Speakers

Ahmed Mohamed F Emhemed Alaruusi

Physician at the Emergency Department for Public Health NCDC Lybia – Libya

Graduated in 2015 from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Tripoli. Since then, its goal has been to provide the best quality healthcare to its patients and to find the best way to provide those services to people in need. The real opportunity to make a difference came in May 2020, when he was called on a humanitarian aid mission by the NCDC to the Celio Military Hospital in Rome.

During this 3-month expedition, he was part of a team of 6 doctors on a rescue mission to Italy, which had been heavily affected by Covid-19. Since then, he has been involved in training and raising awareness among medical and paramedical personnel about the pandemic, how to prevent its spread and, more recently, in the DRCEE’s vaccine campaign in collaboration with UNICEF.

Abdulmenem Alkmashe

Director NCDC Libya Technical Cooperation Office

Mohammad Al-Ma’ayteh

Director of Laboratory Directorate at JCDC Jordanian Center for Disease Control – Giordania

Mohammad Almaayteh is a clinical pathologist and microbiologist. As a pathologist certified by the Jordanian Medical Council in 2012, after graduating from medical school at Tishreen University in Syria in 2003 and joining the Jordanian Royal Medical Services in 2004, he worked as head of the microbiology department at the Jordanian Royal Medical Services for 8 years.

He has been enrolled in several training courses in the fields of clinical microbiology, conventional, automated and molecular detection methods, laboratory management and networking, as well as biosafety, biosecurity and good laboratory practice at different laboratory levels.

He served as a member of the central Infection Control Committee and, in addition to his role in the development of the antimicrobial stewardship programme at RMS, was the focal point for several local and regional entities at RMS.

He has participated in various local and global activities concerning laboratory science and has published and conducted research in this field. Recently, he was appointed to design, establish and manage the Jordanian CDC laboratory.

Mira Samer Al-Amer

Health Project Manager at Preparedness and Response to Emergencies and Threats Directorate JCDC Jordanian Center for Disease Control – Giordania

Mira Samer Al-Amer is the Health Project Manager for the Emergency Preparedness and Threat Response Directorate at the Jordan Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (JCDC). With a background in pharmacy and a master’s degree in public health, Mira has extensive experience in healthcare.

Mira’s expertise in health technology assessment (HTA) has been recognised through its publication on the subject and how it can be used to achieve universal health coverage (UHC). She is a strong advocate of evidence-based decision-making and has contributed to numerous HTA-related initiatives and projects in Jordan.

Prior to her current role, Mira worked as a capacity building officer with the Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP) in Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt, at the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET). Through this role, he gained valuable experience in building and strengthening public health systems and developing the capacity and skills of public health professionals in the region.

Mira is a dedicated professional committed to advancing public health in Jordan and beyond.

Orlando Armignacco

Medical Director Hospital “Our Lady of Good Counsel” Tirana – Albania

He specialised in Infectious Diseases in 1979 at the University of Naples. He was Director U.O.C. of Infectious Diseases AUSL Viterbo from 2001 to 31 December 2018. Adjunct Professor of Infectious Diseases at the Catholic University of Rome, Tor Vergata University Rome, teaches at ‘La Sapienza’ University Rome since 2012.

His assignments include:

President of the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (SIMIT) in 2012-13; currently SIMIT Pro-Board since 2017;
Member of the Working Group on Hepatitis B and C Viruses of the Ministry of Health for the ‘National Plan for the Prevention of Viral Hepatitis B and C Viruses (PNEV), 2012-15; Member of the Working Group on Therapy of HCV Infection of the Lazio Region 2016 – 2018;
Contributor since 2010 to the annual drafting of the Italian Guidelines for HIV disease; Consultant infectivologist since 2020 for Azienda Sanitaria Roma 1 for the study and analysis of medical liability claims.
Author of numerous scientific publications, many of them in IF journals, book chapters on infectious diseases, entries for medical encyclopaedias

Matteo Bassetti

President SITA Italian Society of Anti-Infective Therapy

His assignments include:

President of the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (SIMIT) in 2012-13; currently SIMIT Pro-Board since 2017;
Member of the Working Group on Virus B and C Hepatitis of the Ministry of Health for the ‘National Plan for the Prevention of Virus B and C Hepatitis (PNEV), 2012-15;
Member of the Lazio Region HCV Infection Therapy Working Group 2016 – 2018;
Contributor since 2010 to the annual drafting of the Italian Guidelines for HIV disease;
Consultant infectivologist since 2020 for Azienda Sanitaria Roma 1 for the study and analysis of medical liability claims. Author of numerous scientific publications, many of them in IF journals, book chapters on infectious diseases, entries for medical encyclopaedias

Antonio Biondi

Professor of General Surgery University of Catania.

