The scleroderma community is mourning the loss of Dr. Giuseppina Alessandra Farina, who passed away last week while in Italy with her family.
Dr. Farina obtained her MD in 1990 from La Sapienza University in Rome and specialized in Pulmonary Medicine. She subsequently obtained a PhD in 1999 from Ancona University. In 2001, she was recruited as faculty to the Department of Medicine at Boston University and was a member of the Arthritis & Autoimmune Diseases Research Center led by the late Dr. Joseph Korn. She continued her research on scleroderma under the leadership of Dr. Maria Trojanowska. As a pulmonologist, Dr. Farina was inspired by her patients to conduct research on scleroderma and was passionate about identifying the cause of the disease. Her energy, enthusiasm, and passion for improving the lives of people with scleroderma endeared her to the scleroderma community throughout her career.
“Finding a cure for Scleroderma was Alessandra’s life’s work, and it is a tragedy that she will not see her contributions lead to its fruition,” said Dr. Trojanowska of her colleague’s passing.
The National Scleroderma Foundation is grateful and humbled by Dr. Farina’s years of partnership and our condolences go out to her family.
In lieu of flowers, her family wishes that memorial contributions be sent to the National Scleroderma Foundation, 300 Rosewood Drive, Suite 105, Danvers, MA 01923 or www.scleroderma.org.