Andrea Superti-Furga

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Professor
Andrea Superti-Furga
Portrait ASF Aug 2021.jpg
Andrea Superti-Furga in 2021
Born1959 (age 6465)
Milano, Italy
CitizenshipSwiss and Italian
Education University of Milan, University of Genoa, University of Zurich, University of Freiburg
SpouseSheila Unger
Awards2015 Maroteaux Award, 2002 Cloëtta Prize
Scientific career
Fields Genetics, paediatrics, medicine
Institutions University of Lausanne, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV)
Thesis Banca di cellule umane mutanti (University of Genoa)  (1984)
Doctoral advisor Paolo Durand
Other academic advisors Victor McKusick, Andrea Prader, Andres Giedion, Richard Gitzelmann, Beat Steinmann, Sergio Fanconi
Website www.chuv.ch/fr/medecine-genetique/gen-home

Andrea Superti-Furga (born 1959 in Milan) is a Swiss-Italian pediatrician, geneticist and molecular biologist.

Contents

Career

Superti-Furga was educated at the German School of Milan in Milan, where he obtained his Abitur in 1978. He studied medicine at the Universities of Milan, Genoa, and Zurich, obtained his MD degrees from Genoa in 1984 and from Zurich in 1992 [1] and is board certified in paediatrics and in genetics. During his studies he has been mentored by Paolo Durand, [2] Victor McKusick, Andrea Prader, [3] Andres Giedion, [4] Richard Gitzelmann, [5] Beat Steinmann, [6] and Sergio Fanconi. [7] He worked with Francesco Ramirez on genetic diseases in both Zurich and New York. [8] In 2002, he was appointed professor for Molecular Pediatrics at the University of Lausanne, before moving as a professor and chairman of the Department of Pediatrics to the University of Freiburg, Germany in 2005. In 2010, he was awarded the Leenaards Chair of Excellence in Pediatrics at the University of Lausanne. [1] From 2014 to 2015, he was director of the Department of Pediatrics in Lausanne. From 2016 to 2023, he has been head of Genetic Medicine at the Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland. [9] Since 2023, he is senior consultant at Genetica AG in Zurich and Lausanne.

Research

Superti-Furga's research activities have been focused on inborn errors of metabolism, inherited disorders of connective tissue, genetic bone disorders and skeletal dysplasias, dysmorphology, neurodevelopment, and bioinformatics. He was involved in the discovery of the molecular and biochemical basis of a number of genetic disorders, such as the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV related to collagen type III, [6] the sulfate transporter (SLC26A2)-related chondrodysplasias, [10] the TBX15-related Cousin syndrome, [11] the FAM111A -related disorders Kenny-Caffey syndrome and Osteocraniostenosis, [12] the tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase(ACP5)-related spondyloenchondrodysplasia, [13] the SFRP4-related Pyle disease, [14] the HSPA9-related EVEN-PLUS syndrome, [15] [16] sialic acid deficiency related to NANS , [17] the malformation disorders related to EN1 (gene), and the EN1-regulating lncRNA element, MAENLI, [18] and the TIMES syndrome related to the VRAC channel subunit LRRC8C. [19]

According to Google Scholar, Superti-Furga has published more than 350 articles and holds an h-index of 89 (October 2024). [20]

Personal life

Superti-Furga is married to geneticist Sheila Unger, MD. He is the brother of Giulio Superti-Furga, a molecular and system biologist, director of the Center for Molecular Medicine in Vienna. [21]

Distinctions

He is the recipient of the 2015 Maroteaux Award of the International Skeletal Dysplasia Society, [22] the 2002 Cloëtta Prize by the Max Cloëtta Foundation, [23] and the 1995 Georg-Friedrich Götz prize of the Medical School of the University of Zurich. [22] In 2008, he was Santa Chiara visiting chair at University of Siena's School of Medicine. [24]

He has a member of the executive board of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMW), [25] and he has been president of the committee for pediatrics of the Pfizer Prize Foundation. [26] He is member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. [27] as well as member of the scientific board of the Novartis Foundation for Medical-Biological Research. [28]

Selected works

Papers

Books

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otospondylomegaepiphyseal dysplasia</span> Medical condition

Otospondylomegaepiphyseal dysplasia (OSMED) is an autosomal recessive disorder of bone growth that results in skeletal abnormalities, severe hearing loss, and distinctive facial features. The name of the condition indicates that it affects hearing (oto-) and the bones of the spine (spondylo-), and enlarges the ends of bones (megaepiphyses).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Achondrogenesis type 1B</span> Medical condition

Achondrogenesis type 1B is a severe autosomal recessive skeletal disorder, invariably fatal in the perinatal period. It is distinguished by its elongated, spherical midsection, small chest, and exceedingly short limbs. The feet can turn inward and upward (clubfeet), and the fingers and toes are little. Babies affected often have a soft out-pouching at the groin or around the belly button.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cartilage–hair hypoplasia</span> Medical condition