President of the Degree Course in Nursing.PhD in Pre- and Post-operative Pathophysiology in Elective and Emergency Surgery. Former member of the CUN, National University Council.

Leila Bouabid

Direttore del monitoraggio ambientale, della formazione e della comunicazione presso l’Osservatorio nazionale delle malattie nuove ed emergenti – Ministero della Salute Tunisia

Dr Leila Bouabid,

Doctor of Medicine, FETP Graduate, Director of Environmental Watch, Training and Communication at the National Observatory of New and Emerging Diseases, Ministry of Health Tunisia.
Former deputy director of international surveillance, former deputy director of health promotion of the public health structures of Tunis, former head of the school and university health service of Tunis.

– Master in Emergency Medicine,
– CEC STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY and EPIDEMIOLOGY AND RESEARCH
– Life Skills Development Trainer Diploma

Bruno Cacopardo

Director U.O.C. Infectious Diseases – Full Professor of Infectious Diseases University of Catania

After graduating in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Catania in 1984, he worked as an internal doctor with care and treatment duties at the Institute of Infectious Diseases, directed by Prof. A. Nunnari, from ’85 to ’88 and as a researcher from ’88 to 2001. In 1988, he specialised in Tisiology and Diseases of the Respiratory System at the University of Catania School of Specialisation. In 1992, he obtained a diploma in Tropical Medicine & Hygiene from the Royal College of Physicians in London. In 1994, he was awarded the diplomas ‘For Control of Diarrhoeal Diseases’ and ‘For Expanded Programme of Immunisation’ at the World Health Organisation in Geneva.

In 1995, he was awarded the higher qualification for welfare purposes by resolution of the Academic Senate. Nel 1996 consegue l’Advanced Diploma in “Traveller’s health” e in “Medical Practice in Countries with poor resources” presso lo Swiss Tropical Institute. From 2001 to date, he has held various positions at the Institute of Infectious Diseases of the University of Catania: he has been Associate Professor since 2001 and First-Band Professor from 2016 to date; he was Director of the aforementioned School of Specialisation from 2007 to 2011 and Coordinator of the Aggregate School of Specialisation (Head of Palermo) from 2011 to date. In 2000-2001, he was an Advisor to the World Health Organisation Joint Steering Committee on HIV-Leishmania co-infection.

From 2007 to 2010 he was President of the Sicilian section of the Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, of which he is still a member of the National Executive Council. In 2010, he is a member of both the GISIG expert panel for the elaboration of Italian guidelines on the therapy of Gram-positive infections and for antibiotic stewardship (Sicily), and the AISF-SIMIT-SIMAST expert panel for the elaboration of national guidelines on the therapy of chronic hepatitis HCV. He was appointed external expert for the technical table on the management of antiviral therapy for hepatitis C by the Sicily Region Health Councillor. From 2014 to date, he is the Operational Director of the Infectious Diseases Unit P.O. Garibaldi Nesima.

Antonio Cascio

Full Professor of Infectious Diseases, Director of the UOC of Infectious Diseases and Regional AIDS Reference Centre – AOU Policlinico “P. Giaccone” University of Palermo

Director of the School of Specialisation in Infectious Diseases, University of Palermo
The scientific activity is documented by more than 300 publications on topics of Epidemiology, Clinical and Therapy of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases indexed in Scopus. Scopus H index 42 and more than 6500 citations.

