Emmanuele Jannini, Italy

When I proposed erectile dysfunction as the topic for my final dissertation at Rome’s medical school back in 1986, my boss asked me, “why do you want to study something incurable? This is stuff for psychologists!”. I was not dissuaded, and my early experiments resulted in two published papers. It seems a lifetime ago now. At that time, very few scientists were interested in the field.
Following this, I specialized in andrology. The emerging field of sexual medicine was still my main interest.

I then moved to the USA – my second home – for two years of hard but rewarding work at the NIDDK/NIH in Bethesda, MD. Here, I learned molecular biology, which I applied to the mechanisms regulating male genitals. On moving back to Italy, I obtained the position of Assistant Professor of Endocrinology in the L’Aquila Medical School. L’Aquila is a medieval town in the heart of Italy, not far from Rome, destroyed by the recent earthquake, but now recovering. It was there I discovered my second passion (after research): education. Winning this position enabled me to become the first person in Italy to officially teach sexual medicine as part of a degree course in medicine.

Now we come to the most recent chapter of my story. I achieved the degree of full professor and  moved to a new challenge: teaching sexology to psychologists, using evidence-based instruments. I am now the coordinator of a unique 2-year public university school of Sexology. My perfectly integrated research teams of young urologists, endocrinologists and psycho-sexologists provide the fundamental back-up to my hectic academic life.

My suitability for this role can be seen in various ways. First, my extensive experience on the executive committees of various Italian and international societies: I am General Secretary of the Italian Society of Endocrinology, Chairman of the Scientific Board of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine, and Member of the Executive Council and Chairman of the Educational Committee of the European Academy of Andrology. Second, my services to the ISSM  itself (I am past chairman of the ISSM Educational Committee and a member of the Standard Committee). Third, my scientific production, almost entirely devoted to sexual medicine, and making use of molecular, clinical, and psychological tools (130 full papers in peer-reviewed international journals, with a total impact factor of 515.3; cited 3290 times; H-index of 33, according to Top Italian Scientists database).

However, the main reason I am asking for your vote is because I would like to become your representative within the Society’s Board of Directors. If elected, my door will always be open to listen to your needs and make them known in policy-deciding meetings. I will be your antenna and your voice.

Finally, a word on the Society’s future development: I will make every effort to increase worldwide education in sexual medicine and to further boost the ISSM’s standing with the international agencies working in the field of public sexual health: the primary task of each proud member of the ISSM.