Biography

The research focus in my laboratory involves analysis of genes that control early patterning of the
embryo and also genes that regulate development of the nervous system in the zebrafish. In particular I
focus on the β-catenin gene that is a central regulator of Wnt signaling.
I have been well trained in the necessary approaches for our studies. I received my undergraduate
and graduate education in the Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology “Alberto Monroy” of

University of Palermo, Italy. For my PhD thesis, I pursued studies examining the expression of
particular maternal histone variants in the sea urchin. My initial post-doctoral studies were carried out
with Eric Weinberg at the Department of Biology at the University of Pennsylvania. In the Weinberg
laboratory, I led the effort to characterize a second β-catenin gene in the zebrafish and to unravel its
instrumental role in the formation of the embryonic axis and proper patterning of the embryo. I then
pursued additional post-doctoral training in Neurodevelopmental Biology with Laure Bally-Cuif at the
University of Munich in Germany for the characterization of the serotonergic neurons population in the
zebrafish. In the latest years at Temple University I used the zebrafish for studies spanning from early
development to neurogenesis and cancer.
I started my Assistant Professor (Research/Teaching) career at Temple University in 2008. Here I have
established the zebrafish for studies at the molecular and cellular levels of the mechanisms leading to
dorso-ventral and antero-posterior patterning during zebrafish gastrulation. Recently, our laboratory
together with Professor Antonio Giordano has begun to study nociception in the zebrafish either
studying the function of specific nociceptors or by exploit this animal model to establish an in vivo assay
that able to detect painful stimuli.
From 2010 I am member of the international scientific committee of I.S.A.L. An Italian foundation for
Pain research and Palliative Care development. Since 2013, I have been a grant reviewer for the Italian
Ministry of Health
I have open collaborations with Professor Franco Cotelli of the University of Milan, on modeling
human diseases in the zebrafish, Prof. Oliana Carnevali of the Polytechnic of Marche on the effect of
BPA in inducing obesity and with Prof. Francesco Cappello of the University of Palermo Medical
School, on modeling Chaperonopaties in the zebrafish. Dr. Ileana Zucchi of the CNR in Milan on the
interface between stem cells biology and developmental Biology. I have host in my laboratory many
PhD and Master students from those Italian laboratories and supervised them towards the completion
of their graduate studies. With Prof. Franco Palla of the University of Palermo I am developing a
summer course in Sicily titled: “ Biotechnology of