Antonio Craxì

Full Professor of Gastroenterology / former Director, Complex Operative Unit of Gastroenterology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico ‘Paolo Giaccone’, Palermo

Born in Messina, he graduated in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Palermo in 1975. He specialised in Gastroenterology at the University of Rome in 1979, and was a research fellow at the Royal Free Hospital in London in 1980-81 under the direction of Dame Sheila Sherlock. He is currently retired, having been Full Professor of Gastroenterology MED 12, until 31.10.2022, and Director of the Complex Operative Unit of Gastroenterology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico ‘paolo Giaccone’, Palermo, until 31.10.2022

He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Italian (AISF) and European (EASL) Association for the Study of Liver Diseases; member of the Public Policy Health Committee of EASL; President of the SIGE Italian Society of Gastroenterology. He coordinated the drafting of guidelines on hepatitis C, hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma for AISF and EASL. In 2016 he received the EASL Career Award and in 2018 the AISF Career Award, the PHC Award and the Sheila Sherlock’s Award. He served on the editorial board of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Journal of Hepatology, Gut and Liver International.

He has published 552 papers to date in international journals. The Complex Operative Unit of Gastroenterology and Hepatology of the Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico, which he heads, is recognised as a regional tertiary specialist centre. The Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit houses the School of Specialisation in Diseases of the Digestive System, which coordinates a training network of 15 units of gastroenterology, endoscopy and internal medicine, located in seven health authorities in the Region of Sicily. The specialisation school, the only one of its kind in Sicily and capable of training 15 gastroenterologists each year, constitutes the largest ideal centre for gastroenterological training in all of central-southern Italy.

Frederico da Silva

Managing Director of Gilead Sciences Italy.

Da Silva, from Portugal, has a 20-year career in the pharmaceutical industry with a long experience at Gilead where he held positions of increasing responsibility.

Since 2011, he has been Business Unit Director of the HIV therapeutic area in Portugal, where he has also been in charge of the hepatitis area since 2013. Due to his brilliant achievements, he took over as head of the hepatitis area in Spain in 2014, also successfully coordinating European projects in the area of infectious diseases.

Since 2019, prior to his new position in Italy, da Silva served as General Manager of the Middle East region, an area composed of 12 countries of strategic importance in the global pharmaceutical market.

With a degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Coimbra in Portugal, da Silva later completed a Master’s degree in Marketing Management at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon.

Fabrizio De Nicola

General Director ARNAS Garibaldi of Catania

He graduated in Law, with top marks, from the University of Palermo. He is a tenured manager, on leave, at the Istituto Regionale per il Credito alla Cooperazione in Palermo. He currently holds the position of General Director of the A.R.N.A.S. ‘Garibaldi’ of Catania, a role he has also held at the A.S.P. of Trapani and the Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria ‘P. Giaccone’ of Palermo.

He is a lecturer in several Management Training Courses for Healthcare, Administrative and Complex Structure Directors of healthcare companies. He was an officer in the Guardia di Finanza, where he lectured on legal subjects.

Haider Muftah Salem El Saeh

Director General National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) – Tripoli (Libya)

He graduated in medicine and surgery from the University of Tripoli in 2012 and started his career as a teaching assistant. He then obtained a master’s degree in ‘Field Epidemiology’ from Alexandria University, followed by a PhD in ‘Community Medicine’ from Tripoli University. He has been working for 7 years as a monitoring and evaluation consultant for several international NGOs and UN programmes in the health sector.

Dr. Haidar is considered one of the first health professional influencers, conducting a live public information programme with the aim of raising awareness about the COVID-19 pandemic. Given his young age, Dr. Haider was the youngest member of the highest scientific advisory board. He was recently appointed Director General of the NCDC National Centre for Disease Control in Libya.

Sally Mohamed Ismaiel

Director Department of Prevention and Infection Control – Ministry of Health and Population – Egypt

Sally Mohy El-Din is an Egyptian IPC consultant and director of the General Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population. She graduated from the Faculty of Medicine and is certified by the Egyptian Fellowship Board of Infection Control.

He has a diploma in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), a Master’s degree in Clinical Pathology and Chemistry and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBAHospital Management).

She has 15 years of experience in the IPC field working as a team leader in a number of internationally accredited hospitals and an instructor in professional diplomas and certificates. He has international publications on COVID-19 and antibiotic use and resistance.

