Prior to his current position, he was the Attending Physician at the Medical Oncology–Inpatient Department in the Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland in Bellinzona. Dr Stathis earned a medical degree from the University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy, in 2003, before completing a specialty degree in oncology at the University of Insubria, Varese, Italy, in 2007. During his postgraduate training, Dr Stathis was a Fellow in medical oncology at the Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, and a Fellow in the Drug Development Programme, at Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto, in Toronto, Canada.