Silvio Garattini was born in Bergamo (Italy) on 12th Nov 1928. Diploma in Chemistry. Degree in Medicine. Lecturer in Chemotherapy and Pharmacology. Assistant then Deputy Professor at the Milan University Institute of Pharmacology until 1962.
Founder in 1963 and director of the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research.
He is a member of the Gruppo 2003 (a group of the most cited Italian scientists in international scientific literature). Garattini's publications in Italian and in English in international scientific journals, and texts on pharmacology, run into the hundreds. Founder of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC).
During the last ten years professor Garattini has been a member of various organizations, among which: the Italian National Research Council (CNR) - Committee on Biology and Medicine; the National Health Council, the Committee for Italian Research Policy, set up by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers; the Commissione Unica del Farmaco (CUF) of the Ministry of Health.
He has held the following posts: President of the UICC Committee on Antitumoral Chemotherapy, President of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), Consultant to the World Health Organisation.
He was President of the European Society of Biochemical Pharmacology; member of the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP) of the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA), Member of the CEPR (Committee of Experts of Research Policy) at the Ministry for University and Scientific and Technological Research; Member Scientific Committee of the Lega Italiana per la Lotta Contro i Tumori; member of the Board of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità.
President of the Vth section of the Consiglio Superiore di Sanità; President of the research and Development Commission of the Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA); President of the Angelo and Angela Valenti Foundation and of the "Via di Natale" Foundation; President of the Technical Commission for Pharmaceutical Assistance of the Regione Autonoma of Sardegna; Member of the Strategic Committee for Welfare, Regione Lombardia. Member of the Comitato Nazionale di Bioetica.
Silvio Garattini is a Fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (Pharmaceutical Medicine), London, and a member of numerous other Italian and international scientific societies.
He has received many awards for his work, including the French Legion d'Honneur for scientific merit, and the Grand Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana, and holds honorary degrees from the Universities of Bialystok in Poland, and Barcelona in Spain. Most recent prizes: Prize Ippocrate, 2003; Prize Mens Sana in Corpore Sano; Prize Nuova Spoleto, 2003; Prize Angelo dell’anno; Alkmeon International Prize; International Prize Sant’Agostino Città di Bergamo; Prize Il Campione della Scienza; Medal Natta; Prize Coppola.
In its 40-plus years, the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, under Professor Garattini's leadership, has published more than 10000 scientific papers and about 200 books, on topics ranging from cancer and its treatment to tumour immunology, neuropsychopharmacology, and cardiovascular and renal pharmacology. More than 4000 young Italian and 600 foreigner graduates and technicians have obtained specialist qualifications at the Institute.
