From Diagnosis to Research: Marco’s Challenge

At the “Centro Dino Ferrari,” there are stories where scientific research and personal life intertwine in surprising ways. One of these is that of Marco Stefanati, who first encountered our center as a patient and today is part of it as a researcher. His story is a testament to a vocation that began in the corridors of the Policlinico di Milano and grew into a remarkable scientific career. A journey of study, passion, and resilience, reminding us that research is not just a profession, but also a life choice.

November 24, 2006 – The Beginning of a Vocation

A simple gesture in a brightly lit corridor of the Centro Dino Ferrari at the University of Milan – Policlinico Hospital, in what was then the Ponte pavilion, marked the beginning of an extraordinary journey. At that moment, shaking the hand of Professor Yvan Torrente, director of the stem cell laboratory, something sparked in me that went beyond the usual doctor-patient encounter. That handshake, that smile, and the lively scientific environment were the spark that ignited my passion for research.

My name is Marco Stefanati, and I am affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy. From that day, I began spending time in the laboratory, absorbing the enthusiasm of the researchers and feeling that I could be part of that world. That passion planted a seed that led me to graduate in Bioengineering at the Politecnico di Milano, earn a PhD, and ultimately make research my profession. Today, I work in the very place where it all began.

2006–2008 – A Journey of Growth

“Passion Takes Shape
During my years at Liceo Scientifico Gandini in Lodi, I spent time in Professor Yvan Torrente’s laboratory at the Policlinico di Milano. There, I had the opportunity to collaborate on various experimental activities, immediately nurturing my curiosity and passion for science.”

February 27, 2012 – Bachelor’s Degree in Bioengineering

“In the heart of the Aula Magna at the Politecnico di Milano, I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering. It was the first concrete step toward a career in research, the culmination of years of study, driven by the same enthusiasm that had arisen within the walls of the Policlinico. My thesis focused on peripheral vasomotor control, studying slow oscillations in the cutaneous microcirculation to understand the influence of the autonomic nervous system and breathing.”

April 28, 2015 – Master’s Thesis Defense

“That day, while defending my Master’s thesis in Bioengineering, I felt that all the work I had done was finally coming to life. The emotion was even greater thanks to the presence of Professor Yvan Torrente and his research team, a testament to our scientific and personal bond. My thesis evaluated the biomechanical efficacy of biological tracheal prostheses for the treatment of severe conditions, demonstrating that treatment with EDC-NHS was biomechanically more compatible compared to Glutaraldehyde.”

2016–2017 – A Mathematical Model for Dystrophic Muscle

“After graduation, I began a research project at the Politecnico di Milano, working on the development of a mathematical model to simulate the behavior of muscle affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The project stemmed from my deep desire to better understand the disease that has always been part of my life. Preliminary results showed that alterations in muscle fibers can impair force transmission, providing clinicians with a predictive tool useful for testing new therapies.”

2017–2020 – PhD in Bioengineering

“I continued my research with a PhD in Bioengineering at the Politecnico di Milano. In this project, developed in collaboration with Prof. José Rodríguez Matas and Prof. Yvan Torrente, I built a mathematical model capable of analyzing how microstructural alterations in dystrophic muscle affect its force and velocity. The results, published in international scientific journals, represent a step forward in understanding the progression of DMD and in developing new therapies that reduce reliance on animal models. This journey was also made possible thanks to the support of the Associazione Gli Amici di Emanuele – Fondo DMD – ETS, particularly Dr. Alberto De Liso, whose encouragement was invaluable.”

June 27, 2018 – Award at the National Bioengineering Congress

“I attended GNB 2018 at the Politecnico di Milano, receiving an award for the best scientific poster. It was my first conference, and the excitement of presenting the project in English before a committee was unforgettable. That recognition confirmed that my efforts had value and encouraged me to feel like an active part of the scientific community.”

December 11, 2020 – PhD Awarded
“I earned my PhD in Bioengineering at the Politecnico di Milano, with a thesis published in the journal Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials.”

June 7–8, 2021 – Best Doctoral Thesis Award
“I received the award for the Best Doctoral Thesis in Theoretical and Applied Biomechanics, a recognition that crowned the dedication I invested throughout my PhD journey. The event, though virtual, provided a valuable space for exchange and visibility for young researchers. New challenges and friendships that last over time.”

2021–2023 – Classification of Atherosclerotic Plaques
“From 2021 to 2023, I worked on a project evaluating the vulnerability of coronary atherosclerotic plaques. I demonstrated that maximum Von Mises stress is an effective predictor of risk, an important step toward patient-specific risk stratification based on biomechanical models.”

2023–Present – Artificial Intelligence for Medicine

“Today, I am working on an innovative project in collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano, Centro Cardiologico Monzino, Ospedale San Raffaele, and Policlinico San Matteo. Our goal is to develop artificial intelligence tools that analyze coronary CT scans to predict the risk of unstable plaques. I focus on the biomechanical aspect, studying the stresses on the plaques. This is a crucial element for more personalized and preventive medicine, which is often overlooked.

Even though this project is not directly connected to my initial research path, the friendship and guidance of Professor Yvan Torrente continue to be a central reference for me, both personally and scientifically.”

