Epidemiology and Population Genetic Unit, Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council of Italy, Avellino, Italy

Alfonso Siani is Senior Researcher and Head of the Epidemiology and Population Genetic Unit, Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council of Italy. He graduated at “Federico II” University of Naples Medical School in 1980 and completed his training in Diabetology and Metabolic Diseases in 1983. The area of expertise of Dr. Siani involves cardiovascular and chronic disease epidemiology and prevention, with particular focus on the role of nutritional factors in the pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of arterial hypertension and related metabolic abnormalities. Current research activities of the Unit include:
the survey of the dietary habits of adult and children population samples in Europe in order to identify dietary patterns and compliance with national dietary recommendations;
research on gene-environment interactions with regard to the pathogenesis of complex diseases;
identification of factors involved in the pathogenesis of overweight/obesity in children and their prevention by intervention activities;
epidemiological investigation of the relationship between foodstuff typical of the Mediterranean diet and high blood pressure and the “metabolic syndrome” of cardiovascular risk;
evaluation of the knowledge and attitude of the public and of health operators with regard to the role of dietary counselling in the prevention and treatment of chronic degenerative disease.
Dr. Siani is member of the Institute Committee of the Institute of Food Sciences, of the Steering Committee of IDEFICS, European Community's Sixth Framework Programme FOOD-CT-2006-016181-2
http://www.idefics.eu, of HEALTHGRAIN Nutrition Information Network (NIN), European Community's Sixth Framework Programme FOOD-CT-2005-514008
http://www.healthgrain.org., of the Steering Committee of the Olivetti Heart Study and is evaluator for the Sixth Framework Programme, EC (Thematic 1.5, Food Safety).
He is co-editor of “Nutrition Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases”.
He collaborates to The Wandsworth Heart and Stroke Study and to The IMMIDIET project (EC Fifth Framework Programme, QLK1-2000-100).
Dr. Siani is author of about 80 scientific publications on peer reviewed international journals.