Anna Folli
A. Folli - Crescere nella ricerca, evolvere nella pratica
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Anna Folli is a research associate at the DEASS 2rLab Rehabilitation research laboratory and a physical therapist at a private practice. She is currently pursuing a PhD in collaboration with SUPSI and the University of Birmingham in England, focusing on the study of risk factors related to pain in adolescents. Her desire is to continue working in both academia and clinical practice, leveraging the skills she has acquired and contributing to the development of evidence-based physical therapy.
How did you get involved in research? What does it mean to be a researcher?
I got involved in research during my Bachelor's degree in Physiotherapy at SUPSI, where I wrote an experimental thesis with the research group at the 2rLab rehabilitation research laboratory. Entering this world intrigued me, and I immediately realized that research could become a stimulating and dynamic field of work. Today, I am pursuing my doctoral studies in collaboration with the University of Birmingham in England. For me, being a researcher means maintaining a critical and curious eye and working in a team to respond in a structured way to significant research questions.
What topics does your research focus on?
The area in which I am doing my PhD, which occupies most of my research activities, is pain in adolescents. We started with several preliminary studies in which we expanded the tools available in Italian to assess various domains related to pain in adolescents; and now we are about to start an important longitudinal study in which we will try to establish the risk factors associated with the development and persistence of pain in boys and girls attending middle schools in Ticino.
SUPSI's applied research activities are characterized by their strong practical application. Can you tell us about some of the projects you have carried out and their impact on the local area and society?
Although not a research project in the strict sense, an important initiative of the 2rLab that is encouraging collaboration and exchange between researchers and the community of physiotherapists and occupational therapists in the region is 2rTalks, a series of scientific dissemination meetings that for the past five years has been creating an important dialogue between research and clinical practice. My doctoral research projects are also creating important synergies, including collaborations we have established with the Pediatric Institute of Italian Switzerland and the Department of Education, Culture, and Sport.
The objectives we pursue in our research projects are always shared by partners in the local area and aim to provide tools that can be applied in multiple contexts. For example, we have translated and adapted a questionnaire on pain awareness in adolescents into Italian, which can be used by physiotherapists, doctors, and even teachers. The validation of pain drawing in younger people has also made it possible to provide a tool that was previously unavailable for this age group.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, I see myself—as I am today—in both the academic and clinical worlds, with a few more skills under my belt, and always with the desire to grow and evolve alongside my colleagues!