E-raamat: Hot topics in Cardio-Oncology

Dr Valentina Mercurio got her MD in 2010, her Board in Internal Medicine in 2016 and her PhD in 2019 at Federico II University, Naples, Italy. She is currently Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy, since 2019, where she coordinates the Echocardiographic Laboratory of the Cardio-Oncology Unit and of the Heart Failure outpatient unit mostly dedicated to post ischemic heart failure, right ventricular dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension, and in particular to the follow-up of oncologic patient before, during and after undergoing antineoplastic therapies. Her previous studies and ongoing collaborations with Prof. Paul Hassoun and Prof. Monica Mukherjee at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; USA are mostly focused on pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular dysfunction, and she has established herself as a Pulmonary Hypertension basic and clinical investigator in Naples. Since 2019, Dr Mercurio is Fellow of the Italian Society of Cardiology and nucleus member of the working group on drug-induced cardiotoxicity and cardio-protection, and a member of the ESC Council of Cardio-Oncology, member of the Heart Failure Association, and of the WG Myocardial Function and of the WG on Pulmonary Circulation & Right Ventricular Function of the ESC, and of the PVRI (Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute).



Prof Pasquale Pagliaro, M.D., Ph.D was born in Rossano, Italy, in 1961. He is a full professor of Physiology at University of Turin (Italy) Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences. He is also member of the National Institute for Cardiovascular Researches (Bologna, Italy).



Degrees awarded: MD, University of Turin (Italy), Thesis topic: Coronary Pathophysiology, 1988. PhD, University of Turin (Italy), Thesis topic: Endothelial Physiology, 1994. Research Fellowship in Medicine-Cardiovascular at the Johns Hopkins University Baltimore (USA); Research topic: Coronary and Endothelial Physiology, 1997-99. Research experience/other activities: Prof Pagliaro is PI in a lab studying coronary physiology and pathophysiology, and cardioprotection. His recent research concerns endothelial factors and other endogenous substances in triggering protective signaling pathways. Prof Pagliaros lab also focusses on redox-signaling and mitochondrial function.



Prof Pagliaro served as an Ordinary member of Italian Society of Physiology, The Physiological Society (London), Italian Society of Cardiology, European Society of Cardiology, Italian Society of Cardiovascular Research (SIRC). He served as Vice-coordinator of the nucleus and as member of the working group on drug-induced cardiotoxicity and cardio-protection of the Italian Society of Cardiology. Prof Pagliaro is Past-President of SIRC and the Coordinator of the PhD in Experimental Medicine and Therapy of the University of Turin.



Prof Claudia Penna, BSc.D., Ph.D was born in Asti, Italy, in 1967. She is an associate professor of Physiology at University of Turin (Italy) Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences. She is also member of the National Institute for Cardiovascular Research (Bologna, Italy).



Degrees awarded: BSc, University of Turin (Italy), Thesis topic: Effect of venom in the isolated heart, 1991. Specialist of Clinical Pathology, University of Turin (Italy), thesis topic: Modulation of cardiac current by Nitric Oxide, 1995, PhD, University of Turin (Italy), thesis topic: Hyperaemic response and Ischemic Preconditioning, 2000.



Research experience/other activities: cardioprotection and cardiotoxicity.



She is member of Italian Society of Physiology, the Italian Society of Cardiology and European Society of Cardiology. She served as Vice-coordinator of the nucleus and as member of the working group on drug-induced cardiotoxicity and cardio-protection of the Italian Society of Cardiology.



Prof. Carlo Gabriele Tocchetti got his MD in 1997, his Board in Cardiology in 2001 and his PhD in 2007 at Federico II University, Naples, Italy, and is currently Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Cardio-Oncology Unit in the Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy since 2014. He coordinates the Heart Failure outpatient unit mostly dedicated to post ischemic HF, RV dysfunction and Pulmonary Hypertension, and the follow-up of oncologic patient before, during and after undergoing antineoplastic protocols, and has established himself as a HF basic and clinical investigator. Prof. Tocchetti is Fellow of the Heart Failure Association (HFA), 2020-2022 Chair of the Study Group on Cardio-Oncology of the HFA, of the HFA Translational Research Committee, and of the WG on Myocardial Function of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), and 2020-2022 Board Member of the ESC Council on Basic Cardiovascular Science (CBCS) and Council of Cardio-Oncology (CCO). His previous studies and ongoing collaborations with Drs Kass and Paolocci at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA, have helped dissecting the cardiac contractile effects of HNO and the development of a novel HNO donor for treating human heart failure currently used in clinical trials. Hence, the main goal of his lab is to explore pathophysiologic mechanisms and therapeutic targets in cardiac dysfunction, with a particular interest on post-ischemic HF, genetic and inflammatory cardiomyopathies, Pulmonary Hypertension and RV dysfunction, and HF due to antineoplastic therapies, including novel anticancer immunotherapies and biologic drugs employed in inflammatory diseases.