Letter to Dr Graham Lampard

10 March 2010



Dear Dr LampardI am a senior researcher at the Stazione Sperimentale per l’Industria delle Pelli e delle Materie Concianti in Naples, Italy (SSIP). I have been in the past acting scientific manager at the Italian research institute for leather (SSIP).I have read with interest your article about the ‘Greatest Leather Scientists’ (October 2009, page 28). In general, I agree with you about the names that you have included. In fact, those who know scientific literature relating to the tanning process are conscious of the great contribution that Procter, Wilson, Gustavson, Heidemann and so on have given to leather science.


Yet in your article I have seen that there is no Italian name. For this reason I want to say you that in Italy and in particular at the SSIP have previously worked and are still working today many researchers that have given a contribution to the development of modern tanning technology.
For example I could suggest: A Bravo, A Simoncini, G Manzo, M Tomaselli and B Naviglio who are researchers that have written (B Naviglio is still working at SSIP) papers for the Italian Journal Cuoio, Pelli e Materie Concianti (CPMC). Furthermore I want to point out that Professor A Simoncini presented a paper about Biotechnology in the tanning industry as ‘lectio magistralis’ for the 1987 Wilson memorial lecture.
It is true that we Italian researchers, for reasons of institutional duty, write our papers in Italian to facilitate the diffusion of the research activity of SSIP towards the national tanners. But we have always presented our research at all the international congresses and, therefore, it can be seen as an easier way to verify in the overall literature the contribution of SSIP scientists in the field of the tanning research. I think that if you were able to read more scientific literature from Italian researchers it perhaps would be easier for you to add to the list the names of one or more Italian researchers.

Yours sincerely
Dr Biagio Naviglio
Senior Researcher
Stazione Sperimentale Pelli Naples, Italy



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