From the Uranium of Innovation to the Silicon of Communication, from Congress to Manuscript: Technique, Tactics, Strategy, and Philosophy of Thoughtful, Practical, Written, and Spoken Research 2025 Edition – 15th Year Pisa, June 6 – 7, 2025
“If we could sum up the moments of pure creation that a writer (no matter how great) experiences in a lifetime, it wouldn’t amount to even five minutes. Everything else is machine work, daily labor, carpentry, sometimes even routine.” — Vincenzo Cerami, Advice to a Young Writer . If this is true for a literary writer, imagine how much more so for a scientific writer! Only the carpentry remains — and this course (now in its 15th year) aims to teach the basics of that craft. Learning to write scientifically will make every participant a better reader and a more critical physician, capable of distinguishing genuine from false innovations in the flood of information we face daily.
Course Director
The course is led by Dr. Eugenio Picano, cardiologist and researcher. With an H-index of 105 (Google), over 41,000 citations in international literature, and scientific books translated into six languages (Italian, English, Chinese, French, Portuguese, and Spanish), he is the most cited biomedical researcher at the Italian National Research Council (Stanford, October 2024) and among the top 10 global experts in imaging cardiology.
Dr. Picano regards these accolades as dubious “paper medals,” akin to how Tommaso Buscetta enumerated his crimes in court, serving only to establish his credibility as an informed source. Far more significant than editorial “philately,” some of his contributions, recognized as pioneering and innovative (sometimes decades later), have permanently transformed medical practice for the better.
His curriculum bears the scars of countless scientific battles — some culminating in true innovation, the enduring product after articles, conferences, and controversies are forgotten. With experience from many metaphorical kitchens, Dr. Picano will share his knowledge with simplicity and the passion of a craftsman, offering younger colleagues insights into the craft of scientific writing.
Why this course?
Too many of our conferences are filled with incomprehensible presentations and irritating slides; worse, too many original observations are buried alive in dusty drawers. We remain passive recipients of false innovations marketed by self-proclaimed opinion leaders, often lacking the cultural tools to filter the prepackaged information they peddle.
In this way, we are not merely victims of the system — we are the system: uncritical receptors of pseudo-scientific nonsense or mercantile frauds. This is particularly evident in the history of cardiology. In the scientific and medical world, those who cannot communicate or defend themselves are lost. Yet, communication isn’t as difficult as it seems, and a basic understanding of clinical methodology can be life-saving — for both the patient and the physician.
Who is this course for?
Recommended for:
1.
Residents and PhD students in training: For them, mastering the basic mechanisms governing scientific communication and research is an essential part of the new professional profile of a physician: “Research is one of the new names for good medical practice. Ideally, every act of a physician should be part of a research project.” — Silvio Garattini, The Lancet, 1996; 348: 167–175. Unfortunately, those who know how to conduct research rarely take the time to teach it.
2.
Anyone, regardless of age, background, or professional rank, who needs to understand what lies behind the curtain of major scientific journals. Even if you ignore research, research will not ignore you — whether you’re a doctor or a patient.
Contraindications: This course is not for those irreversibly immersed in a culture of arrogance, where everything they’ve done, read, or been taught is assumed to be correct, and what they don’t know is deemed unimportant. The course aims to instill a mindset of critical thinking toward what you read, hear, and even what you do yourself.
Course Program
The writing techniques section will demonstrate — through practical application — how to transform raw data, often dripping with doubt and uncertainty, into publishable or even appealing material.
The clinical methodology section will explain, without fear of being too obvious, the basic principles of protocol design, ethics committee submission, data acquisition, basic data analysis, manuscript preparation, and submission to the most suitable journal.
The statistics section will offer an irreverent look — away from the prying eyes of real statisticians — at “Lady Statistics,” an essential yet seemingly intimidating companion for scientific writers. Modern software has made it dangerously easy to transform even the most clueless user into a supposed “statistical prince.” The real danger lies here!
Five statistical capsules (without formulas or software):
1.
The study hypothesis (why are you doing this, dear doctor?)
2.
Sample size calculation (without being a math wizard)
3.
Median vs. mean (that is the question)
4.
Regression and correlation (the plus and minus, between 0 and 1)
5.
The promised land of p < .05 (statistical vs. clinical significance)
The course will also delve into the psychodynamic, economic, cultural, judicial, and academic context in which scientific research is born, grows, reproduces, and often dies. This section will highlight the unwritten yet inviolable rules governing research and healthcare.
Examples of lived experiences — including judicial inquiries into often hidden mechanisms — will provide a sobering, eye-opening, and instructive perspective on scientific and medical practice.
Teaching Materials
All participants will receive a collection of articles in PDF format.
Metaphysics of Scientific Writing
At its core, the course emphasizes that behind every scientific success lies a story of perseverance. Creativity, talent, motivation, integrity, courage, and luck are all indispensable for innovation — but these qualities cannot be taught or learned. Perseverance, however, can turn barroom chatter into genuine scientific breakthroughs that transform medical practice and create a world that wouldn’t exist otherwise.
Flexible Schedule (Draft)
Day 1
Morning:
The rules of the game: authors, reviewers, editors, and metricsThe “brilliant idea” myth (and how to manage without one)
Afternoon:Anatomy of a paper: title, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, references
Evening Special Event:
Murder on the Pisa Express — A true-story-inspired thriller of academic crime.
Day 2
Morning:
The author’s mindset: Between “Woody Allen’s Vodka Man” and honest authorship
Presenting at a conference: 10 simple rules
Afternoon:
Submitting to journals: Cover letters, rebuttals, avoiding plagiarism
Workshop: Becoming a reviewer
Course Format:
Two-day residential course (max 30 participants per session, quarterly events). Target Audience: Cardiologists, doctors, residents, PhD students, and curious minds of all ages. Instructors: Dr. Picano and guest experts. Assessment: Final multiple-choice test (60 questions).
When and Where
PISA (June 6 – 7, 2025)
Inscription fee: 500 euros
Organizing secretariat: DATRE
From the Uranium of Innovation to the Silicon of Communication, from Congress to Manuscript: Technique, Tactics, Strategy, and Philosophy of Thoughtful, Practical, Written, and Spoken Research 2025 Edition – 15th Year Pisa, June 6-7, 2025
