Born in 1978 in Pescara and raised between the Adriatic Sea and the hills of Abruzzo, I still carry today the same enthusiasm and curiosity as back then—despite a few more grey hairs.
After completing a scientific high school education, I chose to study Electronic Engineering at the University of Ancona, where I graduated in 2002. I subsequently obtained a Master of Business Administration, in order to complement my technical skills with managerial competencies and to gain a broader perspective on organisational and decision-making processes. My passion for knowledge then led me to pursue an academic career, starting with a PhD.
Over the years, I developed a strong interest in biomedical technologies and neuroscience—fields that bring together science and innovation. In these disciplines, I found a way to combine scientific rigour with a desire to contribute to people’s well-being, giving my career a clear direction that is deeply connected to the values with which I grew up.

After completing my PhD, I worked at the University of Chieti–Pescara and then chose to continue my training abroad, carrying out research activities in centres of excellence in the United Kingdom (Oxford University), Switzerland (ETH Zurich), and Belgium (KU Leuven). These experiences taught me the value of international collaboration and openness to the world, broadening my outlook not only scientifically but also on a human level.
Over time, I decided to focus my research on neuroscience and technologies for health and human movement. I have always believed that science should not remain confined to laboratories, but should become a concrete tool for improving people’s lives.
Today, I continue to see my work as a commitment to serving the community: transforming knowledge and innovation into opportunities for well-being, growth, and social inclusion.

Since 2015, I have been a professor at KU Leuven, where I have been able to establish my own research group and cultivate a strong commitment to teaching and educational innovation. Providing high-quality education, grounded in equally strong research, is a fundamental mission of any university.
I have taught in a wide range of contexts, from large undergraduate cohorts to specialised postgraduate courses. This diversity, and the interaction with different student communities, has always been a source of inspiration for me.
In recent years, I have also taken on responsibility for developing innovative courses based on e-learning and the use of Artificial Intelligence in education. I firmly believe that new technologies, when used thoughtfully and critically, can make education more inclusive, personalised, and effective, helping to prepare citizens and professionals for the challenges of tomorrow.

I have taken on managerial responsibilities since the early stages of my academic career. From 2018 to 2021, I served as Scientific Director of IRCCS San Camillo in Venice, a role I held alongside my position as professor at KU Leuven. This experience allowed me to integrate research, clinical practice, and management, reinforcing my belief that science should ultimately translate into service to society.
After returning full-time to Belgium, I was elected in 2023 as a representative of the professorial staff on the university’s Academic Council, contributing to the definition of KU Leuven’s general policies. Between 2024 and 2026, I have been leading the Department of Movement Sciences as Director, in a context that requires strategic vision, mediation skills, and constant attention to the quality of research and teaching.

My family is my daily point of balance. I live with my wife Céline and our two daughters, Claire and Arianne. We divide our life between Belgium and Italy: Leuven, where we work and study, and Pescara, my hometown, where we spend long periods every summer with my parents and my sister. It is there that our daughters rediscover their Italian roots through family life, language, and traditions.
Being a father and a husband has given my professional commitment an even deeper meaning. After many years working in universities and research, I feel a strong desire to give continuity to this journey by placing knowledge and dialogue at the service of a society that is more attentive to human values and to future generations.