Full Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Pisa.
Born in Pesaro on 12 January 1961.
Education and training
July 1979Classical High School Diploma (Diploma di Maturità Classica) at Liceo Classico Lorenzo Costa, La Spezia
1979Enrolment in the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Pisa.
Academic years 1982-83 and 1983-84Internal student at the Institute of Physiology of the University of Pisa
Academic year 1984-85Internal student at the Institute of Endocrinology of the University of Pisa.
29 October 1985Degree in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Pisa, with an experimental thesis entitled: "Studies on the expression of the thyroid microsomal antigen in continuously cultured rat thyroid cells", with honours.
November 1985Licence to practise medicine, University of Pisa
18 February 1986-presentRegistered with the Medical Association of the province of La Spezia
8 July 1988Specialisation in Endocrinology at the University of Pisa, with an experimental thesis entitled: "Antibodies blocking the biological action of TSH in Hashimoto's thyroiditis: their role in the pathogenesis of hypothyroidism", with honours.
5 May 1988-31 July 1988Medical Officer Cadet at the Army Medical School of the Italian Army in Florence (98th A.U.C. course).
23 April 1990-23 April 1993Researcher at the Division of Endocrinology of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
December 1996Awarded the PhD in endocrine and metabolic sciences.
September 2003Eligibility for a university professor post, associate level, scientific disciplinary sector MED/13 Endocrinology.
September 2008Appointed Associate Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Pisa.
April 2017National qualification as first-level (full) professor in sector 06/D2 Endocrinology, nephrology and food and wellbeing sciences
November 2023Appointed Full Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Pisa.
Periods at institutes and laboratories abroad
April 1990-April 1993Stay as researcher at the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA, USA), in the laboratory directed by Prof. Inder J. Chopra.
Clinical and care activity
In 1987, 1988 and 1989 he carried out occasional care activity at Local Health Authority No. 5 Spezzino, as a locum general practitioner, locum out-of-hours doctor and on-call out-of-hours doctor.
From 1 August 1988 to 5 August 1989 he served as assistant in the Observation ward at the Military Hospital of Legal Medicine in Livorno, with the rank of Second Lieutenant Medical Officer.
From August 1989 to April 1990 and from May 1993 to May 1997: Volunteer assistant (internal doctor) at the Institute of Endocrinology of the University of Pisa.
From May 1997 to September 2008First-level Consultant physician at the Endocrinology 1 Unit of Pisa University Hospital (AOUP).
From February 2004Head of the "Obesity Centre" section of the Endocrinology 1 Unit of Pisa University Hospital (AOUP), later renamed the "Obesity and Lipodystrophy Centre".
From September 2008 to November 2023Associate Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Pisa, working in the Endocrinology 1 Unit of Pisa University Hospital (AOUP).
From 2017HCP representative of Pisa University Hospital (AOUP) for the European Reference Network on Rare Endocrine Conditions (Endo-ERN) and for the European Reference Network for Hereditary Metabolic Disorders (MetabERN).
From November 2019 Director of the Endocrinology 1 Unit of Pisa University Hospital (AOUP).
From January 2019Head of the diagnostic, therapeutic and care pathway "Non-HIV-related lipodystrophic syndromes" of Pisa University Hospital (AOUP). PDTAA011
From July 2020Head of the diagnostic, therapeutic and care pathway (PDTA) for: Total lipodystrophy / RC0080 of the Tuscany Region. Decree no. 11505 of 28-07-2020. Subject: Tuscany Rare Diseases Network: approval of diagnostic, therapeutic and care pathways (PDTA). Type of publication: Act published in the Database (PBD)
From November 2021Head of the diagnostic, therapeutic and care pathway "Non-syndromic monogenic obesity" of Pisa University Hospital (AOUP). PDTAA024
From November 2023 Full Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Pisa, working in the Endocrinology 1 Unit of Pisa University Hospital (AOUP).
Additional activities
In 2006 member of the Tuscany Regional Commission "Nutrition and health", with the role of coordinator of the working group for the care pathway of obese patients.
In September 2007 appointed as representative of the North-West Area Vasta of the Tuscany Region to coordinate actions promoting the creation of an integrated network of services for the prevention and treatment of eating disorders.
In February 2008 appointed member of the technical-scientific Commission for the management of the organisational and research functions of the Clinical Pharmacology Centre for drug trials of Pisa University Hospital (AOUP) (Decision of the Director General no. 193 of 29 February 2008).
In September 2009 appointed member of the working group for the "Creation of the European Institute for the prevention and treatment of obesity and eating disorders" provided for by Regional Government decree no. 4401 of 10 September 2009.
In October 2009 designated as representative of the University of Pisa on the Observatory on lifestyles established by the Tuscany Regional Government by resolution 800/08.
From July 2012 Head of an accredited Centre of the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO).
From September 2013 to April 2021Member of the Ethics Committee of the North-West Area Vasta of the Tuscany Region.
From June 2014 to November 2015 Member of the "Working group on isoflavones" of The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
From March 2015 Head of an accredited Centre of the Italian Society of Obesity.
From May 2019 member of the Obesity Policy Engagement Network - OPEN Italy.
Scientific activity
Since 1984, Prof. Ferruccio Santini has carried out research in thyroid pathophysiology, with a particular focus on thyroid hormone metabolism and on the study of the enzymes involved in the activation and degradation of iodothyronines in different tissues. His studies were developed further during his time at the Division of Endocrinology of the University of California Los Angeles and continued at the Endocrinology Unit of the University of Pisa. While maintaining an interest in thyroid pathophysiology, his research later turned to the pathogenetic mechanisms of obesity and diseases of adipose tissue, with particular interest in lipodystrophy syndromes. His scientific work is collected in publications in international journals, more than 240 of which are indexed in PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), as well as book chapters, national journals and conference proceedings. The results of his research have been presented at national and international congresses, where he took part as speaker, moderator or member of the scientific secretariat. Over the years he has taken part in numerous research projects funded by public bodies or qualified private institutions, as scientific lead (principal investigator).
Activities within scientific societies
Membership of scientific societies
Endocrine Society, European Society of Endocrinology, Italian Society of Endocrinology, Italian Society of Obesity, Italian Society of Bariatric Surgery, Italian Thyroid Association, Association of Alumni of Pisa Endocrinology.
May 2004 to May 2008Member of the Board (treasurer) of the Italian Society of Obesity.
April 2010 to April 2012Member of the Scientific Committee of the Italian Society of Obesity.
May 2011 to May 2015Member of the Scientific Committee of the Italian Society of Endocrinology.
April 2012 to May 2014Member of the Board (allied councillor) of the Italian Society of Bariatric Surgery.
February 2014Founding member of the European Consortium of Lipodystrophies (ECLip).
May 2014 to September 2016Member of the Board (auditor) of the Italian Society of Bariatric Surgery.
September 2018 to April 2021President of the Italian Society of Obesity.
October 2019 to the presentMember of the Executive Board of the European Consortium of Lipodystrophies (ECLip), as treasurer.
2022 to 2024Member of the Scientific Committee of the Italian Society of Bariatric Surgery.
Since April 2024, member of the Scientific Committee of the Italian Laminopathies Network