Nanopathology

Antonietta Morena Gatti is a physicist and bioengineer and the founder and director of the Laboratory of Biomaterials of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy). She is the discoverer of the presence of micro- and nanoparticles in biological tissues and of their pathological effects. The European Community appointed her coordinator of the international group in charge of the nanopathology project. She was a keynote speaker on “Depleted Uranium Related Diseases” at the 2005 Audition at the House of Lords in London on the invitation of its president, Lord Morris of Manchester.

Stefano Montanari is a pharmacist by education (University of Modena) and, since 1972, has constantly been active in inventing, planning or improving devices for surgical and medical practice, particularly in the areas of cardiovascular surgery and cardiology. In 1979, he married Dr Gatti, and a mutual scientific collaboration was started in the fields of biomaterial research and nanopathology. He has invented both removable and non-removable caval filters, the polyurethane prosthetic heart valve, a pleural drainage device, electrophysiology equipment, the trans-oesophageal catheter for heart pacing and detection, a device to measure hourly urine production and a urine bag with a device to prevent bladder infection. Since 2005, Dr Montanari is a scientific consultant to the Osservatorio Militare Italiano for diseases due to depleted uranium. He has authored or co-authored numerous scientific articles and books and is a lecturer for master courses on nanopathology.