Professor Attilio Maseri died on September 3 2021 in Friuli where he was born. Maseri has been one of the most brilliant opinion leaders in cardiology during and beyond the last century. After study in medicine in Padua (where William Harvey was a student), he then consecutively moved every 5 to 10 years, first to Pisa, New York (Columbia), Baltimore (NIH), London (Hammersmith), Rome, Milan, Florence and back to Udine.
His challenging of accepted traditional thinking and pathophysiology paradigms supported by rigorous research on both sides of the Atlantic made him one of the most innovative clinical research leader and scientist. Many young fellows working with him in Italy and in the UK during the 1970s and 1980s, from all over the world, well remember how he, with an unprecedented visionary strategy, firmly fostered the application of informatics, molecular and genetic biology describing among the first authors "precision medicine" in the late 90thies " among other topics, which he further explored and expanded during the following years.
Doubtless, his major and unique contributions have been an in-depth understanding of the complexity of macro- and micro-coronary circulation, and the pioneering understanding of the complementary role of alternative pathophysiological pathways (among others inflammation and vasospasm) in further explaining the residual risk in patients with coronary artery disease.
Attilio Maseri visited as distinguished invited guest all the major Swiss university cardiology divisions, and as a passionate snowboarder (which he learned at the age of 67!) he very much liked our country. He used to tell me sympathetically how “rumantsch” was very similar to his dialect from Friuli…
For the countless disciples who had the privilege to work with him, we would like to quote one of his most favorite lesson of humility in research highlighting the personality of this giant in cardiology. “The acquisition of knowledge does not necessarily make things more comprehensible, but rather often adds novel complexities.”
