According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), there are 1.7 million “undiscovered” viruses that exist in mammals and birds and around 827,000 of those viruses are infectious for humans. COVID-19 was one of the airborne viruses that existed in birds and infected human beings. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the virus originated in birds and was transferred to humans through an intermediate animal. As per the WHO team, the first case of COVID-19 was found in an office worker with no travel history in Wuhan, China, on 8 December 2019. The virus started spreading in the city and later across the globe as Wuhan was a highly connected city.
The origin and spread of the virus have been investigated by the WHO as well as independent researchers. Unaware and unfamiliar with the virus, the healthcare professionals found it extremely difficult to prescribe an effective method for treatment. The healthcare sector was completely blown away by the intensity of the outbreak, which further burdened the healthcare industry. The intensity of the outbreak along with the absence of effective treatment further exacerbated the issue. Pathologists and clinical researchers across the globe conducted research to find out an effective treatment and preventive methods. Even after the outbreak subsided, researchers continued their efforts in order to find out treatments for COVID-affected patients.
Arianna Di Stadio is one of the researchers who has heavily contributed to research activities related to COVID-19. She is the person who discovered the treatment for symptoms related to loss of smell due to the COVID-19 infection. Her treatment is a combination between olfactory training and an anti-neuroinflammation molecule (PEA-LUT) that is being used in different countries. Di Stadio’s groundbreaking research can be attributed to her vast experience as a clinical researcher. She has served as a research consultant for various medical industries such as Humana Pharmaceutical. She keeps on collaborating with various universities in the USA, Europe, China, and Eastern countries to develop new applications for medical technologies in Otolaryngology and identify advanced medical treatments.
Di Stadio is a clinical researcher, surgeon (neuro-otologist and facial plastic), and neuroscientist. She was born in Rome, Italy but has lived in different cities including Boston, Brussels, Paris, and London. She pursued a degree in medicine from La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy in 1999 and a doctorate in Advanced Audiology Technologies in 2007. She was the recipient of the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery (EAFPS) Fellowship in 2008.
Di Stadio has served as a clinical fellowship in multiple notable institutions including at the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery; a Clinical Fellowship in Microsurgery at the University of Paris (2011), and a Clinical Fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Bordeaux Segalen University (2014). She became a Senior Research Fellow in Otology and Laryngology at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts in 2015. In 2017, she completed a master’s degree in Applied Biostatic from Harvard University, Massachusetts, and another master’s in Implantable Hearing Prosthesis from the University La Sapienza in 2021. She is currently pursuing a master’s in Clinical Neurology from UCL Queen Square Neurology, London.
Starting her career as a consultant for facial nerve disorders at the Infective Disease Department, Policlinico Umberto I University Hospital, Italy, in 2004, Di Stadio has come a long way. She was highly interested in neuro-otology activities which included cochlear implant surgery and schwannoma removal and completed two fellowships in France in order to efficiently deal with facial nerve issues, as a facial plastic surgeon and neuro-otologist. She has served as a consultant for Facial Nerve Disorders in multiple hospitals and as Director of the Facial Palsy Center at Arsmedica Clinic, Rome.
Di Stadio had the golden opportunity of working with the famous professor of Neurology Corrado Angelini, who introduced her to the field of neurology while serving as an Assistant Physician at IRCCS (Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico), San Camillo, Venice in 2017. She is an adjoint professor at multiple universities including the University of Bologna, La Sapienza University, the University of Perugia, the University of Tor Vergata, and the University of Catania.
Di Stadio has written numerous research articles and penned chapters for various books including Translational Autoimmunity (Volume 4): Autoimmune Disease in Different Organs, Advance in the rehabilitation of hearing loss, Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment, Facial Paralysis: Clinical Features, Management, and Outcomes, and Hearing loss: medical-legal aspect. She is also an editor and ad-hoc reviewer of various medical journals.
Di Stadio’s contributions to healthcare have been recognized time and again. She was awarded the 2022 Winner Lecco prize for best work in salivary glands by the Italian Society of Otorhinolaryngology. She was also granted the 2022 Lencioni Prize for best experimental work in Otolaryngology by the Italian Society of Otorhinolaryngology for her work toward the treatment of COVID-19-related smell disorders.
The world has been able to navigate through the pandemic successfully due to the research activities of healthcare professionals, pathologists, and clinical researchers. Without extensive research and Individuals like Di Stadio, who carry on their research activities for the welfare and well-being of humanity, it would have been impossible to develop vaccination and discover the treatment for COVID-19.