Agostino Molteni, M.D., Ph.D.

Agostino Molteni, M.D., Ph.D., a distinguished physician, scientist, and educator, passed away on September 14, 2025, in Merriam, Kansas, at the age of 91. His death followed a fall, and he was in the hospital at the time of his passing.

Born on November 12, 1933, in Como, Italy, Dr. Molteni embarked on a remarkable career that spanned several decades and continents. He began his medical journey in Italy, where he earned his M.D. from the University of Milano. In 1960, Dr. Molteni traveled to the United States on a Fulbright Scholarship, studying in Chicago. It was during this time that he met Dr. Loredana Brizio, who would later become his wife in 1963, during a beautiful ceremony in Como.

Dr. Molteni and his family permanently relocated to the United States in 1965, marking the beginning of a significant chapter in his professional life. After earning his Ph.D. from SUNY-Buffalo, he took on a faculty position in pathology, demonstrating a commitment to medical education and research. In the mid-1970s, he accepted a role as Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Kansas, where he contributed to the field through both teaching and research.

His career further advanced at Northwestern University in Chicago, where he served as a tenured full professor in the School of Medicine and held the position of Director of the Endocrine Laboratory at Northwestern University Memorial Hospital. Dr. Molteni was known for his scholarly contributions, having published or presented over 400 academic works that primarily focused on pulmonary and cardiovascular responses to trauma. Notably, he was honored with the Albert Lasker Award in American Medicine, reflecting his significant impact on the medical community.

In 1996, Dr. Molteni retired as Professor Emeritus from Northwestern but continued to nurture the next generation of medical professionals as Director of Student Research at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. He remained an active mentor and educator, inspiring hundreds of medical students through his guidance in scientific research and the medical field until his last days.

Dr. Molteni was beloved by his family and friends for his easy-going personality and scholarly demeanor. He was recognized not only for his academic mentorship but also for his kindness and the inspiration he provided to countless students aspiring to excel in medicine and science.

He is survived by his two sons, Claudio and Ronald Molteni, and his daughter-in-law, Patricia Molteni. He also leaves behind his cherished granddaughters: Lena, Laura, Emma, Helen, and Catherine Molteni along with extended family Cesare, Simone and Orsola Brizio in Italy and Luca Benzoni in Chicago. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dr. Loredana Brizio Molteni, who was a valued partner in both life and career.

Dr. Agostino Molteni's legacy will endure through his contributions to medicine, the lives he touched as a mentor, and the loving family he leaves behind. His unwavering dedication to the fields of medicine and science will be remembered and celebrated by all who knew him.