Mohamad Fawzy El Nahif

Epidemiologist — Coordinator of the event-based surveillance programme – IHR focal point of the Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt

Extensive experience in surveillance, epidemiology, health management, policy and public health. After entering the field of prevention and surveillance in particular, I worked in:

Daily monitoring of the global and national COVID-19 epidemiological situation and national public health events through event-based surveillance.
Daily research of global and national public health signals through EIOS.
Conduct media scanning, event verification, report writing and dissemination to assigned personnel.
Produce and disseminate daily updates
Conducting weekly trend analyses and generating weekly reports
Produce and present slide sets during EoC meetings
Translating reports into Arabic for dissemination
Produce various ad hoc analytical outputs as requested by the supervisor.

As the focal point of IHR, I was involved in:

communication with WHO IHR contact points
Sending urgent communications arising from IHR implementation to WHO IHR contact points, in particular under IHR Articles 6-12 (2005)
Disseminating information to relevant sectors, including those responsible

Daniela Faraoni

Extraordinary Commissioner of the Palermo ASP

Law degree from the Free University of Urbino.
His positions also include Administrative Director ASP of Catania; Administrative Director ASP of Caltanissetta; Administrative Director at Azienda Ospedaliera Riuniti Villa Santa Sofia – Cervello in Palermo; Administrative Director Azienda Ospedaliera San Giovanni di Dio in Agrigento. Lecturer for Managerial Training Courses for Complex Structure Managers and Medical and Administrative Directors.

Michele Ferraro

Director InSanitas

Since 2016, he has been the editor-in-chief of the journal www.insanitas.it, entirely dedicated to healthcare. Lecturer in the communication module of the 2nd level Master’s degree ‘ORMAS, Organisation and Management of Healthcare Structures and Services’ at the University of Palermo.

Tiziana Frittelli

President Federsanità

From 1 March 2021, he will head the AO S. Giovanni Addolorata in Rome, after having directed, from 1 July 2014 to 28 February 2021, the Policlinico Tor Vergata and having held, from 2012 to 2014, the position of Director General of Acismom, an international public health organisation of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

A graduate in law and economics, with a Master’s degree in Management Engineering, she has been an NHS Manager since 1998, having worked first at the San Camillo Forlanini Hospital and then at the Policlinico Tor Vergata, as Director of the Human Resources Department.

She was an advisor to Siveas, the Minister of Health’s steering committee for regions with a recovery plan. On behalf of Agenas, he worked on updating the anti-corruption plan in healthcare. Since 1 March 2021, he has been collaborating with Aran’s Studies, Resources and Services Directorate, for the preparation of analyses preparatory to negotiation activities and in-depth studies on contractual issues of general importance, with particular reference to disciplines relating to the economic treatment of the ‘Health’ sector.

She is the author of texts and numerous articles in the field of public health, a speaker at national conferences and a lecturer in university courses.

Ranieri Guerra

Director International Relations National Academy of Medicine

Ranieri Guerra took on the new duties after a long professional period dedicated to global health, which began in 1980 with the NGO CUAMM and continued with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He served as director of external relations at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, then at the health directorate of the ASL of Pordenone, Friuli.

He then worked as a scientific attaché at the Italian Embassy in Washington, DC, to return to Italy as Director General of Preventive Health at the Ministry of Health and Chief Medical Officer of the country. He left this position when he was appointed Deputy Director-General of WHO Geneva, where he headed the agency’s strategic initiatives, was Special Envoy of the Director-General to the UN General Assembly, to the Presidency of the Republic of the Democratic Republic of Congo and, finally, to the Italian government during the COVID emergency.

He is a consultant to various international organisations, including UNICEF, UNFPA, the World Bank and the European Commission, for which he has worked in more than one hundred countries worldwide, mainly in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, in both development and humanitarian and emergency projects in countries in extremely fragile situations.

Salvatore Giuffrida

Extraordinary Commissioner of the Azienda Ospedaliera per l’Emergenza Cannizzaro di Catania.

From 2019 to 2022, he was General Director of the Azienda Ospedaliera per l’Emergenza Cannizzaro of Catania and, previously, Medical Director; top roles he also held at the Asp of Messina and the Azienda Ospedaliera Garibaldi – San Luigi – Ascoli Tomaselli of Catania.

