Meeting with Prof. Gianfranco Sinagra
On January 22, 2026, a meeting was held at the headquarters of the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Sciences – Cardiology Hub of the University of Trieste, between the President of the Vittorio and Livia Tonolli Foundation and Prof. Gianfranco Sinagra, Head Physician and Director of the same Department, as well as Full Professor at the University of Trieste and Director of the School of Specialization.
The meeting took place within the framework of the long-standing collaboration between the Department led by Professor Sinagra and the Tonolli Foundation, developed through professional relationships, mutual respect and friendship with the late Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Riggio, as well as through the Foundation’s continued support for residents and research activities in the field of molecular cardiology, under the supervision of Director Sinagra.
During the meeting, Dr. M. Riggio emphasized the importance of the Foundation’s unwavering commitment to its mission of supporting research in cardiology and the sciences, as well as nurturing young talents.
It is worth recalling that the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Sciences of the University of Trieste represents a center of excellence at both national and international levels. Several figures are emblematic of the scale of diagnostic, clinical and research activities carried out there: 5,000 hospital admissions per year; 500 Day Hospital patients (approximately 1,000 visits per year); 1,286 inpatient surgical procedures; over 2,500 invasive cardiology procedures; more than 50,000 outpatient and non-invasive diagnostic services; and 345 staff members dedicated to patient care and management.
These activities are further enriched by collaborations with some of the most prestigious national and international universities, including, for example, Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD, USA), King’s College London, the Centro Cardiologico Monzino, and many others.
All of this takes place under the guidance of the extraordinary professionalism and leadership of Prof. Sinagra, author and co-author of over 1,100 scientific publications, speaker or moderator at more than 800 national and international conferences, and currently President of the Italian Society of Cardiology (SIC).
The meeting provided an opportunity, in an atmosphere of great cordiality and mutual respect, to learn about the latest advances in the Department’s research in the fields of myocardial regeneration, biotechnology, and—consistently—basic sciences, leaving a strong impression of being in the presence of a true example of medical excellence, characterized by outstanding professional, human and visionary qualities in the leadership of the Department.
President Riggio reaffirmed the Tonolli Foundation’s commitment to supporting young physicians in advanced medical research, under the guidance of Professor Sinagra and, where appropriate, in collaboration with other institutions with which the Foundation has maintained long-standing partnerships.
Sincere thanks for this extraordinary opportunity for insight and future-oriented vision.
