Carolina De Ciuceis (Italy)

What is your role at your work?

Not only do I serve as a clinician in the Internal Medicine Division at my institution and in one of the ESH-endorsed  Centres of Excellence, but I also teach medical students and residents while managing the Post-graduate Medical Degree in Sports and Exercise Medicine. Next to this, in research, I lead a vascular biology laboratory, focusing on microvascular damage and its pathophysiology in hypertension and in rheumatologic, and oncologic diseases.

How did you get interested in your career path?

As a medical student, I became truly fascinated by how much hypertension can have severe clinical consequences and affect various organs, even in young people, if left untreated. At that time, the underlying mechanisms of hypertension were not fully understood, and gradually it became apparent that factors beyond the hemodynamic load were involved. My curiosity deepened during my residency and post-doctoral fellowship at the Research Clinical Institute in Montreal, where I gained insights into the inflammatory and immune pathways that contribute to hypertension.

What are you most proud of in your career or otherwise?

As a clinician, I take pride in my dedication and commitment to providing the best care for my patients. Then, as a scientist, I am proud of my perseverance in tackling research challenges – I feel privileged to do work that I love, alongside brilliant colleagues and outstanding scientists who have always inspired me.

Above all this, I am proud of my beautiful family who continually encourage and support me.

What important career challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?

The first major challenge in my career was my postdoctoral fellowship in Canada. It was a daunting experience, but interacting with young researchers from diverse countries and cultures made it an incredibly rewarding experience. Balancing the roles of a mother, wife, and clinician-scientist is the toughest challenge I face to this day. I constantly strive to find a balance between personal and professional responsibilities.

What advice would you give your younger self?

My advice would be to continue working with passion, integrity, and enthusiasm, and to manage your time efficiently. Never be afraid of making mistakes; instead, learn from them and embrace constructive criticism.

Highlight your most significant research contributions and publications (3-5) – if relevant to you.

De Ciuceis C, Amiri F, Brassard P, Endemann DH, Touyz RM, Schiffrin EL. Reduced vascular remodeling, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress in resistance arteries of angiotensin II-infused macrophage colony-stimulating factor-deficient mice: evidence for a role in inflammation in angiotensin-induced vascular injury. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2005 Oct;25(10):2106-13. doi: 10.1161/01.ATV.0000181743.28028.57.

De Ciuceis C, Porteri E, Rizzoni D, Corbellini C, La Boria E, Boari GE, Pilu A, Mittempergher F, Di Betta E, Casella C, Nascimbeni R, Rosei CA, Ruggeri G, Caimi L, Rosei EA. Effects of weight loss on structural and functional alterations of subcutaneous small arteries in obese patients. Hypertension. 2011 Jul;58(1):29-36. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.111.171082.

De Ciuceis C, Rizzoni D, Palatini P. Microcirculation and Physical Exercise In Hypertension. Hypertension. 2023 Apr;80(4):730-739. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.19465.

Rosei CA, Gaggero A, Famà F, Malerba P, Chiarini G, Nardin M, Brami V, Rossini C, Coschignano MA, Porteri E, Salvetti M, Muiesan ML, Rizzoni D, De Ciuceis C. Skin capillary alterations in patients with acute SarsCoV2 infection. J Hypertens. 2022 Dec 1;40(12):2385-2393. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000003271.

De Ciuceis C, Rosei CA, Malerba P, Rossini C, Nardin M, Chiarini G, Famà F, Lemoli M, Baresi M, Petelca A, Bortoluzzi C, Porteri E, Salvetti M, Muiesan ML, Rosei EA, Rizzoni D. Prognostic significance of the wall to lumen ratio of retinal arterioles evaluated by adaptive optics. Eur J Intern Med. 2024 Apr;122:86-92. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2023.10.035.

Have you had any significant career mentors? If yes, please provide further details.

Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have numerous extraordinary mentors, including successful women that have kept giving me precious pieces of advice. I am especially grateful to Prof Enrico Agabiti Rosei, Prof Damiano Rizzoni and Prof Maria Lorenza Muiesan as well as to Prof Ernesto Schiffrin and Prof Rhian Touyz, who mentored me during my postdoctoral fellowship in Montreal.

How can we support the next generation of women scientists?

To inspire the next generation of women scientists, we should emphasize science education starting at a young age. Successful women in senior positions can play a crucial role by giving talks at schools and engaging outreach activities, encouraging young girls to pursue careers in science.