Research Fellowship
Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms

Tel.: 081 5833287
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Skype: carola.murano_1
Twitter : MuranoCarola
Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4180-0410

Curriculum Vitae

Research Interests

My research activity is centred on the eco-toxicological study of emerging contaminants and on their effects on marine ecosystems, with a particular focus on plastic pollution, especially the 'smallest' fraction known as 'micro and nanoplastics.' Everything started in 2017, when I got the Master’s Degree in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Sustainability at University of Siena.  Subsequently, I completed a Ph.D. co-funded by Stazione Zoologica and University of Siena, with a thesis entitled” Micro and Nanoplastics: a growing threat to marine organisms, the case study of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus”. During these years, I focused my attention on how micro and nanoplastic can affect immune system and the levels of oxidative stress of sea urchins, the characterization of microplastics content in wild sea urchins from the Gulf of Naples and to deeply understand the effects of microplastics using proteomic approaches. In 2022, I embarked on my Post-Doc journey at the Stazione Zoologica as part of the 'MicroplastiX' project. This opportunity allowed me to study the biofilm formation on microplastic surfaces and how this can influence the properties of polymers. I performed experiments through polymer in-situ incubations and various samplings along the Gulf of Naples. Currently, I hold the position of Technologist (III level) within the National Biodiversity Future Center, which was established under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).

Selected Publications

Murano C., Agnisola A., Caramiello D., Castellano I., Corsi I., Palumbo A., 2020.How sea urchins face microplastics: Uptake, tissue distribution and immune system response. Environmental Pollution 264:114685. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.11468

*C. Murano, E. Bergami, G. Liberatori, A. Palumbo, I. Corsi, 2021. Interplay between nanoplastics and the immune system of the Mediterranean sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8:647394. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2021.647394

C. Murano, V. Donnarumma, I. Corsi, R. Casotti and A. Palumbo, 2021. Impact of Microbial Colonization of Polystyrene Microbeads on the toxicological Responses in the Sea Urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Environmental Science & Technology, 55, 79908000. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00618.

*Murano C., Vaccari L., Casotti R., Corsi I., Palumbo A., 2022. Occurrence of microfibres in wild specimens of adult sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816) from a coastal area of the central Mediterranean Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 176, 113448. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113448

C. Murano, S. Nonnis, F.G. Scalvini, E. Maffioli, I. Corsi, G. Tedeschi, A. Palumbo, 2023. Response to microplastic exposure: An exploration into the sea urchin immune cell proteome. Environmental Pollution 320, 121062. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121062

Murano C.*, Leone S., Palumbo A., 2023. Environmental toxicology and chemistry. Toxicological Impacts of Microplastics: Effects on Levels of Cellular Thiols in Mytilus galloprovincialis. DOI: 10.1002/etc.5643