Prof. Leandro Pecchia

Professor of Biomedical Engineering (Electronic and informatics bioengineering ING-INF/06). Graduated in EEE, specialized in Biomedical Engineering in 2005 at the Uny “Federico II” of Naples, where received also a PhD in BME & Management of Healthcare Services in 2009. After a brief appointments as PDRA at UNINA, he moved to the UK (University of Sheffield, 2008-2009; University of Nottingham, 2011-2013) and in 2013 at the University of Warwick, where he is part-time Professor of Biomedical Engineering.

Since September 2020, Prof Pecchia is the innovation manager for the non-pharmacological COVID-19 technologies at the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency program (WHE) in the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) unit.

He authored more than 200 peer-reviewed papers on journals, books and conferences in the fields of medical devices, biomedical signal processing, Health Technology Assessment (HTA), Internet of Things and machine learning and AI applied to active and healthy ageing and management of chronic diseases (Prof Pecchia updated publication list).

Dr Pecchia is a proactive member of several scientific societies and NGOs in official relations with the United Nations.

Currently, he is President (2021-23) of the European scientific society of biomedical engineering (EAMBES), Secretary General (2022-25) of the International Federation of Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE). In the Past he has been the Secretary General (2018-2022) of the International scientific society of medical physics and biomedical engineering (IUPESM), Treasurer (2018-2022) of the IFMBE Clinical Engineering Division, and former IFMBE Healthcare Technology Assessment Division Chair (2015-18) and Treasurer (2012-15).

Projects and Grants

• Leveraging AI based technology to transform the future of health care delivery in Leading Hospitals in Europe (ODIN), Funded by: H2020 , Smart Hosptial and AI call (H2020-DT-2020-1), Project Start Date 01-03-2021 - Project End Date 31-08-2024
• Nocturnal Hypoglycaemia detection via ECG and Artificial Intelligence in diabetic patients, Funded by: Wellcome Trust Translational Partnership, Project Start Date 01-06-2020 - Project End Date 31-03-2022
• GATEKEEPER: Smart living homes – whole interventions demonstrator for people at health and social risks, Funded by: Horizon2020, Project Start Date 01-10-2019 - Project End Date 31-03-2023 Link
• HTA of medical devices relying on AI algorithms, Funded by: private funding , Project Start Date 01-05-2021 - Project End Date 31-12-2021
• Hypoglycaemia detection via ECG and Artificial Intelligence in diabetic patients, Funded by: EPSRC IAA, Project Start Date 01-08-2020 - Project End Date 31-12-2021
• Covid-19 pandemic Social and Healthcare dynamic impact in Benin, Funded by: Warwick Global Research Priority on Health and Technology, Project Start Date 01-05-2020 - Project End Date 31-12-2020

• EPSRC Cyclops Grand Challenge Workshop, Funded by: EPSRC, Project Start Date 01-05-2018 - Project End Date 31-07-2019
• Supporting the harmonisation of regulations on medical devices and medical locations among Sub-Saharan African Regions and Europe, Funded by: CGRF, Project Start Date 03-09-2018 - Project End Date 31-03-2020
• Health Technology Assessment of Medical Devices in low and middle income countries, Funded by: EPSRC IAA, Project Start Date 01-03-2017 - Project End Date 31-03-2020
• European network for innovative uses of EMFs in biomedical applications (EMF-MED) Action BM1309 Funded by: European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST), Project Start Date 15-11-2013 - Project End Date 14-11-2017
• Sleep quality, Centre-of-Pressure sway and standing hypotension to estimate the risk of falling and predict accidental falls, Funded by: Royal Society, Project Start Date 10-03-2015 - Project End Date 09-03-2016

Selected Publications

Journal papers published in 2022

1. On the universality of Medical Device Regulations: the case of Benin, BMC Health Services Research, (accepted 29 Apr 2022).
2. COVID-19 preparedness and social dynamics in a Sub-Saharan Africa country, Benin, Health Promotion International (accepted 4 Apr 2022).
3. Social engagement in the fight against COVID-19 in the urban and peri-urban areas of Cotonou (Benin, Sub-Saharan Africa): acceptability of the vaccination and tracking program, Frontiers in Medicine (accepted March 2022).
4. (2022). Predictors of adverse events after endoscopic ultrasound through-the-needle biopsy of pancreatic cysts: a recursive partitioning analysis. Endoscopy, Endoscopy 2022; 54(S 01): S87-S88, https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0042-1744769
5. (2022) Biomedical engineering in low- and middle-income settings: analysis of current state, challenges and best practices. Health Technol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12553-022-00657-8
6. (2022) Use of technology to prevent, detect, manage and control hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic reviewBMJ Open 2022;12:e058840. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058840
7. (2022). Personalized Training via Serious Game to Improve Daily Living Skills in Pediatric Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder, IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics (J-BHI). https://doi.org/10.1109/JBHI.2022.3155367
8. (2022). Toward a Symbolic AI Approach to the WHO/ACSM Physical Activity & Sedentary Behavior Guidelines. Applied Sciences, 12(4), 1776. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12041776
9. (2022). POSB52 Exploring the Misalignment on the Value of Further Research between Payers and Manufacturers: A Case Study on a Novel Total Artificial Heart. Value in Health, 25(1), S70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2021.11.325
10. (2022) 3D-printed activated charcoal inlet filters for oxygen concentrators: a circular economy approach. Development Engineering 7 (2022) 100094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.deveng.2022.100094 
11. (2022) The use of Artificial Intelligence Systems in Diagnosis of Pneumonia via signs and symptoms: a systematic review. Biomedical Signal Processing and Control. Volume 72, Part A, February 2022, 103325, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bspc.2021.103325
12. (2022). From Syndemic Lesson after COVID-19 Pandemic to a “Systemic Clinical Risk Management” Proposal in the Perspective of the Ethics of Job Well Done. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(1), 15. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010015