Prof. Francesco Ciccia is a MD and PhD, specialized in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology for many years involved in research on the immunological basis of sytemic autoimmune diseases. His training took place between the University of Palermo and the King’s College of London. Currently Dr. Ciccia holds the position of Full Professor of Rheumatology and head of the section of Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology at the University of Naples. The research of Professor. Ciccia is focused on the study of the innate and adaptive immune mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of Ankylosing Spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome and giant cell vasculitis.