Prof. Francesco Marotta MD PhD
Consulting Professor at WHO-cnt for Biotech. & Trad. Med., University of Milano; Research Professor at Dept. of Human Nutrition & Food Science, Texas University; Board-Co-Director of G.E.A. Research Group, Milano, Italy, and Co-Director of Regenera Group.
MD degree in 1981 and Specialized in Gastroenterology & Endoscopy in 1986 with highest marks. Fellow in gastroenterology at University of Chicago in 1982. Clinical & Research Registrar in gastroenterology at the GIT Dept, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape-Town, South Africa. Selected by bilateral Ministries of Health for a japanese-spoken PhD course in Japan at the Dept. of Surgery, Hirosaki University completed in 1990. Granted a Fellowship by the Japanese Ministry of Science at the National Cancer Center, Tokyo. Molecular biology stage at Welcome-Beecham Labs. of London, UK in 1993 and at GoodGene Lab. in Korea in 2006. Research Professor at Dept of Nutrition & Food Science, Texas University, USA. Adjunt professor in nutragenomics at Neuroscience Inst. Beijing, China and visiting professor for gastroenterology, oxidative stress, aging and nutragenomics at major asian universities. For 10 years had directed a research center in Japan and cooperates with Nobel Prize Prof. Luc Montagnier. Editor and board member of several medical journals. Has received several international prizes, the last being the Genomic Pioneer Award 2009. As a Scientific Director of GAIA Foundation, had co-edited a successful book on aging-intervention (“Il Manifesto della Lunga Vita”, “the manifesto of long life” which is expected to be translated in several languages) and, together with an USA group, is working on an innovative model of preventive/regenerative medicine. Has published about 100 papers and presented almost 400 communications.

2009 - There is no Prevention without Prediction: How to implement your Practice through an Innovative Genomic Tool in Nutrition-Driven Medical Strategies

While there are several highly-reputed experimental labs pursuing a solid-science search of foreseeable intervention modalities to slow down the aging process and age-related diseases, the blooming antiaging practices hardly follow an evidence-based approach to the matter. Both the aging process and diseases can cause changes in the body, which affect life span. Efforts at unfolding the causes of aging are limited by the complexity of the problem. Aging changes take places from the molecular to the organismic level, moreover environmental factors affect experimental observations, secondary effects complicate the understanding of primary mechanisms and precisely defined, easily measurable “biomarkers” are lacking. Moreover, from the human genoma project conclusion, a post-genomic era has started, which represents an ideal match with tailored nutraceuticals, thus leading to a nutrigenomics evolution. Nutrigenomics mainly aims at studying genetic and epigenetic interactions with a nutrient as to lead to a phenotype change and therefore to the cell metabolism, differentiation or apoptosis.  Such new nutraceutic perspective entirely depends on the growing development of new innovating solutions aiming at acting on organic systems. A biochemistry and molecular biology specific development together with biotechnological methods have been enhanced as to support the hypothesis that some nutrients could modulate the body functions. Such assessments has to be in line with consistent markers identification, both directly connected (functional factors) to the process to be modified as well as indirectly associated (indicators). In this context, it is of paramount importance aiming the integration into medical practice of new clusters of genomic test aimed to predict risk assessment.   Major advancement in micro-array techniques has allowed us to define a feasible and user-friendly while unique 300-snip genomic chip which has been strictly designed  on published data pointing out their inner potential clinical relevance. Having defined “risk profile” together with a fine laboratory interplay with biochemical panels for each individual long before the occurrence of an overt disease, specific and tailored nutritional, nutraceuticals and hormonal support together with individualized follow ups can be better shaped up. This would play a definite role in general good health conditions as well as in the potential reduction of disease risk occurrence within a synergistic-integrated approach in established therapeutic regimens.