A Pioneer in Regenerative Surgery and Medicine: Professor Michele Zocchi

Ever since COVID swept each and every human being off their feet and locked them in their realities, people were able to do more than just learn a new skill or spend time with their families. These troubling times brought many of them face-to-face with their real selves. For many, it was a time of realization more than it was of isolation. They learned what their priorities were and what they wanted to pursue in their life. These realizations came in all shapes and sizes, and while some took life-changing decisions that affected the external aspects of their lives, many chose to look within and decide what was best for them.

A national survey by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that 3 out of 4 plastic surgery clinics participating in the survey saw an increase in plastic surgery cases as compared to pre-pandemic levels. There may be several reasons for this phenomenon, but the goal remains the same: to feel good about oneself. Times like these help us realize and appreciate the efforts and contributions of people like Professor Michele Zocchi, who is well-known for his great contributions to the field of adipose tissue physiopathology and regenerative surgery, highlighting since 1989 the great potential of adipose tissue as the most important souce of cellular components.

Born on May 8, 1952, in Chambéry, France, Professor Zocchi graduated from the University of Turin in 1978 and earned his qualification as M.D. and a surgeon. He obtained postgraduate degrees and gave his qualifying exams at the Pierre and Marie Curie University of Paris, France, in 1985, completed his master’s degree in Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery at the University of Pavia, Italy, in 1989, and completed his doctorate in Biophysics from the University of Turin in 1999.

Being skilled in his field, Professor Zocchi specialized in craniofacial surgery, plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery. He completed his academic degrees as well as served as a fellow surgeon in a number of hospitals. The institutions he Professor Zocchi attended include the St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in Houston – Texas, Pierre and Marie Curie University in France,  the Foch Hospital in Paris, the University of Naples in Italy, the University of Padua in Italy, Washington University in Missouri, and Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. He served as Professor at Padua University in Italy and University of Science, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City.

The future of healthcare industry may witness further robust advancements in adipose tissue physiopathology and regenerative surgery due to significant contributions of Professor Zocchi.