Ariela Benigni

After graduating in Biological Sciences from the University of Milan, he earned a PhD from the University of Maastricht. He spent training periods abroad at the Regional Blood Transfusion Centre in Strasbourg, Guy's Hospital in London, and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

His scientific work at the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research focuses on the study of the molecular mechanisms underlying the onset and progression of kidney disease, with the goal of identifying new therapeutic strategies to combat kidney damage and preserve kidney function. A central area of his research concerns regenerative medicine, particularly the use of stem cells and the study of the natural mechanisms through which the kidney can repair damaged tissue. His group investigates new treatment options for acute and chronic kidney disease, with a particular focus on the development of innovative and personalized approaches.

Another important area of research is organ transplantation: she was among the first to contribute to the development of gene therapy strategies, based on the use of viral vectors, to prevent transplant rejection and reduce the need for immunosuppressive drugs.

She has collaborated with the World Health Organization on an international project dedicated to pre-eclampsia, is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Nephron, and has served on the editorial boards of international scientific journals. She is the Italian delegate to the Horizon Europe Committee, Health Cluster 2021-2027, and a member of the National Committee for Rare Diseases (CoNaMR). In 2021, she was awarded the honor of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella. Among her numerous awards, in 2025 she received the prestigious Alfred N. Richards Award in nephrology.