A doctor specialised in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine and in Forensic Medicine, he has been a member, among others, of the Ministry of Health Commission for the Plan for the Improvement of Emergency and Urgency Systems and of the Sicilian Regional Commission for the evaluation of the appropriateness of hospital admissions.

Carmelo Iacobello

Director UOC of Infectious Diseases Cannizzaro Hospital of Catania

He graduated in Medicine and Surgery and obtained specialisations in Geriatrics, Infectious Diseases and Rheumatology at the University of Catania. Since March 2016, he has been the Director of the UOC of Infectious Diseases at the Cannizzaro Hospital in Catania and under his direction in 2019, the renovation works of the Department were and delivered with the establishment of a high isolation area that, during the pandemic, allowed for an area capable of guaranteeing an effective barrier for the protection of staff and patients.

In June 2021, he was called by AGENAS to be a member of the working group of twelve experts for the definition of criteria for the appropriateness of admissions of COVID-19 patients in different care settings.

He is the author of numerous scientific publications in national and international journals and, as a member of the National Governing Bodies, he organised the 14th National Congress of the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (SIMIT) and the 12th National Congress of the Italian Society of Infectious Therapy (SITA) as President and Scientific Director.

Igo La Mantia

President of the Medical Association of the Province of Catania

Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at the ‘G.F. Ingrassia’ Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies, University of Catania. Prof. La Mantia has always worked in both university and hospital settings. From 01.03.2007 to 28.02.2014 he was Director of the Complex Operative Unit of Otolaryngology at the S. Marta e S.Venera Hospital in Acireale.

Since March 2014, having returned to his academic role as University Professor, he has maintained an agreement with the Acireale hospital for all endoscopic surgery of the ENT district. He is also the author of numerous scientific publications in national and foreign journals .

Marco Magheri

Secretary General of the Public Communication Association

Builder of communicative ecosystems for the health of people, territories, communities. Spokesperson and director of communication and brand management for national and territorial institutions.

Consultant for institutions and companies on strategic communication, crisis communication, reputational positioning, ceremonial and event organisation, media training. Lecturer at the Sapienza University of Rome in Biomedical Scientific Communication and at the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome in Nutrition Communication and Agro-Food Communication.

Professional journalist, Secretary General of Public Communication, former Vice President of the Italian Ceremonialists. Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

Claudio Maria Mastroianni

President SIMIT Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases

Born in Sant’Elpidio a Mare (AP), he is Professor of Infectious Diseases (MED17), Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, and Director UOC Infectious Diseases, AOU Polclinico Umberto I, Rome. He is President of the Joint Teachers-Students Commission of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome; Coordinator of the Infectious Diseases Section of the Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome; since 2015 he is Scientific Head of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory of the Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome; he is Member of the Teachers’ Board of the PhD in Infectious Diseases, Public Health and Microbiology.

In 2018 Member of the National Ministerial Committee (NCC) for the certification of the eradication of poliomyelitis in Italy as well as Member of the Technical Health Committee (CTS) of the Ministry of Health – AIDS Section

Madonna Matar

President of the Infectious Diseases Society of Lebanon

Senior expert in infectious diseases with subspeciality in immunocompromised cancer patients. Twenty years of solid medical experience with a proven record of positive patient satisfaction. Excellent presentation skills with specific experience in infection control, antimicrobial stewardship programme, management and health policy.

A person who is determined, honest, enthusiastic, confident and passionate about meeting and exceeding the highest work standards.

Antonio Mistretta

Associate Professor of General and Applied Hygiene / ISS Superior Health Institute

He holds a degree in Medicine and Surgery, specialisation in ‘Hygiene and Public Health’, and a Ph.D. in ‘Pathologies of Infections and Immunodeficiencies’. He then served as Director of the School of Specialisation in ‘Hygiene and Preventive Medicine’ at the University of Catania, ‘G.F. Ingrassia’ Department. From the same school he became Associate Professor of Hygiene. Collaborator, Scientific Communication Service, Presidency – Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS).

