In addition to his clinical activities, extensive teaching and mentoring, Dr De Ferrari has two main research interests. The first is in neuromodulation for cardiac diseases, where he pioneered the use of vagal stimulation in patients with heart failure, including performing the first-in-man study and co-chairing subsequent clinical studies. Dr De Ferrari is also one of the leading experts in cardiac sympathetic denervation for refractory ventricular arrhythmias.

His second main research interest is in acute coronary syndromes, including non-obstructive coronary artery disease, risk stratification after myocardial infarction, and secondary prevention with antiplatelet and lipid-lowering agents. Dr De Ferrari has been a steering committee member of several multicentre trials, including PROVE-IT, DIONYSOS, SEPIA-ACS, ALPHA, CARDIOFIT, NECTAR-HF, IMPROVE-IT, RAFFAELLO, TRA 2P-TIMI 50 and FOURIER.