Fiesole has played host to the 2025 edition of the World Heart Federation (WHF) Emerging Leaders program – an event that inaugurates a new partnership between the international federation and Fondazione Menarini.
For the first time ever, the WHF held its annual meeting in Italy, at the Fondazione Menarini auditorium. Over five days, young doctors and scientists from the United States, Australia, Nepal, Brazil, and elsewhere gathered to confront key challenges in cardiovascular health, with artificial intelligence taking center stage. The program’s purpose is clear: to shape the next wave of leaders capable of combating cardiovascular diseases – the leading cause of death worldwide. With a network of more than one hundred member nations, the WHF sees young professionals as engines of innovation. CEO Finn-Jarle Rode summed up the ambition: «We must narrow the distance between research, clinicians, and patients».
AI took center stage at this year’s edition, focusing on its role in prevention, diagnosis, and disease management. The technology is no longer theoretical: in Minas Gerais, Brazil, AI-powered algorithms read more than five thousand electrocardiograms daily, delivering diagnostic support to 1,500 municipalities through a pioneering telemedicine program.
The potential, however, goes far beyond handling vast quantities of data. Enhanced ECG readings powered by AI could make it easier to identify Chagas disease, which affects over six million individuals and still depends on blood tests for diagnosis. In parallel, intelligent monitoring of smartwatch and wearable sensor data could alert clinicians to deteriorating heart function or developing arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation – opening the door to timely, even life-saving, intervention.
Professor Clara Chow from the University of Sydney offered a compelling perspective: the objective is not cheap healthcare in the pejorative sense, but rather scalable innovation that extends high-quality care to broader populations. Among the tools already suitable for clinical deployment are conversational chatbots and automated reminder systems for tests and follow-up appointments, particularly valuable in post-discharge patient management.
Looking further ahead, AI stands to transform cardiovascular pharmacotherapy through algorithms that identify optimal treatments, anticipate adverse effects, and accelerate clinical trials via digital twins. Professor Chow nonetheless cautioned against blind trust in technology: rigorous validation, data integrity, patient privacy, and algorithmic transparency remain non-negotiable.
Innovation, however, is only part of the equation: scientific breakthroughs must find their way into the hands of clinicians. This is where implementation science comes in, identifying the obstacles that slow the journey from discovery to patient care. As Pablo Perel from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine pointed out: «The translation of new advances into clinical practice remains insufficient, especially in low-resource environments». Bridging this divide is exactly what the Emerging Leaders program – now celebrating its tenth year – sets out to achieve, equipping participants with evidence-based strategies and preparing them to lead the next chapter of cardiovascular medicine.
Through this partnership, Fondazione Menarini and the WHF unite in pursuit of a common vision: ensuring that everyone, everywhere, has the chance to live a longer, healthier life.
Fondazione Menarini is honored and proud to welcome the WHF to Fiesole.