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Franco Folli, MD, PhD

Milano, ITALY

Dr. Franco Folli is an internist and diabetes researcher, currently serving as a Full Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the Department of Health Sciences, Universita’ degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
Dr. Folli's research interests are broad and impactful, focusing on inflammation, insulin signaling, and the pathophysiology of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. He has made significant contributions to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying insulin resistance and the role of inflammation in diabetes. His work has been widely recognized, with over 327 publications and more than 31000 citations, reflecting his influence in the field.
His research has been supported by Italian Ministry of Health, Telethon, National Institute of Health (USA) and other funding agencies and contracts.
Dr. Folli's key achievements include his pioneering work on: 1- the identification, in collaboration with Drs. Michele Solimena and Pietro De Camilli, of GAD (Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase) as the main autoantigen of Stiff Man Syndrome and Type 1 diabetes mellitus; 2 – identification of 128kd protein - Amphyphisin as the main autoantigen of paraneoplastic Stiff Man Syndrome and other paraneoplastic CNS disorders; 3 - molecular mechanisms of insulin action and resistance; 4 identification of predictors of diabetic complications and novel sphingolipids enriched in type 2 diabetic subjects. This work over 30 years, has provided valuable insights into the treatment and possibly prevention of diabetes, type 1 and type 2.
The identification of GAD as the main autoantigen in type 1 diabetes mellitus and stiff man syndrome, has paved the way for new trials to identify individual at risk to develop type 1 diabetes mellitus and implement preventive immunological therapies, which are currently under way all around the world.

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