Maria Giovanna Russo was born in Naples. She took Medicine’s degree with distinction in 1983 at the Faculty of Medicine, Federico II University, Naples. In 1987 she took the specialization degree in Cardiovascular diseases at the II University of Naples. In 1987 and 1988 she won two scholarships of the CNR in the Pediatric Cardiology of Bergamo – Italy. Since 1989 she cooperated with the Division of Paediatric Cardiology, II University of Naples, in a first period as a fellow, then as a Medical Assistant. Since 2012 she is Associate Professor of Cardiovascular diseases at the University of Naples. Since January 2003 she is the Director of the Paediatric Cardiology Unit, Monaldi Hospital, Naples. During the years she published 338 scientific articles on national and international journals.

Since 2021 she is the Italian National Delegate in the European Society of Pediatric Cardiology.