Impossible to mention them all, but there are many professional volunteers, including engineers, architects, agronomists, doctors, researchers, lawyers, accountants or just activists who are voluntarily supporting the project.
Here are the people who are directly in charge of the operational project.
The team of experts
Luciano Messina
Architect and designer of the Cittadella
Founder of the eponymous architectural firm based in Milan and Rome, he is specialised in the design of sporting facilities, historical restoration and in healthcare/social facilities, working in Italy and in European, African and Asian countries.
His design approach is increasingly oriented towards eco-compatible systems, with low architectural impact, today complete with energy self-sufficiency in addition to zero emissions of pollutants.
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The children who will live here will be housed in a warm, inviting and solid structure, between the blue sea and the blue sky, which conveys hope to those who are suffering/span>
Marcella Marletta
Scientific Director of the Disciples of Padre Pio Foundation
Surgeon, specialised in Ophthalmology. A lecturer in pharmacology, pathology and regulatory science at the San Raffaele University in Rome. Former Director-General of the medical devices and pharmaceutical service Division of the Italian Ministry of Health. A member of various ethical committees of the Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli and of the Tor Vergata University, and HTA Master lecturer at the Cattolica University in Milan.
Other roles include Member of the Superior Health Council, of the National Anti-counterfeiting Council, Chairperson of the Commission for healthcare permits and Italian Expert at the EU Council for work on the EC 1896/2000, EC 2032/2000 regulations and on the 2003/15/EC directive.
She has published several scientific papers.
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As Padre Pio said: whoever is ill has the right to recovery. And a parent’s wish is to care for their child at all times
Luisa Monini Brunelli
Director of the Public Health and Hygiene Division of Brescia
Specialist in Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Hygiene and Preventive medicine. Researcher in the field of neuro-regeneration, she has over 80 scientific publications under her belt. She has taught at the University of Chieti (A & E and Urgent Care) and at the University of Brescia (Hand surgery-Microsurgery).
A UGIS and UNAMSI journalist, she writes for online magazines such as Il Galileo and AZ Salute and for national publications. She is editor-in-chief of “Raggi di luce“, the journal of the Fondazione Giorgio Brunelli E.T.S. for Research in the field of Neuroscience, of which she is chairperson.
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This centre of excellence is at the service of people who need it most, of children and families who will no longer be forced to emigrate for treatment
Armando Luca Gariboldi
Director of Agriculture
Natural scientist, agrotechnician and scientific populariser. Listed on the National Register of Agrotechnicians and Agrotechnical Graduates. Journalist enrolled at the UGIS (Unione Giornalisti Scientifici Italiani – Italian Union of Scientific Journalists), he is the author of over 500 scientific articles, as well as 20 books on natural science. He currently writes for “La Rivista della Natura” and was Director-General of the LIPU (Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli-Birdlife Italia).
A self-employed professional and consultant to several public and private entities, he is an expert in eco-sustainability, nature conservation and organic farming. Founder and CEO of Ecocentro srl, specialised in “nature subjects and projects”.
He has been a member of numerous technical committees, and currently member of the Wildlife Observatory of the Lombardy Regional Authority.
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This facility represents an integrated approach to both agriculture and medicine. We must preserve it as best we can, as Padre Pio has asked us to do.
Luca Cavallone
Technical Research Coordinator
He obtained a degree in Biological Sciences in 1997 from the University of Ancona and a PhD in 2005 from the department of Biopathology and Medical Biotechnologies at the University of Palermo. In 2005 he moved to Montreal (Canada) to perfect his studies into tumour genetics. At the department of human genetics of the McGill University he thus had the chance to acquire new knowledge thanks also to the university’s cutting-edge technology.
He currently carries out research at the oncology department of the Lady Davis Institute in Montreal. These new studies aim to develop innovative approaches to liquid biopsy and to identify new prognostic and predictive tumour markers in response to therapeutic treatments.