Sammy Basso donates his body to science: thanks to him the cure for progeria is closer

A life dedicated to science. Sammy Basso, died Saturday at 28was affected by progeria, rare disease known as “premature aging syndrome”.

A pathology that failed to prevent him from leading un successful existence, full of great satisfaction and goals achieved, but that Sammy Basso – graduated with honors in Molecular Biology – has always fought, studying it in depth, to develop a genetic therapy capable of alleviating the symptoms of progeria and extending the lives of those who are ill. And even now he will make one last gift to science: he wanted to donate his body to study and research. The family is trying to fulfill his wish, and even if nothing has been decided yet, contact has been made with the Reference Center for Body Donation and Biobank of the University of Padua, right where Sammy Basso found himself graduated (as well as in Molecular Biology, also in English).

«One of the best students we have had, superior to everyone. A great passion for science, communication skills, wisdom, curiosity, infinite love for life”, is how Francesco Argenton, president of the Biology degree course and his teacher, remembers him. «His enthusiasm was enthralling in the seminars he taught». But «Sammy Basso was above all a scientist, his studies have laid the foundations for arriving at a genetic therapy. His research on progeria came to important conclusions, so much so that they were published in prestigious international journalsincluding Nature Medicine, and subsequently cited in the studies of 109 other researchers. He left his mark and indicated the right path to continue on to find a curealthough not anytime soon. The University of Padua has lost a brilliant researcher and scientist, a brilliant mind.” The university intends to pay homage to him by dedicating a plaque or a classroom to him.

This is how the young biologist explained his pathology: «This disease, which I was diagnosed when I was only 2 years old, it leads to a sudden slowdown in growth and loss of hair and subcutaneous fat, the most important problems, however, are bone problems (osteoporosis) and various problems related to the heart and blood vessels (stroke, blockage of the arteries, heart attack). When I was diagnosed with progeria there was no research on it and very little was known about this syndrome, except that it was very rare: in fact it affects only 130 children worldwide with a case history of one person in every 8 million births healthy.”

When the disease was diagnosed, doctors had predicted his lifespan to be about 13 and a half years. The parents explain it, who remember the moment in which they decided to found theItalian Progeria Association Sammy Bassowhich works to spread knowledge about the disease and raise funds for research. «Sammy played in a corner of the room used as a play area, while we sat in front of the genetics doctors at the hospital. We immediately asked for clarification on the matter, quite upset. It was then explained to us that it was a very rare genetic disease, which over the years would manifest the typical problems of the elderly, that there was no cure or even research.” If things have changed, and will continue to improve, it is also thanks to their strenuous commitment.