• Silvia Scuri has been named director of marketing, communication and scientific support for ventricular assist device firm NewCorTec (Pomezia, Italy). She has held various senior management positions in the healthcare industry, including work in the field of heart-assist devices with Baxter/Edwards Lifesciences/Novacor, and has contributed significantly, NewCorTec said, to the opening and broadening of the VAD market in Europe. The company cited Scuri's experience in the field as being of “crucial importance“ to the start of its clinical trials for the device, anticipated for the second half of this year. NewCorTec said its animal tests should be completed by mid-summer.

• Ken Reali has been appointed vice president and general manager for the Clinical Therapies Division of Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics (Memphis, Tennessee). Reali succeeds Joe Woody, who has been appointed president of Smith & Nephew Advanced Wound Management. Reali most recently served as vice president of marketing for S&N's Clinical Therapies Division, joining the company in 2005 from Stryker, where he served as vice president of sales.