Cartilage–hair hypoplasia (CHH) is a rare genetic disorder. Symptoms may include short-limbed dwarfism due to skeletal dysplasia, variable level of immunodeficiency, and predisposition to cancer. It was first reported by Victor McKusick in 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collagen, type II, alpha 1</span>

Collagen, type II, alpha 1 , also known as COL2A1, is a human gene that provides instructions for the production of the pro-alpha1(II) chain of type II collagen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autosomal recessive multiple epiphyseal dysplasia</span> Medical condition

Autosomal recessive multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (ARMED), also called epiphyseal dysplasia, multiple, 4 (EDM4), multiple epiphyseal dysplasia with clubfoot or –with bilayered patellae, is an autosomal recessive congenital disorder affecting cartilage and bone development. The disorder has relatively mild signs and symptoms, including joint pain, scoliosis, and malformations of the hands, feet, and knees.

An osteochondrodysplasia, or skeletal dysplasia, is a disorder of the development of bone and cartilage. Osteochondrodysplasias are rare diseases. About 1 in 5,000 babies are born with some type of skeletal dysplasia. Nonetheless, if taken collectively, genetic skeletal dysplasias or osteochondrodysplasias comprise a recognizable group of genetically determined disorders with generalized skeletal affection. These disorders lead to disproportionate short stature and bone abnormalities, particularly in the arms, legs, and spine. Skeletal dysplasia can result in marked functional limitation and even mortality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Multiple epiphyseal dysplasia</span> Rare genetic disorder

Multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (MED), also known as Fairbank's disease, is a rare genetic disorder that affects the growing ends of bones. Long bones normally elongate by expansion of cartilage in the growth plate near their ends. As it expands outward from the growth plate, the cartilage mineralizes and hardens to become bone (ossification). In MED, this process is defective.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campomelic dysplasia</span> Medical condition

Campomelic dysplasia (CMD) is a genetic disorder characterized by bowing of the long bones and many other skeletal and extraskeletal features. It can be lethal in the neonatal period due to respiratory insufficiency, but the severity of the disease is variable, and a significant proportion of patients survive into adulthood. The name is derived from the Greek roots campo, meaning bent, and melia, meaning limb. An unusual aspect of the disease is that up to two-thirds of affected 46,XY genotypic males display a range of disorders of sexual development (DSD) and genital ambiguities or may even develop as normal phenotypic females as in complete 46 XY sex reversal. An atypical form of the disease with absence of bowed limbs is called, prosaically, acampomelic campomelic dysplasia (ACD) and is found in about 10% of patients, particularly those surviving the neonatal period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yunis–Varon syndrome</span> Medical condition

Yunis–Varon syndrome (YVS), also called cleidocranial dysplasia with micrognathia or absent thumbs and distal aphalangia, is an extremely rare autosomal recessive multisystem congenital disorder which affects the skeletal system, ectodermal tissue, heart and respiratory system. It was first described by Emilio Yunis and Humberto Váron from the National University of Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulfate transporter</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

The sulfate transporter is a solute carrier family protein that in humans is encoded by the SLC26A2 gene. SLC26A2 is also called the diastrophic dysplasia sulfate transporter (DTDST), and was first described by Hästbacka et al. in 1994. A defect in sulfate activation described by Superti-Furga in achondrogenesis type 1B was subsequently also found to be caused by genetic variants in the sulfate transporter gene. This sulfate (SO42−) transporter also accepts chloride, hydroxyl ions (OH), and oxalate as substrates. SLC26A2 is expressed at high levels in developing and mature cartilage, as well as being expressed in lung, placenta, colon, kidney, pancreas and testis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RMRP</span>

RNA component of mitochondrial RNA processing endoribonuclease, also known as RMRP, is a human gene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winchester syndrome</span> Rare hereditary connective tissue disease

Winchester syndrome is a rare hereditary connective tissue disease described in 1969, of which the main characteristics are short stature, marked contractures of joints, opacities in the cornea, coarse facial features, dissolution of the carpal and tarsal bones, and osteoporosis. Winchester syndrome was once considered to be related to a similar condition, multicentric osteolysis, nodulosis, and arthropathy (MONA). However, it was discovered that the two are caused by mutations found in different genes; however they mostly produce the same phenotype or clinical picture. Appearances resemble rheumatoid arthritis. Increased uronic acid is demonstrated in cultured fibroblasts from the skin and to a lesser degree in both parents. Despite initial tests not showing increased mucopolysaccharide excretion, the disease was regarded as a mucopolysaccharidosis. Winchester syndrome is thought to be inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boomerang dysplasia</span> Medical condition

