New York, New York Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi, the Lewis Atterbury Stimson Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College and Surgeon-in-Chief at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, received the prestigious Campano d'Oro 2010 medal from the University of Pisa, the highest honor that can be accorded to a University of Pisa alumnus.

The ceremony was held at the University of Pisa in Pisa, Italy. The Associazione Laureati dell’Ateneo Pisano (ALAP) selected Dr. Michelassi for this award in recognition of his many significant contributions and accomplishments in the field of surgery. The prize was awarded by the president of ALAP, Attilio Salvetti. The Campano d'Oro" prize was instituted in 1971 in honor of former students of the University of Pisa who are distinguished in the field of culture, science, industry and teaching. Among the illustrious winners of this award is the former president of the Republic of Italy, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, whose"Campano d'Oro" was given to him when he was governor of the Bank of Italy. The medal presented to the winner represents the medieval tower, the Campano Tower , located a few meters from the Sapienza Palace in Pisa. The tower was given its name from the ancient bell that signaled the beginning and end of lectures at the university during the Medieval times.

Fabrizio Michelassi, M.D., F.A.C.S., is a world-renowned gastrointestinal surgeon with a strong expertise in the surgical treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and pancreatic, gastric, colon and rectal cancers. Dr. Michelassi is a prolific author of more than 200 papers, book chapters and abstracts, and serves on the editorial board of five prestigious professional journals. His experience and expertise in treating Crohn’s disease led him to develop a novel bowel-sparing procedure now known as the Michelassi strictureplasty, designed to avoid sacrificing large amounts of bowel and facilitate quiescence of the acute disease affecting the diseased intestinal loops. He has edited a book on operative strategies in inflammatory bowel disease and has produced eleven instructional movies for surgeons on the surgical treatment of complications of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Internationally renowned as an outstanding clinician, researcher and teacher, Dr. Michelassi has delivered many named and keynote lectures across the country; has been invited to be a visiting professor at 32 national and international institutions; and has delivered over 180 national and international presentations.

In 2009, in recognition of his many lifetime achievements, Dr. Michelassi was honored as an Official of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy with the rank of Commendatore, the most prestigious and important distinction awarded by the President of the Republic of Italy to Italian citizens of particular merit. He was also inducted as a member of the American Society of the Italian Legions of Merit (ASILM), the Italian-American society comprised of those 600 individuals who have been so decorated by the Republic of Italy. In 2010, Dr. Michelassi received the prestigious 2010 Golden Lion Award from the Order of the Sons of Italy in America.
Dr. Michelassi has served as President of the Society of Surgical Oncology, the Illinois Surgical Society, the Western Surgical Society and the Central Surgical Association. Dr. Michelassi is President-elect of the Society of Surgical Chairs and of the New York Surgical Society; he currently serves as Secretary of the Society of the Alimentary Tract and a Director of the American Board of Surgery. He is a member of more than 40 professional societies in the United States and internationally.

Dr. Michelassi has earned numerous awards for his innovative contributions to advancing the treatment of digestive diseases, including the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Award, the American Cancer Society Cancer Development Award and the Distinguished Leadership Award from the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. His research on Crohn’s disease has been funded by the International Organization of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and his research on the genetics of gastrointestinal cancer has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Cancer Society. He has been repeatedly recognized by Castle Connolly, New York Magazine and Chicago Magazine as one of the "Best Doctors in America." He was chosen as one of “American’s Top Surgeons” by the Consumers’ Research Council of America, and has been selected as one of New York's “Super Doctors” every year since 2008, an honor accorded to fewer than 5 percent of all New York physicians.

Born in Pisa, Italy, and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pisa School of Medicine, Dr. Michelassi completed his internship and surgical residency at New York University and a research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University. In 1984, he joined the faculty of the Department of Surgery at the University of Chicago. He became Section Chief of General Surgery in 1994, tenured Professor in 1995, Vice Chair of the Surgery Department in 2000 and the Thomas D. Jones Professor of Surgery in 2001. He also served as Director of the Surgical Oncology Fellowship from 1988 through 1995 and Director of the General Surgery Residency Program from 1997 through 2004. He moved to his current position at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in 2004.