Vincenzo De Angelis

Vincenzo De Angelis, one of the leading lights in European Transfusion Medicine, has been appointed as a lifelong member of the International Plasma and Fractionation Association (IPFA). Vincenzo has recently retired from the Board of IPFA after a distinguished tenure representing the Centro Nazionale Sangue (CNS) (Italian National Blood Centre), which he headed from 2020-2025. This position crowned his long career in transfusion medicine in Italy and in Europe, where he continues to preside over the European School of Transfusion Medicine, a not-for-profit Association under the Italian law operating in the field of education in Transfusion Medicine. 

Vincenzo comes from a distinguished family of Italian physicians, with both his father and grandfather having been specialists in various fields of medicine. His father was drawn into transfusion medicine through his speciality in haematology, in which he authored several publications. It was therefore natural, or, as Vincenzo himself says “sono figlio d’arte” (I am a son of the art [of medicine]), that, after graduating in Medicine “cum laude” from the University of Padova, he obtained post-doctoral specialisations in Haematology and Clinical Biology, he entered the Italian Blood System through the Blood Transfusion Centre in Pordenone in the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia Region in 1984. In the succeeding decades, Vincenzo undertook several appointments in the transfusion system in the other major cities in this region of Italy, culminating in his Directorship of the Blood Transfusion Centre in Udine over 2008-2020. Following this long period f activity in Friuli-Venezia-Giulia he was called upon by the Minister of Health to assume the leadership of the Italian Blood Centre in 2020. 

And just in time! This final part of Vincenzo’s public career was to prove the most challenging, as he assumed the stewardship of the CNS in the early stage of the Covid pandemic. Throughout this difficult period, Vincenzo and the  CNS coordinated the Italian blood system’s response to the pandemic while maintaining the day to day activities of the CNS in its role as the Italian Ministry’s competent body in all matters relating to blood transfusion. In my view, Vincenzo’s most significant achievement in this final, key role was to enhance the visibility and the importance of plasma collection, which, during this period and after a short hiatus imposed by the pandemic, grew at a rapid pace to now approach a thousand tonnes each year. 

IPFA recognizes Vincenzo’s role in strengthening the Italian system’s capacity to collect plasma for fractionation and strive for strategic independence for Italy in the field of plasma-derived medicinal products throughout his career. He was an influential and respected key opinion leader in establishing the system of consortia, each capable of generating an economically viable volume of plasma and each with their own fractionator, which has ensured the presence of all the major fractionation organisations in Italy. This has resulted in significant economic benefits for the health system, as well as maintain a wide range of products whose manufacture is controlled by the public health agencies.  

Throughout his career, Vincenzo has represented Italy in many international bodies in the field of transfusion medicine, including the relevant expert bodies of the European Department for Quality in Medicines, the International Society for Blood Transfusion and the European School for Transfusion Medicine. He has also been called upon to contribute his expertise and experience to the development of blood systems outside Italy. Throughout his career as a medical scientist, he has authored and co-authored over 100 publications in the peer-reviewed literature, as well as being the Associate Editor of the journal “Blood Transfusion”. 

And now, as he enters a well-deserved period of retirement, Vincenzo enjoys time with his family, particularly with his grandson Leone, and indulges his passion for classic literature and travel when the occasion requires it. I am proud to know him, to call him my friend and to join with IPFA in recognizing one of the giants of our field. Tantissimi auguri, caro Vincenzo!