Sammy Basso turned his own diagnosis of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria into a scientific pursuit, earning two university degrees, co-authoring gene-therapy research, and helping advance the first FDA-approved treatment for the rapid-aging condition before his death in October 2024 at age 28.
Degrees Earned at the University of Padua
Basso studied the condition from the inside, pursuing formal academic training in biological and natural sciences. In 2018, he graduated in Natural Sciences from the University of Padua. He followed that achievement by obtaining a master’s degree in Molecular Biology in 2021 from the same institution. Alongside his studies, he directly participated in research initiatives aimed at understanding the cellular mechanisms of progeria and contributing to potential treatments.
The Genetic Mutation and the Progerina Protein
Hutchinson-Gilford progeria arises from a mutation in the LMNA gene, which generates progerina, a defective protein that destabilizes the cell nucleus and drives premature aging, the Progeria Research Foundation explains. Without medical intervention, children diagnosed with the condition typically die from heart failure at an average age of roughly 14 and a half years, according to the foundation.
🚨Sammy Basso: el científico que dedicó su vida a investigar la enfermedad que él mismo padecíaA pesar de vivir con progeria, una enfermedad genética que provoca envejecimiento acelerado, Sammy Basso convirtió su pasión por la ciencia en una carrera dedicada a la investigación.… pic.twitter.com/fZnMSwgnd5
Gene Editing Trials in Mice with Carlos López-Otín
Scientific efforts to halt the disease led Basso to collaborate on experimental gene therapies. In 2019, Basso co-authored a study published in Nature Medicine with the research group of Carlos López-Otín, investigating a CRISPR/Cas9-based therapy tested on mice. The gene-editing technique stopped cells from manufacturing the toxic protein, allowing treated mice to live 26.4% longer. The researchers cautioned that the approach did not correct every cell and stressed that substantial further research remains necessary before human trials can proceed safely.
FDA Approval of Lonafarnib and Clinical Trials
Therapeutic options for patients expanded when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved lonafarnib in 2020 as the first and only treatment for progeria. When taken over the long term, the medication extends life by an average of about four and a half years, according to the Progeria Research Foundation. Basso participated in its clinical trials.
Foundation Advocacy and Posthumous Publications
Beyond his laboratory work, Basso founded the Italian Progeria Association to raise funds and drive biomedical research forward, the CNIC notes. His scientific contributions and personal history continue to draw academic and literary attention. Carlos López-Otín dedicated a book to his life titled La eternidad y un día más, published by Paidós on October 14, 2026. Additionally, an editorial published in Aging Cell in December 2024 documented his investigative work regarding CRISPR therapy and interleukin 6 in progeria research.
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