Who we Are

The Centro Dino Ferrari for the diagnosis and the therapy of neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders, at University of Milan IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, was founded by prof. Guglielmo Scarlato in 1978 at the Institute of Neurological Sciences. Engineer Enzo Ferrari wanted to dedicate this centre to the memory of his son Dino, who was affected with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The Institute was already well known at international level for the diagnostic and research activities in the field of neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders. Centro Dino Ferrari has developed in terms of both number of researchers and space dedicated to the diagnostic and reserach activities in order to keep pace with the requests of modern technology. In this regard, huge financial resources have been invested to buy sophisticated scientific equipments and to create grants for young researchers who have had the possibility to attend the most qualified scientific institutes in Europe and North America.

The activity of Centro Dino Ferrari for the diagnosis and the therapy of neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders complies to the rules of the University Regulations. Prof Nereo Bresolin is the scientific Director of the Center, assisted by a Scientific Committee formed by the following members: Prof. Giacomo Pietro Comi, Vice-Director of the Centre, Prof. Paolo Cerretelli, Prof Giovanni Meola, Prof. Luigi Rossi Bernardi, Dr Elio Scarpini and, as representatives of Istituto E. Medea IRCCS and Istituto Auxologico IRCCS, On Dr Domenico Galbiati and Prof Enzo Silani.

The “Associazione Amici del Centro Dino Ferrari”, created in 1984, has significantly promoted and financed the development of the scientific activities of Centro Dino Ferrari. The research activity carried out in the last years in the field of neurosciences has favored progress in disease knowledge.Hundreds of scientific papers and abstracts published in highly qualified international journals are the result of an intense scientific activity. Research has greatly contributed to improve disease diagnosis as in the muscle deficiency of G6PD (Glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase enolase and galactose 1 phosphate uridil transferase) which had not been diagnosed before.

One the the main purposes of Centro Dino Ferrari is the transfer of data from basic research to clinical diagnostics, so that Italian patients can rely on the most updated results in terms of diagnosis, prevention and, in many cases, therapeutic strategies.

Improving our knowledge in the field of neurosciences requires a big financial effort in terms of equipments, chemical reagents, grants for researchers and so on, but, unfortunately, public financing in our country is far below the real necessities (half of what invested in the other western industrialised countries).

The role of Institutions like “Associazione Amici del Centro Dino Ferrari” is fundamental for the development of technologically advanced, updated structures aiming at maintaining, even in the future, high scientific standard and technological development able to cope with the more and more demanding diagnostic requirements.