The ocean has always been my place, where my curiosity started and where my work now truly makes sense.
I’m a marine biologist with a strong passion for understanding how marine ecosystems respond to a changing world. During my studies at the University of Naples Federico II and later through my work at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, I had the opportunity to work in the field, in the lab, and within inspiring research teams, studying key ecosystem-engineering species such as Posidonia oceanica and Gongolaria barbata.

I’m currently a PhD student in seagrass ecology and genetics at the University of Palermo in collaboration with Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn , driven by the desire to protect the marine environments I care deeply about.

My project is called: From Genome to Food Web: Comprehensive Insights into the Posidonia oceanica Bonsai Morphotype. Posidonia oceanica meadows are critical Mediterranean ecosystems, providing blue carbon storage, buffering ocean acidification, and sustaining biodiversity. A distinct dwarf morphotype, termed “P. oceanica bonsai,” has been documented in both acidified CO₂ vent sites and non-acidified environments, challenging the view that ocean acidification is its sole driver. My PhD project investigates whether bonsai formation is a stress-induced plastic response or an adaptive strategy, integrating genomic, morphological, physiological, metabolic, and isotopic approaches.
Moreover, a survey has been proposed with other institutions working in the Mediterranean Sea to create a network for sharing information. 

I love hands-on research, learning something new every day, and doing my part, however small, to help build a more sustainable future for our oceans.

Learn more about my work:

Researchgate profile