The two main areas of clinical research are interstitial lung diseasesand pulmonary infections.  In the context of interstitial lung diseases the initial focus hasbeen on chronic beryllium disease (see paper in Science, elucidatingfor the first time a strong association between a genetic factors anda granulomatous disease).

Further research has been carried out in thefield of sarcoidosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Member of theATS/ERS/JRS international committee for guideline on management ofIPF.  The interest in pulmonary infections has been mainly in the area ofnew diagnostics of latent tuberculosis: a paper in The Lancetdescribed for the first time the performance of these new assays indifferent populations of patients. Member of the ATS/IDSAinternational committee for guideline on TB diagnostics; member of apanel of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention forrecommendations on use of new diagnostics of latent tuberculosis.

Major appointments:Director of Research Centre for Rare Lung Diseases at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (since its foundation in 2007) (onlyUniversity Centre in Italy fully dedicated to rare lung diseases).Director of the Postgraduate School in Respiratory Medicine at theUniversity of Modena and Reggio Emilia (since 2005).  Associate professor of respiratory medicine at the University ofModena and Reggio Emilia (since 2005). 

Accomplishments:Invited speaker in many international meetings and postgraduatesymposia (see CV).  Member of international consensus statements and committees.Chairman and member on advisory committees for developingmultinational trials of novel therapy for lung disease.Organiser of an annual meeting of Rare Lung Diseases in Modena.Member of the editorial board of the American Journal of Respiratoryand Critical Care Medicine (since 2005).  Reviewer for many international journals.