Giovanni Faglia, who died on January 14th, aged 81, graduated in Medicine in 1955 and devoted all his life to Endocrinology as a scientist, teacher and clinician. He worked at the University of Milan, where he founded the Institute of Endocrine Sciences and the School of Specialization in Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases. He actively recruited and nurtured talented students who collaborated with him. Many of them went on to make important contributions to the pathophysiology of pituitary adenomas and advanced our understanding. They thought of themselves as having been trained at “Faglia’s School of Endocrinology” Faglia’s School of Endocrinology was an example of an excellent integration between clinical and basic research, as well as of worthwhile collaborations between national and international institutions. Some of his scientific results form part of our current scientific knowledge and daily clinical practice.

His personal research was always carefully carried out and ceaselessly updated. He was the author of more than 200 peer-reviewed original papers. Giovanni Faglia, along with Aldo Pinchera, founded the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation in 1978 and was Editor-in-Chief of the Journal from 1997 to 2001. He was President of many Societies, including the Italian Society of Endocrinology, the Pituitary Society and the European NeuroEndocrinology Association (ENEA). Indeed, he was one of the founders of the ENEA. In 1988, he was the Clinical THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE Endocrinology Trust Visiting Professor at several UK Universities and was awarded the Medal of the Royal Society of Medicine. In 2001 he received the prestigious Geoffrey Harris Prize for Neuroendocrinology. In 2005 he was appointed Emeritus Professor of the University of Milan.

He was a mentor for generations of medical students and was an ideal role model for patient-oriented researchers. He was exceptionally supportive of his junior collaborators and enjoyed challenging them to solve endocrinological problems. At meetings, his questions were always curious, rational and very intelligent. His scientific range was broad, but his interest extended even further to general literature, philosophy and renaissance thought. He was always stimulating company and seemed to know something interesting about—and held a strong opinion on—almost any subject.

His personality, wisdom and style will be remembered by all who knew him. We have lost a great endocrinologist, a trustworthy leader and a dear friend who impacted those who worked closely with him, and also those who interacted with him at a distance.

Paolo Beck-Peccoz and Anna Spada, on behalf of Giovanni Faglia’s pupils.