I obtained my Master's Degree in "Medical Sciences" from the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, and afterward, I became a Cardiology specialist at Pisa University Hospital. I undertook specific training in cardiovascular imaging, achieving multiple international certifications. I completed my Ph.D. degree in "Clinical and Translational Science" at Pisa University, where I applied several imaging techniques in the field of heart failure. My main interest and contribution to the literature lie in cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology, combining research with intensive clinical activity. In particular, I am focusing on novel measures of cardiovascular damage to refine the stratification of patients who present different cardiovascular risk factors.

35 years in cardiovascular surgery. Since 1990 full professor of cardiovascular surgery and since 1994 full professor and chairman of the department for cardiovascular surgery at the University Hospital Marburg/Germany. 2 research sabbaticals at the Heinemann Research Institute, Carolinas Heart Center, Charlotte NC in 1989 and 1990, electrophysiology and arrhythmia laser surgery Member of the DGTHG (German Society for Thorax, Heart and Vascular Surgery) DIVI ( German Society for Interdisciplinary Intensive Care Medicine), STS, AHA, AAAS

Currently am an apprenticeship in the NHS doing an executive MBA in leadership and management at Hult Ashridge international business school. A senior cardiac nurse with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & health care industry. Skilled in advance physical assessment, independent prescribing,Clinical Research, Patient Safety, Acute cardiovascular Care, Nursing, and heart failure, Auditing and data collection. Professional graduated from City university, Kings College London and Glasgow Caledonian University. I currently work a a heart failure specialist nurse.

Youyang Zhao, Ph.D., is William G. Swartchild, Jr. Distinguished Research Professor and Director of the Program for Lung and Vascular Biology, and Head of the Injury Repair and Regeneration Research at the Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. He is a Professor of Pediatrics, Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine), and Pharmacology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and a member of the Feinberg Cardiovascular Research Institute. Dr. Zhao joined Lurie Children’s in July 2017 from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he started as an Assistant Professor in 2003 and became a Full Professor of Pharmacology in 2015. Prior to his tenure at UIC, he had 3-year experience in drug discovery at Pharmacia/Pfizer Co. as a senior research scientist. He received his B.S. from Fudan University, Shanghai; and a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry, the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Dr. Zhao completed his postdoctoral training in molecular biology and cardiovascular biology at Harvard University; Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and The University of California, San Diego.