Beatrice Bano

Beatrice Bano is a PhD Assistant at the Institute of Public Health (IPH), Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, University of Italian Switzerland (USI), conducting research under joint supervision with the WHO Collaborating Centre at the University of Verona. She leads the FARE. project, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, focused on adapting and implementing a WHO-developed psychosocial intervention for family caregivers in Ticino.

Education:

• Bachelor of Psychological Sciences and Techniques – Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Italy
• Master in Cognitive Psychology in Health Communication – University of Italian Switzerland (USI)
• Master in Emergency Psychology – University of Italian Switzerland

Her research centers on mental health promotion through digital self-help tools, particularly the adaptation of the WHO's "Doing What Matters in Times of Stress" (DWM) program for informal caregivers. Using mixed methods, she investigates implementation strategies, cultural adaptation, acceptability, usability, and sustainability within the Ticino context. Her work lies at the intersection of public health, clinical psychology, and implementation science.

Beatrice is currently training as a systemic-relational psychotherapist, enriching her clinical perspective. Her research contributes to closing the implementation gap in mental health care by translating evidence-based interventions into real-world settings.

Scientific Awards:

• Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) doc.CH Doctoral Grant (P000PS_219019)

She is the project manager of the FARE. initiative, collaborating with Prof. Emiliano Albanese (USI), Prof. Marianna Purgato (University of Verona), and Dr. Maddalena Fiordelli. The project involves partnerships with the WHO Collaborating Centre and Cochrane Global Mental Health Centre. Grants include SNSF funding under the doc.CH program.

Labs and Teams: She is based at the Institute of Public Health (IPH), USI, working in Lab P300 on the Lugano campus. She is a core member of the FARE. research team, which adopts a highly participatory approach involving caregivers, associations, institutions, and social services in the intervention design and adaptation process.