April 1990
University degree (mark: 110/110) in Medicine and Surgery at the Istituto di Terapia Medica Sistematica (Institute of Systematic Medical Therapy) (Head: Professor Giorgio Ricci) of the University “La Sapienza” of Rome, with an experimental dissertation on Food Science issues. Supervisor: Professor Michelangelo Cairella.
1991
Postgraduate School for Liver and Metabolic Diseases at the Istituto di Terapia Medica Sistematica (Institute of Systematic Medical Therapy) of the University “La Sapienza” of Rome. Training in the operational management of extracorporeal circulation methods, with special regard to selective therapeutic aphaeresis, at the Plasmapheresis Laboratory (Head: Prof. Claudia Stefanutti) of the Institute of Systematic Medical Therapy.
1993
Awarded a scholarship by DIDECO (SORIN Biomedica S.p.A.), Mirandola, Italy for the development of an innovative method in semi-selective therapeutic plasmapheresis in severe hyperlipoproteinemias (LDL-aphaeresis) by double cascade filtration.
Temporary appointment at the emergency medical service at the National Health Board LT 2 (Cisterna di Latina, Latina, Italy).
1994
Medical-scientific consultant at HAEMOCLUB INTERNATIONAL s.r.l., Rome, Italy, for the development of extracorporeal circulation methods through a continuous flow blood cell separator, with both the centrifugation and the cascade filtration techniques.
Temporary appointment at the emergency medical service at the National Health Board LT 2 (Cisterna di Latina, Latina, Italy).
1995
Contract assignment with Università degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza” for the provision of professional services concerning the use of: ULTRACENTRIFUGE CENTRIKON and other equipment. Rank: Contract technician, as per art.5 of Presidential Decree 26/10/1972, No.633. The assignment was carried out at the facilities of Clinical Biochemistry and Plasmapheresis of the Istituto di Terapia Medica Sistematica (Institute of Systematic Medical Therapy) (Head: Professor Giorgio Ricci), at the University Hospital “Policlinico Umberto I”, Rome.
1996
Postgraduate degree in “Liver and metabolic diseases”. Experimental dissertation: Treatment of refractory ascites by ascites aphaeresis. Supervisor: Professor Giorgio Ricci, Co-supervisor: Prof. Claudia Stefanutti.
In the same year, Dr. José Miguel Boquinas, Head of the Division of Internal Medicine and Nephrology of the Hospital of Santa Cruz, invited Doctor Di Giacomo to participate in the organization of a Centre for LDL-aphaeresis as a trainer for the personnel involved.
At the same time, upon invitation by Doctor Egidio Pedro, she carried out a study and collaboration stage at the Institute of Cardiology and the Department of Biochemistry of the University of Lisbon, on the issue of non-pharmacological intervention strategies in familial hypercholesterolemia.
1997/1998
Assistant, on a voluntary basis, at the Department of Plasmaphaeresis (Head: Prof. Claudia Stefanutti), belonging to the “Istituto di Terapia Medica Sistematica”. Refinement of the conventional (plasma-exchange), semi-selective and selective techniques of therapeutic plasmaphaeresis. Development of the ascites aphaeresis method. Attendance at the outpatient clinic of the “Centro per la Lotta alle Malattie Metaboliche e alla Arteriosclerosi” (Arteriosclerosis and Metabolic Diseases Centre) belonging to the “Istituto di Terapia Medica Sistematica” of the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and headed by Prof.