Associate professor of Genetics, he received in 1997 a PhD in Molecular systematics at University of Naples Federico II; he was visiting scientist in 1994 and 1997 at Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of Heraklion (Crete, Greece), in 1999, 2010 and 2015 at University of Zurich (Switzerland), in 2003 at Institute Pedrò Kourì at Habana (Cuba) and in 2020 at National University of Singapore (Singapore). His research focuses on the developmental evolutionary genetics of sex determining genes in different insect species including agricultural pests (Tephritidae) and human diseases vectors (Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus), on genomics and transcriptomics approaches, on functional genetics (transgenesis and gene editing) and biotechnology of insect pest control. He is a member of Associazione Genetica Italiana (he served as counselor in 2017-2020) and of Società dei Naturalisti in Napoli.

Evolutionary developmental genetics
sex determination
gene editing
insect pest control
biotechnology