She is Graduated in Biological Sciences and specialized in Applied Microbiology.
Since 1982 she has carried out research activity at the CNR, Istituto Sperimentale Talassografico of Messina, now part of the ISP-CNR. Since 2001 she is Senior Researcher.
From the beginning she has been involved in research in the field of microbial ecology. She studies the interactions among environmental factors and marine microbial communities; in particular the effects of climate change on biogeochemical cycles, through the study of the decomposition rates of organic matter (measurements of enzymatic activity such as peptidases, glucosidases and phosphatases).
Other research interests are: -testing the antimicrobial activity of essential oils and new polymers; -evaluation of the health risk in coastal waters (by experimentation of the immunofluorescence technique for the direct count of Escherichia coli, Vibrio spp, Photobacterium). P.I. of National (PRISMA 1, Marine Ecosystems/SINAPSI; MIPAF IV triennial plan N.C16; PON-RSF 2000-2006 N.12745; VECTOR L.4–5.2) and regional projects. Author of over 130 scientific papers published in international and national journals.
Recently she has collaborated on PNRA projects: 2014-2015 PNRA Project: Coastal Ecosystem Functioning in a changing Antarctic ocean (CEFA). P.I. Prof. L. Guglielmo, UO 7, dr. R. La Ferla.
2016-2017 PNRA16 proposal: Biodiversity and functioning of the planktonic ecosystems of the Ross Sea in the changing Southern Ocean (P-ROSE), P.I. dr. O. Mangoni, UO 7, dr. R. La Ferla Microbial biogeochemical rates.
2016-2017 PNRA16: 00207 - A3 - CELEBeR (CDW Effects on glaciaL mElting and on Bulk of Fe in the Western Ross sea (CELEBeR). P.I. dr. P. Rivaro, U.O. dr. Maurizio Azzaro.
2020-2021 PNRA18-0041-B2, Screening of antibiotic-resistance phenomena in bacterial strains isolated from water, sediment and intestine of Antarctic teleosts. P.I. Dr. M. Mancuso.

Scopus - Author ID: 6701823549    http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0151-9416