Since March 2020, moment of the first appearance of COVID-19 pandemic, Prof. Zocchi has devoted much of his time and attention to extending his expertise and knowledge in this very challenging medical field.
In particular in the context of an important research project of the Institute of Plastic Surgery of the University of Padua, for the evaluation of the existing possibility of using adult mesenchymal stem cells and other cellular components with the aim of developing new therapeutic options using regenerative strategies. This is in order to better control and modulate the cytokine storm at the origin of all the most deleterious outcomes during the acute phase of the infection and eventually treating residual pulmonary interstitial fibrosis which is one of its most feared sequelae.
Since May 2020, he is also part of an interdisciplinary group for the evaluation of rapid antigenic and antibodies diagnostic tests in close collaboration with important international Partners. To date, the group has conducted more than 4000 comparative tests on more than 15 different diagnostic kits, both antigenic and antibody, and has contributed to the structuring of several evaluation protocols to achieve the different approvals and registrations according to CE standards.
Currently he is providing scientific advice in few Covid Technical Committees and holds the role of Scientific Consultant for Assut Europe, one of the most important players in this field in Italy.