Boomerang dysplasia is a lethal form of osteochondrodysplasia known for a characteristic congenital feature in which bones of the arms and legs are malformed into the shape of a boomerang. Death usually occurs in early infancy due to complications arising from overwhelming systemic bone malformations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parastremmatic dwarfism</span> Medical condition

Parastremmatic dwarfism is a rare bone disease that features severe dwarfism, thoracic kyphosis, a distortion and twisting of the limbs, contractures of the large joints, malformations of the vertebrae and pelvis, and incontinence. The disease was first reported in 1970 by Leonard Langer and associates; they used the term parastremmatic from the Greek parastremma, or distorted limbs, to describe it. On X-rays, the disease is distinguished by a "flocky" or lace-like appearance to the bones. The disease is congenital, which means it is apparent at birth. It is caused by a mutation in the TRPV4 gene, located on chromosome 12 in humans. The disease is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.

Kenny-Caffey syndrome type 2 (KCS2) is an extremely rare autosomal dominant genetic condition characterized by dwarfism, hypermetropia, microphthalmia, and skeletal abnormalities. This subtype of Kenny-Caffey syndrome is caused by a heterozygous mutation in the FAM111A gene (615292) on chromosome 11q12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atelosteogenesis type I</span> Medical condition

Atelosteogenesis type I is a rare autosomal dominant condition. This condition is evident at birth and is associated with a very poor prognosis for the baby. It may be diagnosed antenatally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Family with sequence similarity 111 member a</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

Family with sequence similarity 111 member A is a protein that in humans is encoded by the FAM111A gene.

Cousin syndrome is a genetic condition characterized by short stature at birth, a short neck with low-positioned external ears, as well as congenital malformations of the skeletal system affecting the shoulders, the pelvis, the neck, and the limbs. The condition determines physical disability, particularly affecting deambulation, and hearing loss while intelligence is not affected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schneckenbecken dysplasia</span> Medical condition

Schneckenbecken dysplasia is a rare pre-natally fatal hereditary autosomal recessive condition which affects the bones and pre-natal growth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syndactyly-nystagmus syndrome due to 2q31.1 microduplication</span> Medical condition

Syndactyly-nystagmus syndrome due to 2q31.1 microduplication, also known as 2q31.1 microduplication syndrome, is a rare genetic disorder characterized by syndactyly affecting the third-fourth fingers and bilateral congenital nystagmus.