Publications

• V. Lissoni, G. Luraghi, M. Stefanati, J. F. Rodriguez Matas, and F. Migliavacca, “Computational methods used to investigate atherosclerosis progression in coronary arteries: structural FEA, CFD or FSI”, Journal of Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, 270:1-11, 2025.
• A. Corti, M. Stefanati, M. Leccardi, O. De Filippo, A. Depaoli, P. Cerveri, F. Migliavacca, V. D.A. Corino, J. F. Rodriguez Matas, L. Mainardi, and G. Dubini, “Predicting vulnerable coronary arteries: A combined radiomics-biomechanics approach”, Journal of Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, 260:1-12, 2025.
• M. Stefanati, A. Corti, V. D. A. Corino, M. R. Bennett, Z. Teng, G. Dubini, and J. F. Rodriguez Matas, “Effect of variability of mechanical properties on the predictive capabilities of vulnerable coronary plaques”, Journal of Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, 254:1-9, 2024.
• S. Gahima, P. Díez, M. Stefanati, J. F. Rodríguez Matas, and A. García-González, “An Unfitted Method with Elastic Bed Boundary Conditions for the Analysis of Heterogeneous Arterial Sections”, Journal of Mathematics, 11:1-17, 2023.
• M. Stefanati, Y. Torrente, and J. F. Rodriguez Matas, “Effect of myofibril architecture on the active contraction of dystrophic muscle. A mathematical model”, Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 114:1-9, 2021.
• M. Stefanati, C. Villa, Y. Torrente, and J. F. Rodriguez Matas, “A mathematical model of healthy and dystrophic skeletal muscle biomechanics”, Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 134:1-16, 2020.

Conferences

• 18 – 19 September 2023, Turin, Italy: XII Annual Meeting of the Italian Chapter of the European Society of Biomechanics, S. Gahima, P. Díez, M. Stefanati, J. F. Rodríguez Matas, and A. García-González, “An unfitted method with robin boundary conditions for the analysis of heterogeneous arterial sections”, p. 1, 2023.
• 19 – 21 June 2023, Gothenburg, Sweden: XI International Conference on Adaptive Modeling and Simulation – ADMOS 2023, S. Gahima, P. Díez, M. Stefanati, J. F. Rodríguez Matas, and A. García-González, “Towards patient-specific modelling of Atherosclerotic Arterial Sections”, p. 1-2, 2023.
• 26 – 29 June 2022, Porto, Portugal: 27th Congress of the European Society of Biomechanics (ESB), M. Stefanati, G. Dubini, M. R. Bennett, Z. Teng, and J. F. Rodriguez Matas, “Using hyper- or linear- properties does not affect predictive capability of vulnerable coronary plaques”, p. 1, 2022.
• 11 – 14 July 2021, Milan, Italy: 26th Congress of the European Society of Biomechanics (ESB), M. Stefanati, Y. Torrente, and J.F. Rodriguez Matas, “Modeling of Myofibril Misalignment in Dystrophic Fiber”, ESBiomech Conference 2021, p. 1, 2021 (accepted for podium presentation).
• 30 September – 1 October 2019, Bologna, Italy: IX Annual Meeting of the Italian Chapter of the European Society of Biomechanics (ESB-ITA), M. Stefanati, C. Villa, Y. Torrente, and J. F. Rodriguez Matas, “A three-dimensional model for dystrophic muscle”, ESB-ITA Meeting 2019, p. 1-2, 2019.
• 25 – 27 June 2018, Milan, Italy: GNB 2018 – Sixth National Congress of Bioengineering, M. Stefanati, C. Villa, Y. Torrente, and J. F. Rodriguez Matas, “A mathematical model of healthy and dystrophic skeletal muscle biomechanics”, Sixty National Congress of Bioengineering, p. 1-4, 2018.
• 27 May 2017, Lainate, Italy: Partecipazione alla conferenza: “Ricordando Emanuele 2017 – Un Trattamento per stare meglio”, Associazione Gli Amici di Emanuele – Fondo DMD – ONLUS, Presentazione orale dal titolo: “Biomechanical model of dystrophic skeletal muscle”.
• 17 – 19 February 2017, Rome, Italy: Partecipazione alla XV CONFERENZA INTERNAZIONALE SULLA DISTROFIA MUSCOLARE DI DUCHENNE E BECKER, Presentazione orale dal titolo: “Modello biomeccanico del muscolo scheletrico distrofico”.
• 24 – 29 July 2016, Seoul, Korea: 12th World Congress on Computational Mechanic conference (WCCM), M. Stefanati, C. Villa, C. Sitzia, Y. Torrente, and J. F. Rodriguez Matas, “Biomechanical model of dystrophic skeletal muscle”, 2016.
• 2 – 5 September 2015, Leuven, Belgium: 42nd Annual Conference of the European Association for Artificial Organs (ESAO), P. Bagnoli, M. Pecchiari, L. Possenti, C. Shao, M. Stefanati, D. Tommasin, and F. Acocella, “Biomechanical analysis of the effects of cross-linking treatments for tracheal bio-prostheses”, 2015.
• 22 – 25 April 2012, Kazimierz Dolny, Poland: Proceedings of the 7th International conference of the European Study Group on Cardiovascular Oscillations (ESGCO), F. Aletti, A. M. Bianchi, S. De Dionigi, S. Ferlisi, N. Gambarotta, M. Stefanati, and G. Baselli, “Effects of paced breathing and Valsalva maneuver on microcirculation dynamics observed by means of laser Doppler flowmetry”, 2012.