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Diabetes Research Institute Director Camillo Ricordi, M.D., Appointed to Italy’s Supreme Council of Health

Camillo Ricordi, M.D., director of the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has been appointed by Italian Minister of Health Giulia Grillo, M.D., to Italy’s Supreme Council of Health, the committee of medical experts who advise the government on health policy. Dr. Ricordi is among a new team of 30 top Italian scientists who specialize in neuroscience, cellular transplantation, and rare disease studies, among others.

From left, Italian Minister of Health Giulia Grillo, M.D., and Camillo Ricordi, M.D.
From left, Italian Minister of Health Giulia Grillo, M.D., and Camillo Ricordi, M.D.

According to the health minister, it is a meticulous selection process. Members are designated based on an exceptional international reputation, published scientific contributions to the medical field and the impact these works have had on clinical progress. As the largest advisory body of the health minister, the Supreme Council of Health will play an active role in guiding Italy’s Ministry of Health on strategic decisions.

“I am grateful to the minister of health for my appointment to the Supreme Council of Health of Italy. This prestigious advisory board will be critically important to enhance scientific research and to advise on strategic decisions on the path to cures,” said Dr. Ricordi, who is one of three members selected from abroad to serve on the council, in addition to a member of the Nobel Assembly in Stockholm.

Acknowledged by his peers as one of the world’s leading scientists in diabetes cure-focused research, tolerance induction, and cellular transplantation, Dr. Ricordi is well known for inventing the machine that makes it possible to isolate large numbers of islet cells (insulin-producing cells) from the human pancreas and for performing the first series of successful clinical islet allotransplants that reversed diabetes. The procedure is now in worldwide use by all medical centers that perform clinical islet transplants.

Dr. Ricordi has received numerous honors and awards and was recently recognized as the world’s leading expert in islet transplantation by Expertscape, an organization that ranks individuals according to their demonstrated expertise in specific diseases, conditions, and treatments. He has more than 1,000 scientific publications and nearly 42,000 citations. As an inventor, he has been awarded 26 patents.

The Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine leads the world in cure-focused research. As one of the largest and most comprehensive research centers dedicated to curing diabetes, the DRI is aggressively working to develop a biological cure by restoring natural insulin production and normalizing blood sugar levels without imposing other risks. Researchers have already shown that transplanted islet cells allow patients to live without the need for insulin therapy. Some study participants have maintained insulin independence for more than 10 years. The DRI is now building upon these promising outcomes through its BioHub strategy, a multidisciplinary, three-pronged approach for addressing the major challenges that stand in the way of a cure: eliminate the need for anti-rejection drugs, reset the immune system to block autoimmunity, and develop an unlimited supply of insulin-producing cells. For more information, visit DiabetesResearch.org or call 800-321-3437.


Tags: Camillo Ricordi, Diabetes Research Institute