Italian scientist Luigi Naldini has received one of the highest honors in American medicine, becoming an international member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), recognizing his groundbreaking contributions to gene therapy and the treatment of rare diseases.
The election was announced on October 19, 2026, when the prestigious American institution welcomed 100 new members – 90 from the United States and 10 international scientists.
Naldini, a professor at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan, has directed the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy since 2008. His pioneering research on lentiviral vectors, first developed in 1996, revolutionized scientists' ability to introduce functioning genes into human cells, opening new possibilities for treating inherited disorders and cancers.
The impact has been extraordinary. Today, 12 of the 32 gene therapies approved in the United States and 7 of the 18 authorized in the European Union use lentiviral technology.
One particularly significant achievement came in December 2025, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a therapy for Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, a rare immune disorder. Developed through Fondazione Telethon, it marked the first time a nonprofit organization successfully guided a gene therapy to American regulatory approval.
Naldini's institute now brings together more than 300 researchers and professionals representing approximately 20 countries.
His election celebrates Italian scientific excellence while highlighting the growing impact of international research collaboration on American healthcare, offering renewed hope to patients and families facing serious genetic diseases.
