Graduated in Biological Sciences, Specialist in Applied Microbiology, she has been a CNR researcher since 1994.
Her scientific interests focus on marine microbial ecology and the role of microorganisms in the decomposition processes of organic matter in Mediterranean and polar environments through enzymatic activity measures (aminopeptidase, glucosidase, phosphatase); the search for pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Vibrio spp.) by means of fluorescent antibody method and enzymatic assays; changes in physiological parameters (digestive enzymes, non-specific immunity) of marine Teleosts in response to stressors. Recent studies in extreme environments have explored the abundance and activity of the free-living heterotrophic bacterial community (UVASS, Svalbard, Arctic Project), present in permafrost or brines (National Antarctic Research Program projects-PNRA 2013/AZ1.05), of microbial biofilms over plastic substrates (PNRA16_00105), acting also as vectors of antibiotic resistance (PNRA 14_00090).
Member of the PhD School for Applied Hygiene - Univ. Messina (2006-2011) and of the Plankton (2000-2001; 2002-2003; 2010-2012; 2013-2015) and Aquaculture Committees (2004-2006; 2016-2018; 2019-2021) of the Italian Society of Marine Biology. Qualified as Full Professor of Ecology (2012-2020). P.I. and member of several research projects (PNRA, EU FP 7 PERSEUS, Marine Strategy, VECTOR, MIUR Cluster-Advanced Monitoring Systems), she has collaborated with the Institute of Hydrobiology-Wuhan (China), Univ. du Sud Toulon-France, CENPAT- Puerto Madryn (Argentina), CERTE-Soliman (Tunisia).
Co-author of over 350 scientific papers, she has a H index 19 (Scopus). Refeee (Publons) and member of Editorial Boards of OA international journals (J. Mar. Sci. Engin.-JMSE, MDPI; J. Coastal Life Medicine, Hainan Univ.; J. Clinical Microbiol. Biochem. Technol.- PEERTECHZ; The Open Fish Sci. J., The Open Mar. Biol. J., BENTHAM; J. Oceanogr. Mar. Res., LONGDOM; J. Ecosyst. Ecogr. OMICS).

Scopus - Author ID: 7102219836    http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3819-5486    Scholar