Biography for Massimo Trucco, MD
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Massimo Trucco, MD, is director of the Division of Immunogenetics at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Hillman Professor of Pediatric Immunology and professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine with secondary appointments in Genetics and Epidemiology.
Dr. Trucco was born in Savona, Italy. During his medical residency, he worked on research in tissue compatibility, an area directly related to bone marrow transplantation. His curiosity has driven him to move to three countries to study at renowned universities and research institutes, and work side-by-side with two Nobel Prize winners.
An established scientist, Dr. Trucco came to Pittsburgh in 1986 to focus his genetic and immunologic research on several significant diseases of childhood, including diabetes. Since then, his discoveries have lead to:
- a better process for molecular typing for matching bone marrow donors and recipients;
- the ability to identify those at risk for diabetes;
- an understanding of the link between a virus and Type 1 diabetes;
- a potential cure for the pancreatic damage that causes insulin dependence.
Dr. Trucco and his team are closing in on a cure for Type 1 diabetes, or juvenile, diabetes. He has made several significant findings including the isolation of a super-antigen that is believed to trigger juvenile diabetes in children. It is widely suspected that this discovery, and others that Dr. Trucco has made, will lead to a cure.
“We have some of the best researchers and clinicians in their fields, and it is conceivable that with this concentration of talent Pittsburgh could be the place where the cure for diabetes is discovered,” says Dr. Trucco.
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Watch the video of Dr. Trucco's interview on NBC's Today Show
