Former Italian leader, Silvio Berlusconi presided over significant squeezing of the country's research sector.

Nature now reports that Italy's newly installed Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, has made one of the nation's  most-cited scientists a minister in his government.

According to the journal, "Luigi Nicolais, a polymer chemist at the University of Naples 'Federico II', will head the ministry for public function and innovation, which is tasked with modernizing the machinery of government. Nicolais is a member of the 2003 Group, which comprises the 63 most-cited Italian scientists. The group was formed three years ago to promote the interests of research.

"Mathematician Luciano Modica, former president of the Conference of Italian University Rectors, has also been given a government job, as undersecretary to the minister of universities and research. The new government claims it is committed to building up the research base in Italy, support for which had been reduced under Silvio Berlusconi."