancreatic or colon cancer, melanoma, or leukaemia can today hope for a more effective and less invasive treatment, they owe it in part to her.
The jury of the Casato Prime Donne Award—chaired by Donatella Cinelli Colombini and comprising Rosy Bindi, Anselma Dell’Olio, Anna Pesenti, Stefania Rossini, Anna Scafuri, and Daniela Viglione—selected Francesca Ciancio and Andrea Cuomo as the winners in the journalism categories for promoting Montalcino and its wines. Other awards went to nine young talents in the fields of music, art, jewellery making, and pastry arts.
SANDRA MISALE: PRIMA DONNA 2026
The 2026 theme of the Casato Prime Donne Award—”The Dream Is/and Reality”—comes to life in the story of Sandra Misale. Originally from Palmi on the Calabrian coast, she earned a degree in molecular biotechnology in Turin and subsequently worked at some of the world’s leading cancer research centres, including Harvard Medical School in Boston and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. She is currently at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where she runs a laboratory bearing her name: the Misale Lab.
From the very beginning, she focused on a project that seemed impossible: blocking mutations in the KRAS gene, which drives tumour cells to reproduce and metastasize. It appeared to be a career-ruining move, as—until 13 years ago—no one had managed to target the KRAS mutations found in approximately 30% of human cancers, particularly the most aggressive types: pancreatic, lung, and colon cancer. Yet, discoveries and results came quickly; new drugs developed with her contribution now double the life expectancy of pancreatic cancer patients. “My team’s work and mine have shed light on fundamental aspects of how these new drugs function—to the point of altering clinical trials,” explains Sandra Misale. “Our research has made it possible to understand how to make these new therapies work better and for longer.”
At the heart of rapid scientific progress lies sharing—specifically, the interconnection of various research centres—which is revolutionizing the old “lone discoverer” model. “A drive to excel is fine,” notes Misale, “but collaborating and helping—whenever and however much possible—can take us much further in terms of results.” It is an open, generous, and responsible approach to research that prioritizes the interests of patients over personal ambition.
THE CASATO PRIME DONNE JOUNALISM AWARDS GO TO FRANCESCA CIANCIO AND ANDREA CUOMO
“Alongside the ‘Prima Donna’ award—honouring a woman who embodies a new female profile contributing to humanity’s future,” explained Donatella Cinelli Colombini while introducing the journalism awards, “it is important to recognize those who showcase the region and the wines that make Montalcino a model of excellence.”
The award themed “Montalcino and I”—recognizing a personal interpretation of the area (including imaginative or fairytale-like perspectives) regarding its history, culture, landscape, and agriculture—has been assigned to Francesca Ciancio for her article “Montalcino oltre il Brunello” (Montalcino Beyond Brunello), published in “Wine and Travel”.
Whereas the “Consorzio del Brunello” Award, themed “Brunello and Montalcino’s Other Wines”—open to Italian and international journalists specializing in the wine sector—will be presented by President Giacomo Bartolommei to Andrea Cuomo for his article “Brunello di Montalcino, l’annata 2021 è fragrante, definita e verticale” (Brunello di Montalcino: The 2021 Vintage Is Fragrant, Defined, and Vertical), published on “IlGiornale.it”.
THE YOUNG TALENT INCUBATOR
This year, the talent incubator involved nine young people whom the Casato Prime Donne Award aims to help launch toward personal success, in the belief that they can positively inspire their peers and benefit the communities in which they live.
Three scholarships are being awarded to participants selected from the top students of the Accademia Musicale Chigiana’s 2026 Summer Academy. The Academy is one of the world’s ten most important centres for advanced musical training. The 32 courses of the 2026 Summer Academy involve 335 students from 45 different countries. Classes are held (from July 6th to September 1st ) in the halls of Palazzo Chigi Saracini in Siena, home to the masterpieces of Italy’s third most important private art collection.
In 2026, the Duccio di Buoninsegna Art High School in Siena presents a painting by Ukrainian student Taisiia Makohn; she interpreted the 2026 theme—”The Dream Is/and Reality”—through the emotions of a refugee from a war-torn country, drawing inspiration from Delacroix’s famous canvas “Liberty Leading the People”.
STUDENTS BEING EXAMPLES FOR THEIR PEERS
LAO Le Arti Orafe Jewellery School in Florence presents the work of four young artists: Alessandra Di Natale (“The Bulk of Reality”), Arianna Belmonte (“Daydreaming”), Elena Bastanzio (“Transience”), and Matilde Tambosi (“The Dream Is Reality”). Founded in Florence in 1985 by Giò Carbone, LAO is the first Italian school dedicated to traditional and contemporary goldsmithing. It trains designers and goldsmiths from all over the world.
The Scuola Tessieri in Ponsacco—a school of haute cuisine and pastry arts—is one of Italy’s premier training centres. It offers advanced training courses and master’s programs in the culinary arts. It acts as an atelier, tailoring a bespoke educational path for every student and guiding them toward significant professional growth.
The top four students from the Lambruschini Linguistic High School and the Ricasoli Agricultural Institute in Montalcino will receive mini-scholarships to attend free courses on “Luxury Wine” and the “Ecological Transition.”