Fortunato Ciardiello, born on August 4, 1960, in Naples, Italy, married and father of two children, is currently Full Professor of Medical Oncology, Director of the Division of Medical Oncology and Dean of the School of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli in Naples, Italy. Previously, he was Director of the Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine and Member of the Academic Senate in the same University. He received his MD, the Specialty in Oncology, and his PhD from the University of Naples Federico II. Between 1985 and 1990 he worked as post-doctoral research fellow in the Tumor Growth Factor Section, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Fortunato Ciardiello’s research areas of expertise cover the role of growth factor receptor-driven signaling pathways in human cancer development and progression and the possibility of defining selective molecular targeted therapies for cancer. In particular, Fortunato Ciardiello has played a major role in discovering and implementing the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a therapeutic target in human colorectal and lung cancers. As recorded in Scopus, he has authored 500 scientific publications with 33799 citations and H Index of 80 (accessed on February 5, 2020).

Fortunato Ciardiello has been a Member for 4 years of the Scientific Committee of the Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC). He has been a Member for 5 years of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. He is currently a Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Vall D’ Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Spain. Finally, Fortunato Ciardiello has served the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), as ESMO Treasurer (2011-2013), as ESMO President-Elect (2014-15), as ESMO President (2016-17), and, for the years 2018-19, as ESMO Past-President. He is currently Chair of the ESMO Membership Committee and holds a seat on the ESMO Council.