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Julio Cesar Voltarelli 1948-2012

MEMORIAL LECTURE

Julio Cesar Voltarelli 1948-2012

Milton Artur Ruiz

Editor-in-Chief Revista Brasileira de Hematologia e Hemoterapia

Corresponding author Corresponding author: Milton Artur Ruiz Editor-in-Chief Revista B rasileira de Hematologia e Hemoterapia Rua Catarina Nucci Parise, 760 15090-470 São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil Phone: 55 17 3226 7091 milruiz@yahoo.com.br

Graduated from the Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (FMRP-USP) (1967-1972), resident in internal medicine and hematology of Hospital das Clínicas da FMRP-USP (1973-74), M.Sc. (1975-1978) and Ph.D. (1978-1981) degrees in internal medicine (hematology and clinical immunology) from FMRP-USP. Post-doctorate at the University of California, San Francisco, USA (1985-86), the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, USA (1987-88) and Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, USA (1999-2000). Julio Cesar Voltarelli was appointed full professor of the Internal Medicine Department at USP-FMRP, and coordinator of both the Immunogenetics Laboratory (HLA) and the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of Hospital das Clínicas da USP-FMRP. Researcher in the Centro de Terapia Celular (CEPID-FAPESP) and the Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Células Tronco e Terapia Celular of the Conselho Nacionalde DesenvolvimentoCientíficoeTecnológico (INCTC -CNPq)locatedinthe CentroRegional de Hemoterapia of HC-FMRP-USP. Expert in clinical immunology, hematology and transfusion medicine, in particular in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for autoimmune diseases, and benign and malignant hematologic diseases and diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic diseases.

The numbers presented as his scientific production (Table 1) do not reflect the magnitude of Júlio's work in hematology, bone marrow transplantation, and hematology over all these years. More recently he has been working in the area of regenerative cell therapy. Active, irreverent, controversial, without trying to evade, he always stated his opinion. He maintained the motto to do much with little and constantly wanted to do something big. I always remember this forcefulness in private conversations and in the first meetings in Ribeirão Preto which helped him to decide to work with the treatment of chronic autoimmune diseases using hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, a little explored field with controversial results.

This occurred after 2000 with the start of his publications on rheumatic diseases(1); later the greatest focus of his research was type 1 diabetes mellitus(2) but he continued to treat other less well known chronic diseases with transplantation(3).

Júlio published 19 articles on type 1 diabetes mellitus in national and international journals and has always been a collaborator of the Revista Brasileira de Hematologia e Hemoterapia, of which he was a member of its editorial board and contributed with 14 articles.

He was the editor of a book about hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Brazil which took him a long time to complete and was the subject of much criticism. He participated in the creation of the Sociedade Brasileira de Transplante de Medula Óssea (SBTMO) and was on several boards of directors, he fought for the implantation of a national transplant register and for the examination in the Associação Brasileira de Hematologia, Hemoterapia e Terapia Celular that certifies physicians in the field of transplantation. Additionally, Júlio was one of the promoters of the consensus on bone marrow transplantation in the country. He participated in debates of national councils to authorize research on embryonic stem cells and was forced to participate in discussions involving a whirlwind of opinions on the theme. He presented his results on diabetes abroad and was often obliged to rebut opinions that were contrary to his work.

Recently elected President of SBTMO for 2012, unfortunately Júlio will not be able to take advantage of what he produced; he leaves a priceless scientific legacy and a legion of friends who, on feeling his loss in future congresses, will discuss his long and enjoyable stories and adventures.

Submitted: 4/11/2012

Accepted: 4/12/2012

Conflict-of-interest disclosure: The authors declare no competing financial interest

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  • 1. Voltarelli JC. Transplante de células tronco hematopoéticas para doenças auto-imunes no Brasil. Rev Bras Hematol Hemoter. 2002;24(1):9-13.
  • 2. Voltarelli JC. Transplante de células tronco hematopoéticas no diabete melito do tipo I. Rev Bras Hematol Hemoter. 2002;26(1):43-5.
  • 3. Voltarelli JC. Perspectivas da terapia celular na esclerose lateral amiotrófica. Rev Bras Hematol Hemoter. 2004;26(3):155-6.
  • Corresponding author:

    Milton Artur Ruiz
    Editor-in-Chief Revista B rasileira de Hematologia e Hemoterapia
    Rua Catarina Nucci Parise, 760
    15090-470 São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
    Phone: 55 17 3226 7091
  • Publication Dates

    • Publication in this collection
      08 Aug 2012
    • Date of issue
      2012
    Associação Brasileira de Hematologia e Hemoterapia e Terapia Celular R. Dr. Diogo de Faria, 775 cj 114, 04037-002 São Paulo/SP/Brasil, Tel. (55 11) 2369-7767/2338-6764 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
    E-mail: secretaria@rbhh.org