Concetta Gardi earned her degree in Biological Sciences (summa cum laude) from the University of Siena in 1983 and qualified as a Professional Biologist in 1984. She completed her PhD in Experimental and Molecular Pathology at the University of Turin in 1990 and became Assistant Professor of General Pathology at the University of Siena in 1991. She served on the Faculty Board of the PhD Program in Biology and Cellular Physiopathology. Prof. Gardi is a member of the New York Academy of Sciences, the Italian Society of Pathology, and an Associate Member of the Institute of Food Sciences (CNR). She has participated in many scientific conferences and published extensively. Since 2011, she has been a Senior Instructor of Mindfulness-Based protocols (AIM). She leads the Laboratory for the Study of Stress-Related Diseases (Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena). Her research focuses on environmental stressors at cellular and systemic levels, especially oxidative stress and inflammation. Currently, she studies mindfulness-based interventions and their effects on brain plasticity and stress-related disorders, exploring biological mechanisms through which mindfulness modulates stress and enhances psycho-physical well-being.