The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has presented Professor Maria Luisa Brandi, a leading Italian expert in endocrinology and metabolic diseases, with the 2025 IOF Olof Johnell Science Award. 

The Award was presented on April 12, 2025 on the occasion of the IOF-ESCEO World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis, and Musculoskeletal Diseases in Rome, Italy. Named in memory of renowned investigator Professor Olof Johnell, the Award is presented annually by IOF to recognize distinguished experts who have significantly advanced the field through scientific research or policy implementation at the global level.

IOF President Professor Nicholas Harvey praised Professor Brandi’s contributions, stating:

"Maria Luisa Brandi is a truly deserving recipient of this prestigious award, bestowed in recognition of both her scientific excellence and her achievements in advancing policy, education and awareness within the field. As a leading authority on rare skeletal disorders, her work has shaped the field and improved patient care worldwide. As a longstanding member of the IOF Board and Chair of the Capture the Fracture® Governance, Professor Brandi has played a crucial role in expanding IOF’s global mission. At the national level, as the president of the Fondazione Italiana Ricerca sulle Malattie dell’Osso and the founder of the Observatory on Fragility Fractures (O.F.F.), she has been a key advocate for bone health policies in Italy, leading high-profile initiatives to advance osteoporosis care and fracture prevention. Her tireless leadership and dedication have earned her widespread recognition and have made a lasting impact in her country and beyond."

Professor Brandi expressed her appreciation:  “I am deeply honoured to receive this prestigious IOF award, which underlines the vital connection between medical research and policy advancements. This recognition reaffirms my commitment to patients — because medical knowledge and innovation hold true value only when they translate into improved patient care and healthcare policies that benefit the population at risk and society as a whole.”

About Professor Brandi
Maria Luisa Brandi, M.D. is a Full Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases at the University of Florence, Florence, Italy. She directs the Regional Program on Hereditary Endocrine Tumors and the Bone Metabolic Unit at the University of Florence. The Unit is active both in clinical and in basic research for bone and mineral metabolic disorders. Her basic background is in molecular endocrinology applied to clinical medicine. She developed several novel cell biological models used in basic research worldwide. Her reputation in the area of bone and mineral metabolism is well recognized nationally and internationally. She owns 7 patents and has published over 930 papers in peer-reviewed journals and 300 book chapters. Professor Brandi has been and currently is the main investigator for several major applications granted from national and international agencies and institutions. Her many past and current roles in professional societies include: Past President of the Italian Society of Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases; member of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) Board and the IOF Committee of Scientific Advisors; Chair of the Capture the Fracture® Governance; Executive Director of the OrtoMed Society; General Secretary of the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis & Osteoarthritis; President of the Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sulle Malattie dell’Osso (F.I.R.M.O); and founder of the Observatory on Fragility Fractures (O.F.F.). She is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Fragility Fractures, alongside many other roles within scientific publishing in the musculoskeletal field.

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About the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis & Musculoskeletal Diseases (WCO-IOF-ESCEO)
Held jointly by IOF and ESCEO, the WCO-IOF-ESCEO annual congress is the world’s largest forum for the presentation of clinical research and new advances in the prevention and management of musculoskeletal disorders, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, sarcopenia, and frailty. The WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2025 is being held from April 10-13, 2025 in Rome, Italy. For complete information visit www.wco-iof-esceo.org/    

The next WCO-IOF-ESCO is planned from April 16-19, 2026 in Prague, Czech Republic.  

About IOF
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is the world's largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases. IOF’s network includes membership committees comprised of scientific experts, 340 patient, medical societies and universities in more than 150 countries, as well as over 1100 Fracture Liaison Services in all regions of the world. The IOF network is united in its mission to prioritize bone health and fracture prevention, striving toward a shared vision of a world free from fragility fractures, where healthy mobility is a reality for all. @iofbonehealth
Websites: www.osteoporosis.foundation ; www.capturethefracture.org ; www.worldosteoporosisday.org ; www.buildbetterbones.org