Curriculum Vitae

MD degree, University of Catania, School of Medicine, 1980.
Specialist Endocrinologist University of Catania, School of Medicine, 1983.
Visiting Fellow, Weizmann Inst Science, Rehovot, IL, (1983-1984).
Post-doctoral Fogarty Fellow, NIH, Bethesda USA, 1985-1989 Proinflammatory cytokines and the neuroendocrine system).
Assistant Professor of Catania Sch Med (1989-1991).
Associate Prof of Pharmacology, University of Catania Sch Med (1992-2001).
Lecturer in Neuropsychopharmacology, University of Pisa School of Sciences, 1998-2000.
Full Prof of Pharmacology, Univ Catania Sch Med (2001-present).
Chairman, PhD program in Preclinical and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Catania School of Medicine, 1998-present.
Visiting Professor, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 2001-2002.
Chairman, School of Specialization in Medical Toxicology, Univ Catania Sch Med (2000-2006). Recipient of research grants from: University of Catania, MIUR, CNR, European Union, Regione Siciliana, AIRC, other private research Institutions.

Responsible of Relationships between University of Catania and the State of Israel.

Memberships and affiliations: Associazione Italiana di Immunofarmacologia; Società Italiana di Farmacologia (steering committee 1999-2005); Society for Neurosciences (USA); Società Italiana di Neuroscienze; Endocrine Society (USA).
President, Italian Association for Immunopharmacology, 2005-present.

Member of the Steering Committee of the Consortium for Biological Risk in Agriculture (2001-present) and of the CISNPAN, consortium controlled by MIUR.
Scientific Director, Etna Biotech ltd, Catania (2001-2003).

Member expert of the Italian Secretary of Health in the Research and Development Committee, Italian Drug Agency (AIFA), Ministery of Health, 2005-2010.

Member expert of the Italian Secretary of Healtyh in the Technical Scientific Committee, Italian Drug Agency (AIFA), Ministery of Health, 2010-2012.

Member of the Regional Committee for Oncologic Drugs, regione Sicilia, 2007-2008.

Member, Regional Committee for Hospital Drug Survey (PTORS), Regione Sicilia, 2103-present.

Pharmacologist, the Vittorio Emanuele, Ferrarotto and S. Bambino Hospital, Catania (1999-2009); the San Raffaele Hospital (Cefalù) 2006-present; and ASL 3 Catania (2007-present) Ethical Committees.
President, the Vittorio Emanuele, Ferrarotto and S. Bambino Hospital, Catania Ethical Committee (2007-2009). Member of the EC of the ARNAS Garibaldi, Catania 2009-present; vice president EC AOU Policlinico Vittorio Emanuele Catania 2009-present.

Venue of activities:
Laboratories and offices at the Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Catania (with the contribution of 3 associate professors, 1 assistant professor, 8 PhD students, 3 specialization students, 2 postdoctoral fellows).

Head, Unit of Clinical Toxicology, University Hospital, Catania, 2012-present.

Organizer of various national and international congresses and meetings.

Research fields:
A. Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology:
1. Role of cytokines in models of pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders and related pharmacological strategies;
2. Control of tumor angiogenesis and cell proliferation and related pharmacotherapeutic strategies.
B. Clinical Pharmacology and post-marketing surveillance; Clinical toxicology and pharmacogenetics.