Isabella Annesi-Maesano

After standard curricula at the Facolt? di Fisica in Rome (Italy) and the Medical School Paris XI (France), Dr Isabella Annesi-Maesano has enriched her educational background with two Masters Degrees in Environmental Science and Medical Science respectively and a PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Since 1983, she has been involved in researches in the field of respiratory epidemiology in order to assess risk factor for major allergic and respiratory diseases. Dr Isabella Annesi-Maesano is currently Director of the Department of Epidemiology of Allergic and Respiratory Diseases (EPAR) at the UMR-S 707 of the National Institute for Health and Medical Research and University Pierre and Marie Curie (Paris VI), Paris, France. As head of the EPAR Department, she has conducted several epidemiological surveys as principal investigator at both national and international level [6 City Study (6C), Perception of Polluted Air and respiratory health (PEPA) Study in the frame of the WHO's Housing and health survey …] or as partner at national and international level [OQAI, French ISAAC, EDEN Birth Cohort Study, Health Effects of School Environment Study (HESE) of DG-SANCO, HESEINT of DG-SANCO…]. She is presently principal investigator of the Geriatric study in Europe on health effects of air quality in nursing homes (GERIE), funded by DG - SANCO for 3 years since 2008. Dr Annesi-Maesano is an active member of several national and international scientific committees and working groups devoted to the study of the links between Health and Environment. At the international level, her executive roles include advisor to the World Health Organization, European Commission for FP5 and FP6 for epidemiology and public health, European Commission for air pollution. She is presently implicated in 3 WHO Initiatives: Allergic Rhinitis Initiative in Asthma (ARIA), Global Alliance against Respiratory Diseases (GARD) and Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality. Since 2006, she has been appointed to the function of Head of the Occupation and Epidemiology Assembly of the European Respiratory Society (ERS). Previously, she had been Programme Secretary and Chair of the Respiratory Section of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD). Dr Annesi-Maesano acts as Member of the ERS School devoted to the education in respiratory medicine. In France, she is responsible of a course on Environment and Health at the Master Degree in Paris VII University and at the Ecole Doctorale level in Paris VII University. Dr Annesi-Maesano is one of the editors of the ERS monograph on Respiratory Epidemiology, the first book on this subject. In addition, she serves on several editorial boards, including at the international level Allergy, the International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease and Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease. She has authored or co-authored nearly 150 peer-reviewed articles, books and reports. In recognition of her contributions to epidemiology of allergic and respiratory disease, she has received several awards, including one from the Medical Research Council, UK.