Curriculum

WORK EXPERIENCES

03/06/2021 – Current occupation

Valenzano, Italy

FIXED-TERM RESEARCHER, TYPE B, IN VETERINARY PHARMACOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY

UNIVERSITY OF BARI, DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

The main activities are following listed:

Teaching:
- Veterinary chemotherapy in the Veterinary Medicine course;
- Veterinary pharmacology in the Veterinary Medicine course;
- Pharmacovigilance in the specialization school in Inspection of food of animal origin
- Chemotherapy in aquaculture in the specialization school in Inspection of food of animal origin
carry out research about:
- the efficacy of natural compounds as acaricide;
- the transcriptomic determinants of acaricide resistance;
- the efficacy of natural compounds as antimicrobial;
- the diffusion of drug and multi-drug resistant bacteria in wild animals, with particular focus on sea turtles and terrestrial avian species. In particular, the studies are mainly aimed to detect, characterize, and trace the circulation of genetic and genomic determinants of antibiotic resistance, with a key view on the impact they may have on therapeutical protocols for both humans and animals.
Devise, set up, and interpret experiment of third-generation sequencing;
Writing papers to be published in Scopus-indexed, peer-reviewed journals.
Development, management, and setting up of research

01/04/2009 – 02/06/2021

Valenzano, Italy

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT

UNIVERSITY OF BARI, DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

The collaboration with the Avian Diseases Unit of the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Bari has been continued with a few discontinuities in the above-indicated period, during which I held three research grants, from April 2009 to March 2011, from August 2012 to July 2013, and from March 2019 till now, respectively. I also held a fixed-term appointment from September to November 2011.

The main activities are listed following:

Investigations about Dermanyssus gallinae as a vector of infectious diseases.
Investigations about the susceptibility of D. gallinae to acaricides.
Development of alternative strategies for the control of D. gallinae in poultry farms.
Investigations about the pathogenicity features of field strains of Salmonella enterica ser. Gallinarum, biovar Pullorum.
Detection and molecular characterization of multidrug-resistant bacterial strains from industrial, clinical, and environmental
Detection and characterization of Coronavirus from wild animals (both mammals and birds).
Development and setting up of diagnostic molecular assays for detection of pathogens such as Salmonella enterica ser Gallinarum, enterica sers. Enteritidis and Typhimurium, Beak and Feather Disease Virus, Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, European Brown Hare Syndrome Virus, Mycoplasma spp., Chlamydia spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Treponema spp., etc.
Sequence analysis and phylogeny of viral, bacterial, and parasitic pathogens.
Detection and phylogeny of RHDV and RHDV2 in intensively farmed rabbits, wild rabbits and hares.
Supervision and tutoring of intern students.
Supervision and tutoring of D. students.
Written production of papers to be published in international peer-reviewed journals.
Development, management, and setting up of research projects.

01/09/2017 – 15/04/2019

Italy

SCIENCE TEACHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

ITALIAN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

The main duties consisted of:

preparation of lesson plans and materials;
monitoring of the students’ progress;
providing assistance to students individually or in group;
evaluation of the students’ knowledge and performance;
elaboration of plans and projects for extracurricular training of the students, with special attention to the building of soft skills.
management of the class.

Currently on leave because of the employment at the University of Bari, pursuant to the national law.

01/2014 – 08/2017

Foggia, Italy

POSTDOC/RESEARCH ASSISTANT

EXPERIMENTAL ZOOPROPHYLACTIC INSTITUTE (IZS) OF APULIA AND BASILICATA

Despite a substantial continuity in tasks and activities, the work experience within the IZS of Apulia and Basilicata had been divided into three periods: January 2014 – July 2014, April 2015 – August 2016, and April 2017 – August 2017.

The main activities and tasks are following listed:

Development and setting up of diagnostic molecular assays for detection of pathogens such as Coxiella, Rickettsia spp., Borrelia spp., Dirofilaria repens, astrovirus, poxvirus.
Detection and characterization of Coxiella-like endosymbionts of ticks.
Investigations about the vectorial role of some ticks and mites in the transmission or diffusion of Rickettsia, Borrelia spp., Coxiella spp., etc.
Phylogeny of bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens. Among them, bovine ORF virus and astrovirus, Coxiella, Borrelia spp.
Written production of papers to be published in international peer reviewed journals.

2010 – 2014

Bari, Italy

MICROBIOLOGY LECTURER

UNIVERSITY OF BARI

Main duties:

Teaching General microbiology in the degree course of Sciences and Technology for Cultural Heritage in the academic years 2010/2011 and 2010/2012;
Teaching Applied microbiology in the master's degree course of Sciences for Diagnostic and Conservation of Cultural Heritage from the academic years 2010/2011 up to 2013/2014.
Evaluation of knowledge competencies of the students.
Tutoring master's degree thesis.

15/06/2007 – 15/12/2008

Bari-Molfetta, Italy

RESEARCHER

UNIVERSITY OF BARI, DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

IN ASSOCIATION WITH EMITECH S.R.L.

Setting up and validation of a sterilization protocol for biological waste based on high-power microwaves.

This work was supported by a grant from Regione Puglia.

01/01/2007 – 31/12/2009

Bari, Italy

PHD STUDENTSHIP

UNIVERSITY OF BARI, DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY (Formerly Department of Genetics and Microbiology)

Research work during the PhD course of Genetics and Molecular Evolution.

The main activities are following listed:

Detection and characterization of multidrug-resistant clinical Vibrio cholerae O1 strains.
Molecular characterization by the mean of ribotype and RAPD of cholerae O1 strains.
Isolation and characterization of the genetic determinants of drug resistances of clinical V. cholerae

01/09/2005 – 31/12/2006

Bari, Italy

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

UNIVERSITY OF BARI, DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

In close continuity with the investigations carried out during the internship the tasks and activities were:

Detection and characterization of multidrug resistant clinical Vibrio cholerae O1 strains.
Molecular characterization by the mean of ribotype and RAPD of cholerae O1 strains.
Isolation and characterization of the genetic determinants of drug resistances of clinical V. cholerae

01/12/2004 – 15/07/2005

Bari, Italy

INTERNSHIP

UNIVERSITY OF BARI, DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

Scientific duties related to the topic of the degree thesis, specifically:

Detection and characterization of clinical Vibrio cholerae O1 strains.
Molecular characterization by the mean of ribotype and RAPD of cholerae O1 strains
Supervision of intern

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

15/07/2005

Bari, Italy

MASTER'S DEGREE IN BIOLOGY

University of Bari

Thesis title: "Molecular characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility of Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor strains isolated during the last epidemic wave during years 1997-1999"

Address Bari, Italy Field of study Life sciences Final grade 109/110

15/04/2010

Bari, Italy

PH.D. IN GENETICS AND MOLECULAR EVOLUTION

University of Bari

Thesis title: "Genetic characterization of antimicrobial resistances in epidemic strains of Vibrio cholerae O1 isolated in Eastern Africa"

Address Bari, Italy Field of study Microbiology Final grade Excellent

QUALIFICATIONS

26/01/2023 – 26/01/2034

National Scientific Qualification to function as an associate professor in "Medical clinics and veterinary pharmacology", sector 07/H4

2005

Qualification to function as a biologist. Mark 150/150