Lucio Rinaldi
Psychiatrist
Lucio Rinaldi, a psychiatrist and psychotherapist with a background in psychoanalysis, is Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome and Head of the Psychiatry Day Hospital, the Perinatal Psychopathology Unit, and the Adolescence and Eating and Nutrition Disorders Unit of the Psychiatric Consultation Service of the Gemelli University Hospital Foundation. For many years, he has directed postgraduate training courses on Eating and Nutrition Disorders at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome. He teaches General Psychology, Psychiatry, and the Psychopathology of Eating and Nutrition Disorders. He is the author of numerous scientific papers on adolescent psychopathology and eating and nutrition disorders, and of several books, including Body and Mind in Adolescent Psychopathology.
Riccardo Fannucci
Chef
I’m Riccardo Fanucci, an Italian chef born in Rome. I earned three levels of culinary mastery at the Boscolo L’Etoile Academy, perfecting my technique and delving into the Italian and international gastronomic traditions. I collaborated with the Gambero Rosso
Academy, contributing to the training of new professionals and bringing Italian cuisine
abroad. In Tokyo, again for Gambero Rosso, I had the honor of opening the first
Academy of Italian Cuisine, promoting the authenticity of our culinary heritage. During
my career as a Chef and Culinary Consultant, I have worked and opened some of the most
renowned restaurants in the capital, honing my style and vision of cuisine. Today, as a teacher
at the Italian Chef Academy, I offer my experience to train and inspire
new generations of chefs, instilling technique, passion, and respect for raw materials.
My goal is to convey not only technical skills, but also the importance of
discipline, rigor, and passion. I believe that a great chef is not just an executor,
but a craftsman capable of transforming simple ingredients into memorable experiences, because cooking is not a sterile pursuit of perfection, but of taste memory.
“A perfect dish? It doesn’t exist. Only the one you never forget exists.”
Roberto Mattioli
University professor
After graduating in Biological Sciences in 2005 from Sapienza University of Rome, he earned a PhD in genetics and molecular biology. For many years, in the field of plant developmental biology, he studied the role of proline in plant development through a multidisciplinary approach spanning genetic engineering, molecular biology, plant physiology, and biochemistry. In 2019, he moved to the Department of Sciences at Roma Tre University, where he began studying the role of polyamines in plant development, particularly the role of thermospermine in the development of xylem vessels in Solanum lycopersicum. Returning to Sapienza in 2021, he joined Professor Luciana Mosca’s research group at the Department of Biochemical Sciences “A. Rossi Fanelli,” where he studied the impact of bioactive molecules (polyphenols) extracted from plant or food matrices on models of neurodegenerative diseases. Here he focuses on the polyphenols of extra-virgin olive oil, while developing new extraction methods capable of efficiently and environmentally extracting bioactive compounds from extra-virgin olive oil or other plant or food matrices. In collaboration with companies in the sector, he develops new methods to improve the qualitative and quantitative parameters of extra-virgin olive oil and to reuse the vegetation water produced during the processing of olive drupes and oil production. He is currently the author of 34 scientific articles published in international peer-reviewed journals.
Rolando Bolognino
University professor
Dr. Rolando Alessio Bolognino is a university professor, researcher, and nutritional biologist with extensive experience in oncological and preventive nutrition. His scientific and clinical work focuses on the integration of nutrition, health, and psychophysical well-being, with a particular focus on the prevention of chronic degenerative diseases and the nutritional support of cancer patients.
He is an adjunct professor at: the Master’s Program in “Nutrition Sciences and Clinical Dietetics” at the University of Rome Unitelma La Sapienza;
the Master’s Program in “Integrated Therapies in Female Oncological Pathologies” at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome.
