Elena Caproni

Consultant

After graduating from high school with a focus on classical studies, despite a passion for literature and philosophy, she decided to pursue scientific studies and graduated in Medical Biotechnology in Florence.

From her thesis onward, she joined the lab, wearing her lab coat for almost 15 years, working with test tubes, assays, and experiments. She moved to Siena for a Ph.D. in Cell Biology, which she conducted within a pharmaceutical multinational, where she managed complex projects involving immunostimulant molecules, vaccine adjuvants, and gene expression, resulting in numerous scientific publications.

In the meantime, she met her current husband, Piero, “sports embodied,” and entered a world of training, preparation, and resilience, accompanying him in races that were real “sporting feats” worldwide.

Transitioning to academia, she continued her research over the years in oncology and “personalized medicine.” At the Toscana Life Sciences Foundation in Siena, she studied, under prestigious European grants, the gut microbiome and anti-tumor immunotherapies. She also developed a strong interest in nutrition, particularly sports nutrition, which she explored through several specialized programs.

Science remains a constant in her life, as does her family, which has its roots in an Umbrian village overlooking Lake Trasimeno, still her retreat for peace and relaxation. Siena, on the other hand, is her adopted city, where she is raising her children, Jacopo and Altea. She loves traveling, aiming to visit at least one new place each year, and documents each journey with photo books. She has a passion for theater, opera, dance, and, of course, sports as a lifestyle.

Why do I work at Helaglobe?

Meeting Helaglobe was like shining a light on my career path, helping me realize the direction I wanted to take. Years of experience in scientific and biomedical research can now be used to support a “prismatic” team, a group with diverse skills united to sharpen solutions for health.

Three adjectives to describe me

Active, consistent, rational.

Three standout personal qualities

Dynamism, expressiveness, a desire to create.

Three essential qualities for my role:

Expertise in source analysis, openness to differing perspectives, and the ability to relate well with others.

Inspirational figures:

Rita Levi Montalcini, for her clarity, determination, and the remarkable woman and scientist she was.

Roberto Bolle, for his dedication to dance as a sport and his constant tribute to art and beauty.

My professional aspirations:

To develop the right mindset to work with science, making it a practical tool to meet the needs of those with medical conditions.

My personal aspirations:

To see my children grow up strong and capable of facing challenges, and to run the New York Marathon.

My guiding motto:

“Omnia vincit amor” and “Plans are made to be changed.”