Bio

• From April 2022 – Staff Physician, Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele (Director: Prof. F. Montorsi)
• From Sep 2020: Member of the scientific committee of the Centro Chirurgico Toscano
• From Oct 2019 to Jan 2023: International PhD Course in Molecular Medicine —University VitaSalute San Raffaele Milan, Italy (biomarkers and prediction of lymph node metastases in patients with prostate cancer - Supervisor: Prof. A. Briganti)
• From Jan 2021 to Mar 2022: Surgical fellowship in genitourinary reconstructive urology, Kulkarni Endosurgery Institute, Maharashtra, Pune, India (Supervisors: Prof. S.S. Kulkarni and Dr Pankaj Joshi).
• From Jun 2019 to Nov 2020: Surgical fellowship in genitourinary reconstructive urology, Centro Chirurgico Toscano, Arezzo, Italy (Supervisor: Dr. G. Barbagli)
• From Mar 2018 to Feb 2019: Surgical fellowship in genitourinary reconstructive surgery, Sava Perović Foundation, Belgrade, Serbia (Supervisor: Dr. R. Djinovic)
• From Jan 2017 to Jan 2018: Research fellowship in oncoepidemiology, statistics and evaluation research at Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CR-CHUM), Montréal, Canada (Supervisor: Prof. P.I. Karakiewicz)
• From Nov 2015 to Oct 2020: Residency program in Urology, VitaSalute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
• From 2008 to 2014: Medical School Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Italy

LAB

Research Group in Reconstructive Urology and Penile Cancer, Division of Experimental Oncology, Urological Research Institute

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

- The Research Group in Reconstructive Urology and Penile Cancer at the Urology Department of IRCCS San Raffaele is a dedicated team of researchers focusing on advancing knowledge and treatments in these specialized areas. The group's mission encompasses both clinical care and cutting-edge research to improve outcomes for patients with urological conditions affecting the urethra and the penis.

- One of the ongoing projects within the group is Optilume, which explores innovative minimally invasive techniques for treating urethral strictures. This project aims to develop and optimize Optilume technology, which combines fluoroscopy with balloon dilation to precisely target and treat strictures while minimizing patient discomfort and recovery time.

Another key initiative is the Multicenter Database YAU on Penile Cancer, a collaborative effort involving multiple centers to gather comprehensive data on patients with penile cancer. This database facilitates large-scale studies and enables researchers to analyze factors affecting diagnosis, treatment outcomes, and long-term survival in penile cancer patients. The ultimate goal is to improve guidelines and strategies for managing this rare but significant urological malignancy.

Additionally, the group applied to "My First AIRC" award, with a project exploring the intersection of penile microbiome, genomic features, and biomarkers in penile cancer. This innovative research aims to uncover the intricate relationships between microbial communities in the penile region, genetic characteristics of cancer cells, and potential biomarkers that could aid in early detection, risk stratification, and personalized treatment approaches for penile cancer patients.

In addition to our research activities, our group is deeply involved in clinical practice, surgery, and outpatient clinics on a daily basis. This integration of research and clinical care allows us to directly apply the latest advancements and insights from our projects to benefit our patients. Our team's expertise in reconstructive urology and penile cancer extends beyond the laboratory and into the operating rooms and outpatient settings, where we provide comprehensive care and innovative treatments to individuals with urological conditions.

Click here to view our publications