Donato graduated in Medicine in 2007, and after completing his clinical training, was board-certified in Internal Medicine in 2013 at the “G.d’Annunzio” University of Chieti (Italy).

He pursued his doctoral studies at the Department of Medicine and Ageing Science at the University of Chieti (Italy) and obtained his Ph.D. in 2016, studying the mechanisms of miRNA regulation in atherosclerosis.

In 2016, he joined IPEK as a postdoctoral fellow and research associate for microRNA biology, mentored by Prof. Christian Weber. In 2022, he was appointed professor of Vascular Immunotherapy at the LMU of Munich and established his research group and the (Epi)transcriptomic unit in IPEK. Since 2023 he has been a principal investigator of the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK).