Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Torino, Italy, under Mario Morino, he has a long clinical experience in minimally invasive surgery and colorectal cancer. Educated at the University of Tuebingen under Gerhard Buess, he was initiated to surgery through the transanal approach first and to design operative techniques and devices for flexible endoscopy, becoming a pioneer of Natural Orifices Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES).

His interest in the field of technologies included the application of robotics and the development of microrobots for endoluminal surgery (see RED – Robot for Endoscopic Dissection patent). He is Research Lead at Minimally Invasive Therapy & Innovation Centre, University of Torino. Former Chair of the Technology Committee, he is now General Secretary of the European Association Endoscopic Surgery (EAES).