Dr. Bolognino is also a certified instructor of Mindfulness protocols, with specific training in the following programs:
MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) for stress reduction;
MB-EAT (Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training) for eating disorders;
MBCT-ca (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Cancer) for psychological and behavioral support in cancer patients. As an expert in sports nutrition, he collaborates with national newspapers and scientific dissemination projects. He writes articles for “La Gazzetta dello Sport,” in the “Nutrition in Endurance Sports” section, and for “Il Fatto Quotidiano,” where he discusses nutrition and public health. He has also been a scientific expert on numerous national television programs, including:
RAI 1: Check-Up, Uno Mattina, Tempo & Denaro, Buono a Sapersi, La Prova del Cuoco;
RAI 3: Elisir, A Tutta Salute;
LA7: Di Martedì;
Network 4: TG4;
Sky TG24: Special “A Dish of the Future”;
TV2000: Il Mio Medico.
As a speaker and moderator at national and international conferences, Dr. Bolognino explores current scientific topics in the following areas:
Nutrition in cancer prevention;
Nutrition of amateur and professional athletes;
Nutrition and Lifestyle;
Nutrition in Dermatology and Trichology;
Nutrition in Nutritional and Eating Disorders;
Nutrition and Mindfulness;
Nutrition and Gut Microbiota.
He is the author of the book “Nourishing Health with the Mediterranean Diet” (EPC Edizioni), which summarizes his research and his integrated vision of nutrition science, prevention, and quality of life.
Patrizia Loreti
yoga, meditation and holistic teacher
Patrizia Loreti is a yoga, meditation, and holistic teacher with a multidisciplinary background that combines physical experience, mental awareness, and effective communication. She has collaborated with Virgin Active Italy for over eleven years, curating and developing holistic programs, promoting integrated wellness and psychophysical awareness.
With a background in entertainment and sports, she has developed a strong aptitude for communication, which she uses to clearly and passionately convey the principles of yoga and meditation practice.
She also presents and promotes conferences and meetings dedicated to the mind, meditation, and personal growth, contributing to the spread of a culture of well-being based on listening, presence, and balance between body and mind.
Paolo Ricci
yoga, meditation and holistic teacher
Paolo Ricci is a sports and wellness professional with nearly 40 years of experience teaching physical activity. Founder of an amateur sports association, he promotes sport as an educational tool and for personal growth, participating in Erasmus+ projects on Social Sport in Italy and Europe.
He has been a Master of Joy for over ten years, having trained in Laughter Yoga and becoming an international trainer and ambassador. He has collaborated with leading Italian companies, including the Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria and Crowne Plaza hotel chains, and TIM. As part of the Academy’s team-building activities, he leads experiential Laughter Yoga sessions to strengthen bonds, stimulate creativity, and enhance group energy.
Giulia Bigioni
harp therapy professional
Born in Rome, she devoted herself to the study of the solo harp repertoire from a young age, graduating with honors and special mention from the Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome. She continued her training by specializing at the Fiesole School of Music and at the Robert Schumann University in Düsseldorf (GE). She also devoted herself to both deepening her knowledge of chamber music, earning a Master’s Degree, and exploring new languages for the harp repertoire, earning a Master’s Degree in Interpretation of Contemporary Music from the Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome.
He currently works as an orchestral musician, collaborating over the years with the Orchestra of the Teatro Lirico Foundation in Cagliari, the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra Foundation, the Teatro Petruzzelli Foundation in Bari, the Hydn Stiftung Foundation in Bolzano, the Orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Foundation in Rome, the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf, and the Orchestra of the Teatro San Carlo in Naples. He has performed solo harp recitals at the Sanremo Symphony Orchestra Foundation, the Roman Philharmonic Academy, the Croatian Embassy in Rome, the University of Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), and the Focsani Auditorium (Romania).
Over the years, he has developed an interest in the dissemination of music through harp therapy, which focuses on the transformation of the listener with an innovative approach, as the listener participates directly by activating the resonance of their body along with their emotions. Music as an emotional regulator is used to welcome, modulate, or transform one’s sensations based on the context in which we find ourselves, thanks to the immersive listening of the sound of the harp.
