Antonia Follenzi

Antonia Follenzi is a Full Professor at the Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont 'Amedeo Avogadro' in Italy. With over three decades of research activity documented from 1991 to 2025, she has established herself as a leading researcher in hemophilia and gene therapy. Her work spans multiple interdisciplinary fields connecting hematology, vascular biology, and regenerative medicine.

Professor Follenzi's research interests center on the multifaceted roles of Factor VIII beyond its traditional coagulation function, particularly its involvement in angiogenesis, endothelial cell biology, and vascular stability. She investigates lentiviral vector-based gene therapy approaches for hemophilia A, with a specific focus on targeting liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) to achieve immune tolerance. Her work also extends to diabetes research, where she develops vascularized islet organoids and bioengineered pancreatic constructs for type 1 diabetes treatment. Additional research areas include biomaterial development using sustainable approaches (converting waste materials like eggshells and oyster shells into biomedical materials) and exploring the role of coagulation factors in cancer biology.

The analysis of her recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a clear research trajectory focusing on the extracoagulative functions of Factor VIII, particularly its role in endothelial cell function, angiogenesis, and vessel stability. Her work demonstrates a sophisticated integration of gene therapy, stem cell technology, and tissue engineering approaches. A significant portion of her research addresses the critical challenge of immune tolerance in hemophilia gene therapy, with multiple projects developing innovative solutions to prevent inhibitor formation.

Professor Follenzi leads several major research initiatives including:

• TolerEight: Investigating immune tolerance mechanisms in hemophilia gene therapy
• ALLEVIATE: Developing tolerogenic expression of FVIII using liver endothelial cell targeting
• VANGUARD: Creating cell therapies for type 1 diabetes
• PERTINENT: Studying retinitis pigmentosa models and therapies

These projects are funded by prestigious organizations including the European Commission, Ministero dell'Università e Ricerca (MUR), and Fondazione Compagnia San Paolo. Her collaborative network spans multiple institutions across Europe, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of her work that bridges hematology, immunology, vascular biology, and regenerative medicine.