Graduated in Biological Sciences at Rome University and PhD in Chemistry at Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa, she has always worked on microbial secondary metabolism. In 1991, she joined Lepetit Research of Marion Merrell Dow as a researcher on the genetics and physiology of actinomycetes and fungi producing antibiotics. In 1996, she was a founder and member of the Board of Directors of the first Italian Biotec company Biosearch Italia (devoted to the discovery and development of new antinfectives) quoted at Nasdaq in the 2000. From 2004, Associated Professor and then Full Professor of Microbial Biotechnology and Fermentation Chemistry at Insubria University. Recently research has expanded to microbial biopesticides and chitinases as biocontrol agents. She has published 100 papers and 4 patents on antiinfective molecules. International teaching activities at UCT of Prague and in Faculty Team of the International School of Molecular Applied Microbiology John Innes/Rudjer Bošković.

Antibiotics
chitinases
biopesticides
actinomycetes
microbial fermentation