Main lines of research: health promotion and health literacy, epidemiology of the main chronic-degenerative diseases, with a focus on behavioural and lifestyle risk factors (BMI, diet, lifestyle habits).

He designed health education campaigns on environmental and lifestyle issues promoted by UNESCO, AIRC and CIPA (Industrial Consortium for the Protection of the Environment) and materials for playful teaching on behalf of the Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC) and the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Smoking, Alcohol and Drug Observatory (OssFAD).

Chiara Montaldo

Head of Medical Unit Medici Senza Frontiere MSF Italia

and with a master’s degree in Epidemiology (London School Hygene and Tropical Medicine), he has worked with Doctors Without Borders since 2005, as a doctor, project coordinator and medical coordinator, in various fields: HIV/AIDS and TB/MDR/XDR TB in China, India, Ukraine and Italy; (ii) Chagas’ disease in Latin American communities in Italy; (iii) health of migrants and refugees in Italy, Greece, Serbia and Lebanon; (iv) haemorrhagic fevers (Ebola and Lassa fever) in Guinea Conakry, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo; (v) cholera epidemic in Haiti. In addition to his work with MSF, he worked in Genoa and Savona as a clinical doctor in infectious disease wards.

From March 2019 to July 2022, she worked as a researcher at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Lazzaro Spallanzani, Rome, Italy, in the field of emerging infections and within COVID19. Since August 2022, she has been coordinator of MSF Italy’s medical unit.

Arturo Montineri

Director Uoc Infectious Diseases San Marco Catania

Born in Modica on 20/04/1967. He graduated in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Catania in 1992. At the same university in 1997 he specialised in Infectious Diseases and also in 1997 he obtained a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the University of Liverpool (UK).

After his specialisation, he worked for three years in Africa (South Sudan, Angola and Zimbabwe) coordinating primary care projects for war refugees in refugee camps and local hospitals funded by the European Union’s emergency relief programme (ECHO) on behalf of the Milan-based NGO COSV.

In Zimbabwe from 2002 to 2003, he initiated and coordinated, together with the local Ministry of Health, a programme for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection. Since 2016, he has directed the Complex Operative Unit of Infectious and Tropical Diseases at the ‘G. Rodolico – San Marco’ University Hospital in Catania.

Giuseppe Nunnari

Regional President SIMIT Sicily

Anna Teresa Palamara

Director of the Infectious Diseases Department of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità

A medical doctor, a graduate of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, she is full professor of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine of the University ‘La Sapienza’ in Rome, after having taught at the University of Naples (Federico II) and in Rome at Tor Vergata. She was president of Section III (Prevention and Public Health) of the Consiglio Superiore di Sanità, from 2013 to 2019 president-elect of the Italian Society of Microbiology (SIM) and is currently president of the College of Italian Microbiologists.

The author of more than 160 scientific publications, she has devoted much of her studies to understanding the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of diseases caused by viruses with a focus on respiratory viruses, the role of microorganisms in the onset of neurodegenerative diseases and antibiotic resistance.

Francesco Priolo

Magnificent Rector of the University of Catania

He graduated in Physics in 1985 and after his PhD he joined the University of Catania as a researcher (1991). Since 2001, he has been full professor of the Physics of Matter and teaches Structure of Matter and Photonics at the Department of Physics and Astronomy. In February 2004, he was the founder and first director of the MATIS (Centre of Materials and Technologies for Information, Communication & Solar Energy) research centre, which joined the CNR as a unit of the Institute of Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM).

He was president of the European Materials Research Society (E-MRS) in Strasbourg from 2009-2011, ‘fellow’ of the European Academy of Sciences, member of the selection panels of the European Research Council. He was president of the Catania School of Advanced Studies for six years (2013-2019) and from November 2018 to October 2019 director of the ‘Ettore Majorana’ Department of Physics and Astronomy, a position from which he stepped down due to his election as rector.

He is the author of more than 400 publications in international scientific journals and editor of 10 books mainly on nanotechnology and materials for electronics, photonics, and photovoltaics. On 26 August 2019, he was elected rector of the University of Catania, taking office the following 19 September. He is an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Catania Ovest.

