I was born in Sicily, Italy, in 1992, and from an early age I developed a strong interest in translation research. My academic path has represented a natural progression of this passion, allowing me to explore and contribute to the field of biomedical research.

I completed my undergraduate studies in Biological Sciences at the University of Messina, followed by a master’s degree in Functional Genomics at the University of Trieste. During my training, I developed a solid background in molecular and cellular biology. My early research activities focused on neurodegenerative and age-related diseases, where I investigated protein misfolding, aggregation, and splicing alterations using advanced cellular models.

I subsequently pursued a PhD in Molecular BioMedicine at the University of Trieste, focusing my research on mechanisms of alveolar epithelial cell dysfunction and repair in pulmonary fibrosis. This experience allowed me to deepen my understanding of lung pathophysiology and regenerative mechanisms, laying the foundation for my current scientific trajectory in pulmonary diseases. Then, I held a postdoctoral position at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), where I investigated lung pathology in the context of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and COVID-19 and high-throughput screening experiments. I also completed a visiting scientist experience at the University of Pennsylvania, where I specialized in the isolation and characterization of primary human and murine alveolar type II cells.

I am currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Ri.MED Foundation in Palermo, where I conduct research on inflammatory pulmonary disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, focusing on the role of viral sensing–induced macrophage cell death reprograms macrophage secretome and drives fibroblast dysfunction, with a focus on gasdermin-mediated lytic death. My work involves the design and execution of molecular biology and in vitro experiments, as well as the supervision of Master’s students.

My research integrates primary cell models and translational approaches aimed at identifying novel therapeutic strategies for pulmonary diseases.