The Italian Ambassador to the United States, Mariangela Zappia, presented the honor of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic to Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world’s largest biomedical research agency, last night in Washington.

“It is truly a great pleasure to be able to bestow such a prestigious recognition upon Monica Bertagnolli during the month when we celebrate Italian-American heritage in the United States. As the granddaughter of Italian immigrants, her story exemplifies the extraordinary contributions made to this country by those who have come from Italy,” commented the Ambassador.