Cal State LA has been selected to host a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence (SIR) from Italy during the 2025–26 academic year. Dario Coletti, an associate professor of cell biology at Sapienza University of Rome, is an expert in skeletal muscle homeostasis, regeneration, and tissue engineering.
This marks Cal State LA’s first time hosting a Fulbright SIR, a milestone that highlights the university’s growing engagement in international collaboration and academic exchange.
While at Cal State LA, Coletti will teach courses in Advanced Exercise Physiology and Exercise Prescription for Pathophysiology, as well as engage students in research opportunities through the School of Kinesiology in the Rongxiang Xu College of Health and Human Services.
“We are honored to welcome Dr. Coletti to Cal State LA as a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence,” said Christine Dy, director of the School of Kinesiology. “His expertise in muscle biology and regenerative medicine will enrich our academic programs, provide unique opportunities for our students, and strengthen our university’s global connections.”
The Fulbright SIR Program brings visiting scholars from abroad to colleges and universities in the United States, offering discipline-specific expertise that benefits students, faculty, staff, and communities. Coletti is one of only 25 Fulbright SIRs who will teach and develop innovative courses in the United States during this academic year.
Stefan Keslacy, professor of kinesiology at Cal State LA, said: “I’m delighted that we were able to secure the Fulbright SIR fellowship for Dario’s visit. We have been collaborating on projects in muscle physiology and aging, and I look forward to his interactions with our students.”
Professor Coletti teaches and conducts research on cell biology, histology, embryology, and regenerative medicine. His research focuses on skeletal muscle homeostasis and exercise, cancer cachexia, and muscular dystrophy. He has a patent on the production of exosomes for combating muscle atrophy. He has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications, serves on multiple editorial boards, and is a member of the Cancer Cachexia Society.
Coletti earned his undergraduate degree in biology with summa cum laude honors in 1995 and a doctoral degree in morphogenetic and cytological sciences in 2000 from Sapienza University of Rome. During his Ph.D. studies, he served as a visiting scholar at Stanford University and later completed three years of postdoctoral research training at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. He returned to Europe to continue his academic career as an associate professor and now holds double affiliations with Sapienza University of Rome in Italy and Sorbonne University in France. He has also been a visiting professor at the University of São Paulo in Brazil several times.
“I am grateful to the Fulbright Program and to Cal State LA for this opportunity,” Coletti said. “I look forward to collaborating with faculty and students, sharing my expertise, and engaging with the community to build academic and cultural exchanges. I also hope to share my enthusiasm for research.”
Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the program, which has operated in more than 160 countries worldwide.
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