Christian Verdicchio

Dr Christian Verdicchio

Clinical Senior Lecturer

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Dr Christian Verdicchio is the Chief Executive Officer of Heart Support Australia overseeing the organisation and leading Australia’s largest peer support network to ensure Australians receive long-term support following a cardiac event.

Prior to his work with Heart Support Australia, Dr Verdicchio was the Corporate Allied Health and Cardiac Rehabilitation Manager at Macquarie Health where he established and led Australia’s largest private cardiac rehabilitation program across 12 hospitals in Sydney and Melbourne.

He is a clinician-researcher with extensive experience in exercise in cardiovascular disease and sports cardiology. He completed his PhD in Medicine under the supervision of Prof Prash Sanders and was awarded Dean’s Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence for his PhD titled ‘Exercise in Atrial Fibrillation’. He continues to hold academic appointments as a Clinical Senior Lecturer in the Adelaide Medical School at the University of Adelaide and in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney.

Dr Verdicchio is presently the European Society of Cardiology European Association of Preventive Cardiology Young Ambassador of Australia, and an Executive Member on the CSANZ Allied Health, Science and Technology Council. He has presented and been invited to talk at the leading cardiology conferences globally including the Heart Rhythm Society, Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society, European Heart Rhythm Society, European Society of Cardiology Preventive Cardiology Congress and the Cardiac Society of Australia. He has been selected as a finalist in the Young Investigator Award category at the 2018 ESSA Research to Practice, the 2019 and 2021 ESC Preventive Cardiology congresses, and selected as a finalist for the Early Career Researcher at the ESSA Research to Practice conference in 2021.

Dr Verdicchio has extensive board and governance experience. He was the President of Com.It.Es South Australia from 2017-2021 being the youngest in the world to be elected to such a position. He was one of three founding Board Directors of the new Adelaide Italian Festival in 2019, where he continues to be a Board Director and Head of Partnerships.

He is a current referee on the SA National Premier League (formerly NSW National Premier League) with more than 300-senior fixtures and was formerly a match official on the Hyundai-A-League, Foxtel Youth League and Australian Cup.

Dr Verdicchio brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in cardiology, governance and corporate management to lead Heart Support Australia ensuring it continues to play a key role in providing support and advocating for those heart disease patients living in Australia.

Clinician research with expertise in cardiopulmonary exercise testing and prescription of exercise in patients with atrial fibrillation, heart failure and complex cardiovascular disease. 

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2023 - ongoing Clinical Senior Lecturer University of Adelaide
    2021 - ongoing Clinical Senior Lecturer University of Sydney
    2019 - 2023 Research Fellow University of Adelaide
    2015 - 2019 Exercise Physiologist Cardiovascular Centre - Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders
    2014 - 2019 Sessional Tutor and Lecturer University of Adelaide
    2013 - 2016 Sessional Tutor and Demonstrator Univeristy of South Australia

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2019 Award Dean's Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence University of Adelaide Australia -
    2019 Award ESC EuroPrevent Young Investigator Finalist European Society of Cardiology Portugal -
    2018 Award Research to Practice Young Investigator Awards Finalist Exercise and Sports Science Australia Australia -
    2016 Award Florey Post Grad Research Medical School Prize - Best Abstract 2016 University of Adelaide Australia -
    2015 Scholarship School of Health Sciences Divisional Scholarship University of Adelaide Australia -
    2012 Award University of South Australia Merit Award University of South Australia - -

  • Language Competencies
    Language Competency
    Italian -

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    University of Adelaide Australia PhD (Medicine)
    University of South Australia Australia Bachelor Health Sciences (Honours)
    University of South Australia Australia Grad.Diploma (Clinical.Exercise.Science)
    University of South Australia Australia Bachelor Applied Science (Health & Human Movement)

  • Certifications
    Date Title Institution name Country
    — Member ESC European Association of Preventive Cardiology -
    — Member Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Australia
    — Member Australian Cardiovascular Health & Rehabilitation Association -
    — Accredited Exercise Physiologist - AEP Exercise and Sports Science Australia - ESSA -
    — Accredited Exercise Scientist - AES Exercise and Sports Science Australia - ESSA -

  • Research Interests
    Cardiac, Respiratory and Vascular Health Cardiology Cardiovascular System & Hematology Clinical and Sports Nutrition Exercise Physiology Human Movement and Sports Science Sports Medicine

University of Adelaide School of Health Sciences Divisional Scholarship 2015-2018

Heart Foundation of Australia EO Myers Trust Fund 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019

Lions Medical Research Foundation Travel Grant 2017 

European Society of Cardiology EHRA Travel Grant 2018

The Hospital Research Foundation Travel Grant 2019

University of Adelaide Dean's Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence 2019

I have taught or continue to teach the following courses;

Exercise Physiology,

Human Physiology,

Advanced Exercise Science,

Principles of Exercise Science

Nutrition and Metabolism

MBBS III Year Research Supervisor

 

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2022 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Exercise in Heart Failure University of Adelaide MBBS III Other Full Time Menthi Fernando, Amelia Etchells, Tayla Jackson & Fariza Choudhury
    2021 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Atrial Fibrillation in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: Association With Exercise Capacity, Left Ventricular Filling Pressures, Natriuretic Peptides, and Left Atrial Volume The University of Adelaide MBBS (III Year) Other Full Time Nicole Kate Fernandez, Xin Yi Foo, Minh-Chau Le and Xan Nguyen

  • Memberships
    Date Role Membership Country
    2021 - ongoing Representative ESC European Association of Preventive Cardiology Ambassador for Australia Australia
Connect With Me
External Profiles