Giorgio Walter Canonica is currently a Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the Humanitas University and the Director of the Personalised Medicine, Asthma and Allergy Centre at the Humanitas Research Hospital Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care, Milan. Professor Canonica initially specialised in pulmonary diseases after having received his medical degree from the University of Genoa, he then specialised in allergy and clinical immunology at the University of Florence. He subsequently conducted clinical immunology and allergology research in several European universities and institutes, in addition to 2 years at the Medical University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA. Since returning to the University of Genoa in 1995, Professor Canonica has held a number of academic positions, including Director of the Speciality School of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Director of the Specialty School of Pulmonary Diseases, Full Professor of Pulmonary Medicine and Chairman of the Department of Medical Specialities.

Professor Canonica has a particular research interest in the interactions between immunocompetent cells, inflammatory cells and epithelial cells in allergic inflammation and airway remodelling.

Professor Canonica has served as president of the World Allergy Organization, the Interasma-Global Asthma Association, the Italian Society of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology and the Italian Society of Respiratory Medicine. He is an executive committee member of Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA), a board member of Collegium Internationale Allergologicum, a board member of the Global Allergy and Asthma Excellence Network, Vice President of the Respiratory Effectiveness Group, Chair of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Methodology Committee, a member of the European Academy of Sciences and a steering committee member of the Severe Asthma Network in Italy. He has received a number of honours and awards, including the World Allergy Organization Award for Outstanding Scientific Contributions. Furthermore, he has published over 800 peer-reviewed papers in international journals (H index 111; Citations >64.000) on topics including severe asthma and allergic rhinitis.