Claudio Pulvirenti

Director USMAF-SANS Sicily of the Ministry of Health (Maritime, Air and Frontier Health Offices and Health Care Services for Maritime and Civil Aviation Seafarers)

A surgeon specialising in Legal Medicine, he has worked at the Italian Ministry of Health since 1987. A former consultant to the Parliamentary Commission ‘Errors in Health’ and the Parliamentary Commission ‘Migrants’ of the Chamber of Deputies, he participated in the drafting of the Migrant Contingency Plan, establishing health procedures in the management of migratory flows. Promoter of Biocontainment since 2017, in the treatment of patients with infectious-diffuse diseases, to protect Public Health.

Fabrizio Pulvirenti

Director of the Operative Unit of Infectious Diseases in Gela

An infectious diseases physician from Catania, he started his clinical practice more than 30 years ago, focusing on infectious diseases since his university years.

He specialised in Infectious Diseases in 1999 and has been a medical director in Lecce, at the Cannizzaro Hospital, at the Hospital of Enna and has directed the Infectious Diseases of Agrigento. He is currently director of the Operative Unit of Infectious Diseases in Gela, where he is devoting himself particularly to the management of the various manifestations of tuberculosis and is implementing a section dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of osteomyelitis and fasciitis.

During the CoViD epidemic, he was a consultant for the IRCCS ‘Oasi’ in Troina, where he collaborated with the armed forces to contain the contagion in the highly specialised facility dedicated to the treatment of disabilities.

In 2014, during a mission with Emergency, he was the first Italian to be infected by the Ebola virus and, after recovering at the Spallanzani in Rome, he wrote a memoir of his story for Feltrinelli and collaborated with Gino Strada and Roberto Satolli on the drafting of Zona Rossa, also published by Feltrinelli. In 2018, he published a pamphlet entitled ‘The Crisis of the National Health System’ and, in 2022, ‘SSN, Game Over’

Salvatore Requirez

Director General DASOE Department for Health Activities and Epidemiological Observatory

He graduated in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Palermo. National Master’s Degree of the Italian Society for the Verification and Review of Quality of Care in Health Care. CORGESAN (Organisation and Management in Healthcare) Diploma at CERGAS of the Bocconi University School of Business Management in Milan. Medical director of the Sicilian Region’s Health Department, he has directed several provincial health authorities (Enna, Siracusa, Palermo, Trapani) and hospitals (Villa Sofia-CTO, Azienda Ospedali Riuniti di Palermo). Since 2019, he has been medical director of the Azienda Ospedaliera Civico – Di Cristina e Benfratelli hospital in Palermo.

In his regional roles, he introduced the logic of the DRGs system in the Regional Health Service in 1991 and coordinated the drafting of the Regional Prevention Plan in Health Councillor’s Decree No. 351/2016. He has produced scientific publications on the DRGs System, Classification of Causes of Hospitalisation ICD, VRQ in Hospital and Territorial Healthcare, Performance Evaluation in Healthcare, Information Flows of the Central Health Planning Service of the Ministry of Health, Disease Management in Territorial Healthcare. In 2022, he was appointed by the President of the Sicilian Region as Director General of the Department of Health Activities and Epidemiological Observatory of the Department of Health.

In 2020, he participated in the writing of the monolithic work The Messengers of the Apocalypse. Epidemics in medicine, history, art, philosophy, literature, psychology and anthropology, where the emergency linked to the planetary spread of Covid-19 is linked to the memory of similar devastating aspects of human history through its multiple documentary expressions.

Ahmed Rguig

Director Epidemiology Surveillance Service of the Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Morocco – Morocco

Fabrizio Russo

Extraordinary Commissioner Asp Ragusa

Master’s Degree in Auditing and Internal Control of Public Entities and Companies – University of Pisa. PhD in ethics applied to healthcare management – Universitỳ Campus Bio-Medico of Rome

Francesco Santocono

Lecturer in Health Law Giustino Fortunato University – Head of U.O.S Institutional Communication ARNAS Garibaldi Catania

A graduate in Law and Political Science of International Relations, he began his career as a journalist by writing for a number of periodicals in eastern Sicily. He worked mainly on art, culture and entertainment until 2002, when he became the Editorial Director of a major Sicilian sports magazine. In 2005, he was called to coordinate the Press Office of the Garibaldi Hospital, where he was also in charge of institutional communication and external relations.

