Alessio Fasano


Alessio Fasano is an Italian-born medical doctor, pediatric gastroenterologist and researcher. He currently holds many roles, including professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and professor of nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, both in Boston. He serves as director of the at and co-director of the . In addition, he is director of the at MGHfC, where he oversees a research program with approximately 50 scientists and staff researching a variety of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases, including cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, enteric infections and necrotizing enterocolitis. A common theme of these programs is the study of the emerging role of the gut microbiome in health and disease. Dr. Fasano is also the scientific director of the in Italy. Along with these leadership positions, he is a practicing outpatient clinician in pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition and the division chief.

Education

After graduating summa cum laude from the University of Naples School of Medicine in Italy, Fasano undertook intensive medical internships and residency in pediatrics, emergency medicine, and pediatric social medicine. After completing his final internship in 1993, he joined the faculty of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD as an associate professor, became a professor of pediatrics, medicine, and physiology in 1996, and remained in teaching roles at the university for over 20 years. He founded the in 1996, which he moved to Massachusetts General Hospital in 2003. He is still an active professor of pediatrics and nutrition.

Work

Fasano began his career as a pediatric gastroenterologist interested in treating debilitating diarrhea, as well as a researcher determined to find a vaccine for cholera. He was responsible for the discovery of several new enterotoxins involved in the diarrheal pathogenesis of several pathogens, including Shigella, E. coli, and V. cholerae. These discoveries led to the engineering of attenuated enteric vaccines, some of them currently used in clinical practice.
The course of this research path eventually led him and his team to the “serendipitous” discovery of zonulin in 2000, a protein responsible for regulating intestinal tight-junctions. His major research focus then shifted to the study of intestinal permeability, the pathophysiology of the paracellular pathway, and how disruption of gut barrier function factors into chronic inflammatory disease development.
His current research focuses include intestinal mucosal biology and immunology, the gut microbiome, and bacterial pathogenesis, as well as the immune host response. His clinical specialty lays in gluten-related disorders as well as other autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.
Ultimately, Fasano is a dedicated physician who aspires to improve the quality of life for patients affected by disorders around the biological and immune functions of the intestinal mucosa.

Impact

Fasano is considered an expert and pioneering researcher worldwide in the field of celiac disease and bacterial pathogenesis. Not only did he found the premier celiac research center in the United States, but the impact of his more than 300 peer-reviewed journal publications and 160 patents has greatly shaped and advanced the knowledge of a multitude of chronic inflammatory diseases and immune diseases. He was among the top 1 percent cited scientists worldwide based on ’s .
Throughout his career, he has prioritized and advocated for his patients by disseminating his research to the general public along with expansive outreach efforts. He often collaborates with celiac support organizations and government agencies to work toward this goal, and actively participates in fundraising efforts for the . He is the author of multiple books and has been featured in journals, magazines and interviews for the general public.
He has published numerous groundbreaking research studies, including the 2000 discovery of the zonulin protein and its regulation and modulation of intestinal permeability. In 2003, he published the results of the epidemiological study that demonstrated the prevalence of celiac disease in the U.S. to be far higher than previously thought, at a rate of 1 in 133 persons. His work also contributed to the development of an anti-tissue transglutaminase diagnostic test for celiac disease, that is part of standard diagnostic testing for celiac disease.

Awards

Fasano has received several awards for his work. Some notable awards include:  
1998, 2002, 2003Teacher of the YearUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MDTeaching
2004Physician Hero, Health Care Hero AwardThe Daily Record, Baltimore, MDHealth care
2006Innovator of the YearThe Daily Record, Baltimore, MDResearch
2006Best Academic/Industry Collaboration, Bioscience AwardGreater Baltimore Committee, Baltimore, MDTranslational science
2006Entrepreneur of the Year AwardUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MDTranslating science to business
2008Magister InsignisLa Nuova Scuola Medica Salernitana, Salerno, ItalyExcellence in clinical and translational research
2009President’s Faculty Research Lecturer of the Year AwardUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MDTop researcher of the year
2010Arnold Silverman, M.D. Lectureship in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and NutritionUniversity of Colorado, Denver, COResearch and clinical care
2011Kopelman LectureCanadian Association of Gastroenterology, Oakville, Ontario, CanadaResearch
2012Harry Shwachman AwardNorth American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Flourtown, PAMajor lifelong scientific and/or educational contributions to the field of pediatric gastro-enterology, hepatology and nutrition in North America
2013Linus Pauling Award for Functional MedicineThe Institute for Functional Medicine, Federal Way, WAVisionary scientific contributions
2013International Award Scuola Medica SalernitanaSalerno Medical School, Salerno, ItalyVisionary scientific contributions
2014Paul Harris FellowRotary Foundation, Rotary International, Salerno, ItalySignificant contributions in research and promoting international cooperation
2015W. Allan Walker, MD Endowed ChairMassachusetts General HospitalPediatric service in the Gastroenterology and Nutrition Division
2019Highly Cited ResearcherWeb of Science GroupOne of the world's most influential researchers / Top.01% by citations
2019Italian Bilateral Scientific Cooperation AwardItalian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International CooperationScientific achievements and promotion of international scientific cooperation
2019Traveling Genius AwardGiordano Bruno Guerri, president and general director of the Fondazione il Vittoriale degli ItalianiSignificant scientific contributions over several decades

Book Publications

Fasano has authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications. Some high-impact publications include: