Giorgio Parmiani 1938-2021

The Association for Cancer Immunotherapy remembers the life and pioneering work of Giorgio Parmiani, MD, who was internationally recognized in the field of tumor immunology and immunotherapy. He was among the first to describe the immune response against differentiation antigens in melanoma patients and to molecularly characterize them. He spent his early career at Milan’s National Cancer Institute, where he was appointed Head of the Experimental and Clinical Research Unit, Director of Cancer Immunotherapy and subsequently Director of the Department of Innovative Therapies. In 2007 he moved to Milan’s San Raffaele Hospital, where for ten years he was Director of the Immuno-Biotherapy Unit of the Molecular Oncology Division. He was a scholar and a mentor, with great passion for politics, sport and for his many professional commitments. Among the many scientific and social activities, he founded the Italian Network of Biotherapy (NIBIT). He served as its first President and initiated the process towards the formation of a European network for cancer immunotherapy which was founded as ENCI in 2018. He was a charismatic figure in immunology and a medical personality who will be greatly missed by the European cancer immunotherapy community.