References

  1. 1 2 "Prof. Andrea Superti Furga, Switzerland | RE-ACT Congress". www.react-congress.org. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  2. Di Rocco, M.; Superti-Furga, A.; Durand, P.; Cerone, R.; Romano, C.; Bachmann, C.; Baumgartner, R. (1984), Addison, G. M.; Chalmers, R. A.; Divry, P.; Harkness, R. A. (eds.), "Different Organic Acid Patterns in Urine and in Cerebrospinal Fluid in a Patient with Biotinidase Deficiency", Organic Acidurias: Proceedings of the 21st Annual Symposium of the SSIEM, Lyon, September 1983 The combined supplements 1 and 2 of Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease Volume 7 (1984), vol. 7, no. Suppl 2, Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, pp. 119–120, doi:10.1007/978-94-009-5612-4_34, ISBN   978-94-009-5612-4, PMID   6434860
  3. Hunziker, U. A.; Superti-Furga, A.; Zachmann, M.; Del Pozo, E.; Shmerling, D.; Prader, A. (August 1988). "Effects of the long-acting somatostatin analogue SMS 201–995 in an infant with intractable diarrhea". Helvetica Paediatrica Acta. 43 (1–2): 103–109. ISSN   0018-022X. PMID   2844705.
  4. Superti-Furga, Andrea; Tenconi, Romano; Clementi, Maurizio; Eich, Georg; Steinmann, Beat; Boltshauser, Eugen; Giedion, Andres (1998). "Schwartz-Jampel syndrome type 2 and Stüve-Wiedemann syndrome: A case for ?Lumping?". American Journal of Medical Genetics. 78 (2): 150–154. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1096-8628(19980630)78:2<150::AID-AJMG10>3.0.CO;2-M. PMID   9674906.
  5. Superti-Furga, A.; Steinmann, B.; Duc, G.; Gitzelmann, R. (May 1991). "Maternal phenylketonuria syndrome in cousins caused by mild, unrecognized phenylketonuria in their mothers homozygous for the phenylalanine hydroxylase Arg-261-Gln mutation". European Journal of Pediatrics. 150 (7): 493–497. doi:10.1007/BF01958431. ISSN   0340-6199. PMID   1915502. S2CID   2686393.
  6. 1 2 Superti-Furga, A.; Gugler, E.; Gitzelmann, R.; Steinmann, B. (5 May 1988). "Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV: a multi-exon deletion in one of the two COL3A1 alleles affecting structure, stability, and processing of type III procollagen". The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 263 (13): 6226–6232. doi: 10.1016/S0021-9258(18)68776-9 . ISSN   0021-9258. PMID   2834369.
  7. Schmitt, B.; Bauersfeld, U.; Fanconi, S.; Wohlrab, G.; Huisman, T. A.; Bandtlow, C.; Baumann, P.; Superti-Furga, A.; Martin, E.; Arbenz, U.; Molinari, L. (August 1997). "The effect of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist dextromethorphan on perioperative brain injury in children undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass: results of a pilot study". Neuropediatrics. 28 (4): 191–197. doi:10.1055/s-2007-973699. ISSN   0174-304X. PMID   9309708. S2CID   260240860.
  8. Lee, B; Vitale, E; Superti-Furga, A; Steinmann, B; Ramirez, F (March 1991). "G to T transversion at position +5 of a splice donor site causes skipping of the preceding exon in the type III procollagen transcripts of a patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV". Journal of Biological Chemistry. 266 (8): 5256–5259. doi: 10.1016/S0021-9258(19)67780-X . PMID   1672129.
  9. "News (view all): IOB". iob.ch. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  10. Superti-Furga, A.; Hästbacka, J.; Wilcox, W. R.; Cohn, D. H.; van der Harten, H. J.; Rossi, A.; Blau, N.; Rimoin, D. L.; Steinmann, B.; Lander, E. S.; Gitzelmann, R. (January 1996). "Achondrogenesis type IB is caused by mutations in the diastrophic dysplasia sulphate transporter gene". Nature Genetics. 12 (1): 100–102. doi:10.1038/ng0196-100. ISSN   1061-4036. PMID   8528239. S2CID   31143438.
  11. Lausch, Ekkehart; Hermanns, Pia; Farin, Henner F.; Alanay, Yasemin; Unger, Sheila; Nikkel, Sarah; Steinwender, Christoph; Scherer, Gerd; Spranger, Jürgen; Zabel, Bernhard; Kispert, Andreas (November 2008). "TBX15 mutations cause craniofacial dysmorphism, hypoplasia of scapula and pelvis, and short stature in Cousin syndrome". American Journal of Human Genetics. 83 (5): 649–655. doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2008.10.011. ISSN   1537-6605. PMC   2668032 . PMID   19068278.
  12. Unger, S.; Górna, M. W.; Le Béchec, A.; Do Vale-Pereira, S.; Bedeschi, M. F.; Geiberger, S.; Grigelioniene, G.; Horemuzova, E.; Lalatta, F.; Lausch, E.; Magnani, C.; Nampoothiri, S.; Nishimura, G.; Petrella, D.; Rojas-Ringeling, F.; Utsunomiya, A.; Zabel, B.; Pradervand, S.; Harshman, K.; Campos-Xavier, B.; Bonafé, L.; Superti-Furga, G.; Stevenson, B.; Superti-Furga, A. (2013). "FAM111A mutations result in hypoparathyroidism and impaired skeletal development". American Journal of Human Genetics. 92 (6): 990–995. doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2013.04.020. PMC   3675238 . PMID   23684011.
  13. Lausch, Ekkehart; Janecke, Andreas; Bros, Matthias; Trojandt, Stefanie; Alanay, Yasemin; De Laet, Corinne; Hübner, Christian A.; Meinecke, Peter; Nishimura, Gen; Matsuo, Mari; Hirano, Yoshiko (January 2011). "Genetic deficiency of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase associated with skeletal dysplasia, cerebral calcifications and autoimmunity". Nature Genetics. 43 (2): 132–137. doi:10.1038/ng.749. ISSN   1546-1718. PMID   21217752. S2CID   205357235.
  14. Simsek Kiper, Pelin O.; Saito, Hiroaki; Gori, Francesca; Unger, Sheila; Hesse, Eric; Yamana, Kei; Kiviranta, Riku; Solban, Nicolas; Liu, Jeff; Brommage, Robert; Boduroglu, Koray (30 June 2016). "Cortical-Bone Fragility — Insights from sFRP4 Deficiency in Pyle's Disease". New England Journal of Medicine. 374 (26): 2553–2562. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1509342. ISSN   0028-4793. PMC   5070790 . PMID   27355534.
  15. Royer-Bertrand B, Castillo-Taucher S, Moreno-Salinas R, Cho TJ, Chae JH, Choi M, Kim OH, Dikoglu E, Campos-Xavier B, Girardi E, Superti-Furga G, Bonafé L, Rivolta C, Unger S, Superti-Furga A (November 2015). "Mutations in the heat-shock protein A9 (HSPA9) gene cause the EVEN-PLUS syndrome of congenital malformations and skeletal dysplasia". Sci Rep. 5: 17154. Bibcode:2015NatSR...517154R. doi:10.1038/srep17154. PMC   4657157 . PMID   26598328.
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