Francesco Nicolini M.D., Ph.D. Date and place of birth: 27/6/1965, Foggia, Italy Education: • Graduated in Medicine cum laude on the July 16th 1991 at the Catholic University of Sacred Heart of Rome, Italy • Residency program in Cardiac Surgery, University of Bologna, Italy: 1991-1997 • Board in Cardiac Surgery, cum laude, University of Bologna, Italy: 1997 • Ph.D. in Cardiac Surgery entitled “Tissue engineering in biological heart prostheses” at the University of Parma, Italy: 2008 Current Appointment: Full Professor in Cardiac Surgery at the University of Parma, Italy Previous Appointments: • 1996: Scientific and surgical fellowship at the Cardio-Thoracic Department of St. Antonius Ziekenhuis, Nieuwegein, (Utrecht), The Netherlands. • 1997-2000: Assistant heart surgeon at Heart Surgery Unit of “Istituto Clinico Humanitas - Rozzano” (MI), Italy. • 1999-2000: Contract professor at the University of Parma Medical School, Italy. • 2000-2002: Contract researcher at the Chair of Heart Surgery of the University of Parma, Italy. • 2002-2006: Staff member surgeon of Cardiac Surgery Unit of the “Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Italy. • 2004-2005: Contract professor at the Cardiac Surgery residency program of the University of Parma, Italy. • From 2006 to 2014: Assistant Professor in Cardiac Surgery, at University of Parma, Italy. • From 2014 to 2020: Associate Professor of Cardiac Surgery, at University of Parma, Italy Membership: • European Society of CardioThoracic Surgery • Italian Society of Cardiac Surgery • Society of Medicine and Natural Sciences of Parma • Referee of the European Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery • Referee of the Journal of Heart Valve Disease Fields of reaserch and clinical activity: • Adult heart surgery • Extracorporeal circulation techniques • Myocardial protection during cardiac surgery