We met in Nottingham six years ago when Alessia started a one year MSc degree course and I was a post-doctoral research fellow at Nottingham Trent University.

I supported Alessia with the daily difficulties of a new life in a foreign country, while Alessia soon became an excellent baby sitter for my young son. This was basically how our “collaboration” began, being good friends before becoming colleagues.

We stayed in touch throughout Alessia’s Doctorate studies, which she carried out at the Department of Biology, University of Bologna. Her research work led for the first time to the identification of a transglutaminase enzyme (i.e. a sort of biological glue) on the surface of pollen tubes; a molecule of similar type to the one I was studying in mammalian systems at Nottingham.

With the support of the British-Italian Partnership Programme, not only will we be able to extend our interests to a very topical subject, the effect of climate change on pollen allergy, but also share it with other students from the University of Bologna, who will have the invaluable opportunity of experiencing research work in a UK laboratory.

Our aim is to start exploring the involvement of pollen transglutaminase in mediating pollen antigen modification and allergenicity, which is enhanced following environmental stress. Our final goal is to gain sufficient data to seek further support from funding bodies and to set up the basis for the submission of a European Project within Framework VII in collaboration with different European partners.