Edoardo Boncinelli

Edoardo Boncinelli is a Full Professor of Biology and Genetics at the University Vita-Salute in Milan. He has held significant roles, including Director of the SISSA-ISAS International School for Advanced Studies in Trieste (2001-2004) and Head of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Development at the Scientific Institute San Raffaele in Milan. His career spans institutions in Naples (1968-1991) and Milan (1991-present), with affiliations to CNR and Academia Europaea.

• Education: Physicist by training, later specialized in genetics and molecular biology.

Research interests focus on the genetic control of embryonic development in vertebrates, particularly the role of HOX homeogenes in trunk development and homeogene families in cerebral cortex formation. His work bridges molecular biology, developmental genetics, and neuroscience, exploring the genetic basis of mind and higher mental functions.

Publication trends reflect his interdisciplinary work, spanning developmental genetics, neuroscience, and ethical/philosophical debates. Books like "Genoma: Il grande libro dell'uomo" and "L'anima della tecnica" highlight connections between genetics, human consciousness, and technology.

• Scientific awards:
  • EMBO Member (1988)
  • Academia Europaea Member (1995)
  • HUGO Member (1997)
  • Erasmus Medal (2001)
  • EMBO Award for Communication (2005)

Advisory roles include past-president of the Italian Society of Biophysics and Molecular Biology. He actively communicates science through columns in Le Scienze (Scientific American Italian edition) and Il Corriere della Sera.

Labs and teams include the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Development at San Raffaele Institute in Milan and CNR research groups in Naples and Milan.