After receiving his undergraduate degree from Tufts University, Dr. Antonioli received his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in 1964. This was followed by an internship in Internal Medicine at Tufts-New England Medical Center and a residency in Anatomic Pathology at Beth Israel Hospital (BIH) in Boston where he served as Chief Resident in his last year of training. It was at that time that he met Dr. Goldman, who became a career-long teacher, mentor, and friend.

In 1971, after a two-year assignment as a staff pathologist at the United States Naval Hospital in St. Albans, New York, Dr. Antonioli returned to Boston and spent the remainder of his career at the BIH (which became the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center [BIDMC] in 1996) and Harvard Medical School (HMS). During his time at the hospital, he held various administrative positions, including Associate Chief of the Pathology Department (1987-1996). Between 1971 and 1991, he also served on the faculty of the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST), a separate academic track to train physician-scientists, attaining the rank of Associate Professor. In addition, he served from 1989 to 2007 as Consultant in Gastrointestinal Pathology at Children's Hospital in Boston. At the time of his retirement in 2007, he was a Senior Pathologist at BIDMC and Professor of Pathology at HMS. Dr. Goldman was a continuing influence in developing Dr. Antonioli's two major career interests: clinical research studies and graduate/postgraduate medical education.

Dr. Antonioli's early clinical studies were related to gynecologic pathology, in particular defining the pathology, evolution over time, and risk of neoplasia in changes of the lower genital tract in women exposed in utero to diethylstilbestrol. However, his major focus soon shifted to gastrointestinal pathology, with an emphasis on gastroesophageal inflammatory and neoplastic disorders, colitis (especially inflammatory bowel disease), and allergic conditions. Dr. Antonioli and his colleagues were among the first to define allergic proctitis in infants and provide criteria to distinguish it from normal mucosa and infectious lesions. Likewise, Dr. Antonioli and associates at BIDMC and Children's Hospital were pioneers in describing allergic (eosinophilic) esophagitis in children and adults and in developing clinical, endoscopic, and histologic criteria to differentiate it from reflux and infectious esophagitis. Other areas of concentrated interest have included the origin, natural history, and complications (dysplasia and cancer) of Barrett's esophagus and dysplasia in inflammatory bowel disease. These interests culminated in the publication of over 150 peer-reviewed articles, reviews, and book chapters. Dr. Antonioli commented that "Harvey Goldman was always a constructive critic of my manuscripts and a strong advocate for conciseness. He was usually correct when he suggested that I cut an allegedly completed paper by 30% to make it better."

Dr. Antonioli's other major interest has been medical education. At the BIH/BIDMC, he served as Chairman of the Pathology Resident Training Committee, Director of the Pathology Resident Training Program (1984-2002), and as Director of the Pathology Medical Student Clerkship (1989-2004). For two years, he was Associate Director of Graduate Medical Education for the entire institution. In recognition of his contributions, he was the first recipient of the S. Robert Stone Award for Teaching Excellence, given jointly by HMS and Beth Israel Hospital.

At HMS, Dr. Antonioli was actively involved in medical student education. At the suggestion of Dr. Goldman, he served for 10 years, on the Board of Advisors, a position in which, each year, he mentored 8 to 10 new medical students through the four-year curriculum. This experience provided him the opportunity to interact in depth with the students as their advocate and colleague in evaluation of performance, choice of electives, and career planning.

From 1981 to 1985, Dr. Antonioli was the Course Director for the second-year Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology Course at HMS; subsequently (1987-1994), he served as Director of all the second-year Pathophysiology Courses, a 26-week sequence. In addition to serving on the Preclinical Promotion Board, the HMS and HST Curriculum Committees, the Pathology Education Committee, and two terms on the Faculty Council, he was Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Course Assessment and Evaluation (1994-1998). One of his most exciting experiences was serving on the Faculty Development Committee for the New Pathway Program (1984-1989; Chairman, 1998-1999). This group was a major agent in planning and implementing the conversion of the HMS curriculum from the traditional lecture-based model to a predominantly small-group, tutorial-based interactive format.

Another important emphasis of Dr. Antonioli's career has been participation in postgraduate education. He became increasingly active in the New England Society of Pathologists, serving as its President in 1987-1988. In 1979, he was a founding member of what is now the Rodger C. Haggitt Gastrointestinal Pathology Society. From its humble origin in a bar in New Orleans, this Society over the past three decades has become a premier source of education in gastrointestinal disorders by providing companion meetings and symposia in many venues, including the USCAP, CAP, ASCP, and the American Gastroenterological Association. Dr. Antonioli has served as a member and Chairman of its Education Committee, its President (1986-1987), its Senior Advisor, and as lecturer in many of its companion meetings.

In 1988, Dr. Antonioli was a founding member of the Pathology Program Directors Society (PRODS), an influential organization dealing with educational and legislative issues related to pathology training. He has served as its Chairman (1995-1996), as well as Chairman of its Bylaws, Nominating, and Program Committees.

During his career, he has been an educator for many professional societies, including the CAP, the American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (Board of Directors; Chairman of the Pathology Consultation Committee), the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the American Gastroenterological Association, and the International Organization for Statistical Studies on Diseases of the Esophagus. The USCAP, however, has provided his most extensive experience in postgraduate education. His major activities with this Society include Co-director of three Short Courses at the Annual Meeting; Director of three Short Courses at the Summer Diagnostic Pathology Update Course, and Director of a Short Course at the IAP Meeting in Montreal (2006). He served as a faculty member for the Gastrointestinal Specialty Evening Conference, subsequently acted as its Moderator (1995-1998), and with Dr. Robert Petras, was Co-director of the Long Course, "New Concepts in Gastrointestinal Pathology" at the Annual Meeting in 2002. Other experiences included service on the Education Committee, two terms on the Abstract Review Board, and participation in the Ambassador Program for residents and fellows at the Annual Meeting. Dr. Antonioli was honored to receive the F. K. Mostofi Distinguished Service Award in 2004.

During his career, Dr. Antonioli has been the recipient of numerous visiting professorships and invitations to present or participate in postgraduate courses and symposia in the continental United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Europe. He has served on multiple National Institutes of Health Program Project site visits and SPORE review committees on esophageal, gastric, pancreatic, and colorectal neoplasia. He has been a manuscript reviewer for 17 journals, served on the Editorial Review Boards of the American Journal of Surgical Pathology, Human Pathology, Modern Pathology, and the American Journal of Gastroenterology, and was one of the Editors for the first three editions of Sternberg's Diagnostic Surgical Pathology. From 2004 to 2007, he was a member of the expert working group on the diagnostic evaluation of ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and indeterminate colitis sponsored by the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation and the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. These deliberations resulted in the publication of a major position paper in 2007.

Dr. Antonioli has commented that "Harvey Goldman was always supportive of my efforts and a critical but constructive reviewer of my work; he certainly kept me honest and busy. He contributed in no small measure to whatever professional successes I have achieved. I feel greatly honored to share with Henry Appelman the first Harvey Goldman Teacher and Mentor Award."