After graduating in medicine from the University of Florence, I did my residency at the Ospedale del Cuore (at that time, 2004, named Ospedale Pediatrico Apuano), first in the Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery ( Head Dr. Bruno Murzi) and then in the Department of Adult Cardiac Surgery (Head Dr. Mattia Glauber). I had the opportunity to be exposed to all types of surgery; predominantly minimally invasive surgery. During the last year of my residency I did a fellowship at the Artificial Organs Lab of the University of Baltimore (Maryland, USA) where I perfected both the knowledge and application of the basic disciplines (cell cultures, isolation of mesenchymal cells and their characterization with PCR, Western Blotting and Flow Cytometry) and the surgical techniques of implantation of mechanical assist devices to the circulation (MCS - Impella and Jarvik) in the experimental infarct model. From this experience, I have discussed a thesis of Specialization in Cardiac Surgery (2009) just on the role of mesenchymal cells in post-infarct remodeling and synergy with MCS.
Back in Italy, I started my working career (2010) as a cardiac surgeon at the Ospedale del Cuore in the Department of Adult Cardiac Surgery, under the direction of Dr. Mattia Glauber. At the same time I started the PhD path at the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa (tutor prof. Vincenzo Lionetti); there I developed an experimental project on gene therapy of ascending aorta aneurysms in a mouse model, thesis discussed in December 2013. I continued throughout that period my activity as a cardiac surgeon, with particular focus on minimally invasive valvular and coronary surgery. I am currently employed on a permanent basis at the same operating unit, since April 2014, under the direction of Dr. Marco Solinas. In these years I have further dedicated myself to minimally invasive surgery and since July 2015, together with Dr. Solinas, we have developed our framework of endoscopic valve surgery, both mitro-tricuspidal and aortic.
To date, the endoscopic approach is of choice in my valvular cases.
In 2017, I obtained the ECMO Diploma at La Pitié Salpetriére Hospital (Paris); I also developed the multidisciplinary program of treatment of advanced decompensation (fate therapy), which led to the implantation of the first fullyMagLev centrifugal LVAD in 2020 at our Center. In 2019, I published a book dedicated to the tricuspid valve, including its framing and treatment , from medical therapy , to surgery and interventional techniques.