During this experience, he founded the scientific and health magazine ‘Il Garibaldi’, whose editorship he took over and which earned him the prestigious international award for journalists ‘La Giara d’Argento’ the following year. Since the 2004 academic year, he has been an adjunct lecturer at the University of Catania for the Degree Course in Nursing Sciences. Since 2012, he has been an adjunct lecturer in health law in the Degree Course in Law at the ‘Giustino Fortunato’ University of Benevento.

In 2009, he was appointed Editor-in-Chief of the legal-scientific journal ‘Mercati, Valori e Regole’ published by the ‘Ateneo’ Cultural Association. From 2013 to 2018, he was an advisor to the Mayor of Catania on health policies. During this experience, he was asked to lead the E-Med-Med project by OCCAM, which will be presented at the UN headquarters in New York. He recently wrote and directed the social film for the fight against AIDS ‘Me & Freddie. A kind of magic’, for which he was awarded the ‘Massimo Troisi’ prize for best director.

Stefania Stefani

President of the Italian Society of Microbiology (SIM) / Full Professor of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology

Full Professor of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology and Head of the Laboratory of Medical Molecular Microbiology and Antibiotic Resistance (MMAR) at the Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences and at the Policlinic of the University of Catania. He is currently President of the Italian Society of Microbiology (SIM) since 2019 and of the Research Innovation Technology Lab (BRIT).

Within the MMAR, an institution active in the surveillance of resistant pathogens and the testing of the antimicrobial activity of new molecules, its scientific activity is mainly related to different aspects of antibiotic resistance in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative microbes: from molecular mechanisms and epidemiology to genome study and characterisation of mobile elements carrying resistance genes.

Stefania Stefani has held several positions at the Italian Ministry of Health: Member of the Commission for the PNCAR Antimicrobial Resistance Plan (2017-2019; 2020-2022), Member of the Italian National Chair Evaluation Committee (ASN) (2013-2014 and 2018-2020), and since 2018 she has been a Board Member of Microbiome and Probiotics. He is a member of the OPERA commission in AIFA.

She is also involved in the Scientific Committee of the Italian Society of General Microbiology Microbial Biotechnology (SIMGBM); the Italian Society of Clinical Microbiology (AMCLI) and the Italian Society of Chemotherapy (SIC).

Internationally, Stefania Stefani was a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious diseases (ESCMID), and part of the scientific committee of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). He is on the Executive Committee of the International Society of Chemotherapy (ISAC). In particular, he participated as a member of the DSA-ESCMID board for S.aureus bacteremia BSA guidance (2017) and the EUCAST sub committee for antimicrobial resistance (ESCMID).

Her editorial experience has seen her involved as both reviewer and editor for numerous peer-reviewed international journals (e.g. Editor in Chief of the Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance JGAR since 2012 and Editor of the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents; editor and reviewer for Libyan Journal of Medicine, Microbiology, Journal Chemotherapy, Annals of Microbiology, Medical Science Monitor, J. Infectious Diseases, J. Hospital Infections, Journal Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Microbiology, Frontiers in Microbiology).

An overview of his publications can be seen at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=stefani+stefania

Amanda Succi

President MedCom Forum

She graduated in Economics and Business and specialised in Public Relations in London. She is a consultant and expert in corporate and institutional communication. Founder member and President of CERPMED – Centre for Studies and Research on Public Relations in the Mediterranean.

He organised several editions of the MedCom Euro-Mediterranean Symposium on Communication and Public Relations, hosting speakers from 12 Mediterranean countries. In 2020, it launches MedCom Forum – Mediterranean Economic Forum, focusing on the topic of transport. Believing that it was necessary to address the delicate issue of infectious diseases in the Mediterranean context, in 2021 it promoted the MedCom Forum in Health, which this year, thanks to the various reflections that emerged in its first edition, represents its natural continuation.

Socio professionista del CIPR Chartered Institute for Public Relations (Regno Unito). Secretary General of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management from 2009-2011.