Dr. Marina Vivarelli is a renowned pediatric nephrologist with extensive expertise in immune-mediated renal diseases. Initially trained as a pediatrician, she developed a strong focus on pediatric immunology, working in the labs of leading experts like Fabrizio De Benedetti in Pavia and Raif Geha at Children's Hospital Boston. Since 2006, Dr. Vivarelli has been part of the Division of Nephrology at Bambino Gesù, where she has conducted groundbreaking basic and translational research on pediatric immune-mediated renal diseases.
Dr. Vivarelli has pioneered numerous clinical studies exploring the pathogenesis and clinical features of these diseases, including the use of eculizumab in treating a patient with dense-deposit disease, as documented in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Her involvement in clinical trials has advanced the understanding of innovative therapies for nephrotic syndrome, including the AIFA-sponsored NEMO study on Rituximab, in collaboration with Giuseppe Remuzzi, and the OFA2 study on Ofatumumab with Gianmarco Ghiggeri.
In collaboration with Franco Locatelli, Dr. Vivarelli has also explored the potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in kidney diseases since 2015. This research led to two publications and the financing of a clinical trial sponsored by the Italian Drug Agency on MSC use in nephrotic syndrome.
Most recently, Dr. Vivarelli, alongside Gianmarco Ghiggeri, obtained Italian Ministry of Research funding in 2016 for the Rixathon study in nephrotic syndrome. Her lab continues to investigate the role of B cells and IgM in steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome.
Dr. Vivarelli has played a pivotal role in shaping clinical guidelines for conditions such as atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, congenital nephrotic syndrome, and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. She has contributed to KDIGO guidelines on complement-mediated renal diseases and glomerular diseases.
As a respected reviewer for numerous scientific journals, Dr. Vivarelli serves on the Editorial Board of Pediatric Nephrology and Kidney International. She is an active member of the European Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ESPN), where she serves on the Council and chairs the Scientific Committee for ESPN 2020. Within ERKNet, Dr. Vivarelli co-chairs the expert group on immune-mediated glomerulopathies and has contributed to multiple Orphanet disease descriptions and the reclassification of glomerulopathies.
