We are delighted to announce Dr Daniela Di Carlo as a touchONCOLOGY Future Leader 2026, selected by her peers as a rising star poised to shape the future of paediatric oncology.
Dr Di Carlo is a paediatric oncologist with a strong academic and international profile in the field of high-risk paediatric cancers. She recently completed the prestigious NAIT (New Agent and Innovative Therapies) Fellowship at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, a highly competitive program that reflects her scientific value and international recognition. She also completed a fellowship at Institut Gustave Roussy in Villejuif, France, one of Europe’s leading comprehensive cancer centers, further consolidating her expertise in early-phase clinical trials and translational oncology. These international experiences underscore her scientific standing and her ability to work within globally recognized institutions of excellence.
Dr Di Carlo is currently Pediatric Oncologist at the Pediatric Hematology Oncology Division of the University of Padua, Italy. She is deeply involved in scientific societies at both national and European levels. She is an active member of AIEOP and SIOP Europe (SIOPE), and currently serves as Chair of the Young SIOPE Steering Committee, a prominent leadership role that highlights her commitment to mentorship, collaboration and the empowerment of young investigators across Europe. Her scientific productivity, leadership engagement and international fellowships reflect a career defined by excellence, vision, and a strong commitment to advancing pediatric oncology research and care worldwide.
In this Future Leaders interview, Dr Di Carlo reflects on the mentors who shaped her career, the lessons of resilience and authenticity she carries forward, and the importance of aligning personal values with patient-centered care and lifelong learning in oncology.
“What truly matters is staying aligned with your values and listening to your inner voice. Follow your own path, even when it doesn’t look like everyone else’s journey.”
Q: Can you tell us about a mentor who significantly impacted your career, and the most valuable lesson they have shared with you?
A mentor who has truly shaped my career is an empathetic woman, a brilliant researcher and an outstanding physician who has overcome many personal and professional challenges throughout her life. She represents, to me, a powerful model of passion and intellectual curiosity. She is always willing to listen carefully to what patients and their families have to share, and she remains firmly committed to identifying the best possible course of action in the extremely challenging field of relapsed and hard-to-treat cancers. I had the privilege of being accepted for a fellowship under her supervision and working closely with her. That experience profoundly influenced both my professional development and my personal growth. She taught me the importance of searching for what truly motivates you – because, as she used to say, “that’s what makes you wake up in the morning”. She encouraged me to follow my own path despite inevitable obstacles, to trust my intuition when making difficult decisions and to keep perspective when things do not go as expected. From her, I learned not only scientific rigor, but also resilience, optimism and the courage to remain authentic in a demanding field.
Q: What advice would you offer to those just beginning their journey in your specialty?
Pace yourself, don’t feel like you have to rush just because most people seem to follow a straight and linear path. Everyone’s journey unfolds at a different rhythm, and comparing your timeline to someone else’s can create unnecessary pressure. Life can be surprising, opening doors you never expected and closing others for a reason. What truly matters is staying aligned with your values, understanding what genuinely motivates you and listening to your inner voice. When you make career decisions from a place of self-awareness rather than urgency or comparison, you build a path that is not only successful, but also meaningful and fulfilling.
Q: How do you balance the technical aspects of your work with the empathetic side of patient care?
I consider myself fortunate to be both deeply empathetic and genuinely curious. Over the years, I have invested a great deal of time in studying, and I truly enjoy the process of learning and continuously expanding my knowledge. I usually dedicate this learning time to periods when I do not have clinical duties, allowing me to fully immerse myself in academic growth without distractions. When I am in clinic or working on the inpatient unit, I feel equally fulfilled. Knowing that I consistently invest time in my education gives me confidence and clarity, and it frees my mind to focus entirely on my patients. In those moments, I can be the most attentive and empathetic physician possible. Because I have built a strong scientific foundation, I have the mental space not only to think about diagnoses and evidence-based decisions, but also to truly understand my patients’ needs beyond the science — their fears, expectations and personal stories.
Disclosures: This short article was prepared by touchONCOLOGY in collaboration with Dr Di Carlo. No fees or funding were associated with its publication.
Citation: Dr Daniela Di Carlo on aligning personal values with patient-centered care: touchONCOLOGY Future Leaders 2026. touchONCOLOGY. 14th April 2026.
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