Today we’d like to introduce you to Roberto Vicinanza.
Hi Roberto, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was lucky to be born in Rome – the eternal city where arts, culture, architecture, and traditional cuisine meet at any corner of the ancient town. A unique fortune is to walk along the imperial fora, observing to the right and left the monuments and the historical remains of the most fascinating archaeological areas in the world after a long day of work at the hospital. My parents are both from Salerno – a city located at the beginning of the world-famous Amalfi Coast, and where the scientist Ancel Keys conducted his first studies on the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. I feel grateful and proud of these roots, which somehow connect with my current professional career. Despite my good fortune, my family means were modest which forced me to speed up my personal growth. Soon, I started working at local restaurants in Rome to help cushion the financial hardship. The silver-lining came by learning the authentic ingredients and the traditional recipes of the Mediterranean Diet: such as seafood courses, side dishes with a variety of fresh vegetables, and different types of sauces with fresh tomatoes and basil, together with the precious extra virgin olive oil, known for its numerous health benefits.
Although I was surrounded by history in Italy, I ventured out through a linguistics exchange program when I was in high school, and I spent several months in France, Spain, and Sweden, which allowed me to understand the importance of being a citizen of the world. It was then that I felt I wanted to make a positive impact on the lives of others and listen to my deep inner voice of adolescence to become a doctor.
At the age of 21, I was admitted to the School of Medicine at Sapienza University of Rome in Italy. As a medical student, I became very passionate about cellular biology and human physiology. I was eager to understand the nature of metabolic disorders – from the cellular level to the clinical aspects, and I had a strong desire to help people live a healthy life and prevent the onset of age-related diseases through proper nutrition and lifestyles changes.
I spent several years in a laboratory of cellular pathology at Sapienza University of Rome, conducting research for my M.D thesis, further learning from scientists who have also practiced in the United States.
In 2008, I finally received my degree of Doctor of Medicine with the highest honors from Sapienza University of Rome, and I felt very honored to receive the “I Migliori Della Sapienza” Scholarship (the best of Sapienza) by Fondazione Roma Sapienza. This scholarship allowed me to move, for the first time in my life, to California and complete my PhD (Doctorate of Philosophy) program at the prestigious laboratories of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition working alongside Dr. David Heber – an international expert in the fields of nutrition, metabolism, and obesity.
In 2012, I moved back to my Alma Mater in Italy to receive my PhD in Molecular Medicine and to pursue a 5-year clinical residency program in Geriatric Medicine at Sapienza University of Rome. As a resident in Geriatrics, I tried to do my best to alleviate patient’s pain, smile even in the most critical moments, and save as many lives as possible. However, I knew that the majority of the diseases were already at the late stage, and the clinical outcomes were very difficult to improve. It was then that I felt I wanted to influence people’s lives much earlier. Therefore, I started conducting my first clinical studies on nutrition and aging, exploring the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet in a geriatric population. The results were very interesting to me since the study showed that adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower prevalence of medication use. To further my knowledge in this field within 2017, I returned to Los Angeles to join the prestigious laboratory of Dr. Pinchas Cohen – an international expert of mitochondria biology and age-related diseases at USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and one of the leading research institutions on aging.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Although I am grateful for all of the opportunities given to me throughout the years, I had to work hard with dedication and passion to achieve my goals. As I mentioned, I grew up fast, making mistakes, failing, and getting back up many times. However, I was fortunate to meet extraordinary people including colleagues, friends, and mentors among academic minds who guided me to move forward in the roadmap of my life and career. Also, moving to a foreign competitive environment exposed me to several challenges at many levels. I always tried to listen to my intuition and to follow my vision, and I remained optimistic and focused even in the most challenging moments. Furthermore, I invested many hours of my life on my personal growth, understanding and recognizing my emotions, and developing a problem-solving mentality. I can consider these aspects the main gift of my journey.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I absolutely love what I currently do and I am looking forward to future endeavors. Thanks to the opportunities that have come my way, I gained experience in different fields; I am board certified in geriatric medicine in Italy and I was trained in cellular biology, nutrition, metabolism, and mental health. Also, I had the opportunity to develop public speaking skills for over ten years spreading nutritional education around the world for health and wellness companies. Now, I am currently an assistant professor of Gerontology at USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and with my colleagues in Italy, I conduct research on factors associated with aging. I enjoy sharing with my students the fundamentals of human nutrition and its impact on the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. Also, I focus my courses on the pathophysiology and clinical aspects of age-related diseases, and I teach how lifestyle and behavioral changes may provide long-term health benefits. I strongly believe that we should focus more on trying to increase our “healthspan” rather than the “lifespan”. We should add life to years and not just years to our life. Providing scientific-based evidence and education is part of the mission of making people live longer and healthier.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Coming from modest means, I learned to appreciate the little things in life, but with an eye towards ambitious goals. Whenever possible, I helped others in a meaningful way: whether it is a friend, colleague, student, or patient. I find that this trait has made me better in my fields, as you truly have to care for what you are doing – especially when working with young generations as a mentor, and with the older generations, as a geriatrician. Outside of work, I love exploring the world and playing music with drums, piano, or guitar. It helps me fulfill my inner childhood dream of being a musician. I wish I could have more time to practice these instruments. I also have a passion for fitness, as I work out many hours a week outdoors and at my local gym. This helps me connect my mind with my body and makes me feel energized for the entire day. I feel very grateful today, I am not taking any of the aspects of my life for granted. I remain grounded, remembering my roots and from where I started my journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.robertovicinanza.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertovicinanzamd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrRobertoVicinanza
- Other: https://gero.usc.edu/faculty/roberto-vicinanza-md-phd/
Image Credits:
Daniele Buccheri; USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
Beth Newcomb, Stephanie Kleinman after Daniele Buccheri
