Post Doc

Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms Department

Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn
Villa Comunale
80121 Napoli - Italia

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Curriculum vitae 

Research Interests

My research integrates molecular biology, comparative genomics and functional bioinformatics to investigate how bioactive lipid pathways contribute to physiology, stress responses and ecological interactions in marine organisms. Before my PhD, I developed and tested new rearing systems for both solitary and colonial tunicates, which provided an experimental platform to address chemical-ecology questions at the organismal and community levels. Within this framework, I explored interactions between Botryllus schlosseri and extracts from the benthic diatom Cocconeis scutellum, providing initial evidence that a molecule known in nature as a sex-reversal inducer in the shrimp Hippolyte inermis can inhibit Botryllus larval settlement, plausibly conferring a competitive advantage by limiting access to substrate.
A second, highly impactful line of work emerging from these culture-based approaches concerned host–symbiont and host–parasite relationships in tunicates. In particular, I investigated the copepod Pachypygus gibber, previously assumed to be a commensal of Ciona robusta (and other tunicates), and my observations supported its reinterpretation as a parasite in sensu lato, based on strong negative effects on host fitness. Specifically, infestation was associated with marked impairment of offspring performance, with recruitment collapsing within days after settlement under experimental conditions, highlighting how cryptic associations can have disproportionate demographic consequences in marine benthic populations.
During my PhD, I focused on diatoms as tractable marine models to dissect the evolutionary and functional diversity of the prostaglandin pathway. A central theme of my work is pathway mining: the systematic identification, validation and evolutionary contextualisation of prostaglandin-related enzymes across genomes and transcriptomes, integrating curated homology searches, domain-architecture analysis and phylogenetic inference. This interest has led me to master a broad range of reproducible bioinformatic pipelines, allowing me to work seamlessly across RNA-seq and genome-scale resources (from read mapping and expression quantification to evidence-based and ab initio genome annotation), and to build analysis frameworks that remain robust in non-model marine species.
By combining comparative genomics with expression-based approaches, my analyses are now pushing beyond canonical assumptions on prostaglandin biosynthesis. In particular, current results are contributing to refine hypotheses on the emergence and diversification of the cyclooxygenase (COX) family, an enzyme system traditionally considered pivotal for prostaglandin production, across the animal lineage, including early-branching metazoans. Using an expanded comparative dataset and stringent orthology assessment, I am now obtaining evidence for a putative COX orthologue also in selected sponge species (Porifera), which would extend the inferred evolutionary emergence of COX deeper in the metazoan lineage. In parallel, my work is increasingly converging on coral biology and the potential roles of the PG pathway in cnidarian physiology and symbiosis. I have initiated experimental efforts to explore pathway dynamics during oral disc regeneration in the Mediterranean sea anemone Anemonia sp., while extending the same conceptual framework to investigate the putative involvement of prostaglandin-related signalling in coral–Symbiodiniaceae interactions, with the long-term aim of linking lipid signalling, regeneration and host–symbiont homeostasis under environmental stress.

Selected Publications

Scibelli, Sebastiano. «Species- and strain-specific gene expression of the prostaglandin pathway in Skeletonema marinoi and Thalassiosira rotula.» Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) thesis The Open University, pubblicazione online ad accesso anticipato, 2025. https://doi.org/10.21954/ou.ro.00104497.

Scibelli, Sebastiano, Mirko Mutalipassi, Iole Di Capua, et al. «Parasitic Pachypygus Gibber Poses a Silent Threat to Reproduction and Development in Ciona Robusta». Scientific Reports 15, fasc. 1 (2025): 34594. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-18125-4.

Zupo, Valerio, Sebastiano Scibelli, Mirko Mutalipassi, et al. «Coupling Feeding Activity, Growth Rates and Molecular Data Shows Dietetic Needs of Ciona Robusta (Ascidiacea, Phlebobranchia) in Automatic Culture Plants». Scientific Reports 10, fasc. 1 (2020): 11295. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68031-0.

Post-Doc Fellow 

Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine

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Phone: +39 3284360920

Curriculum vitae

ORCID: 0009-0004-4451-3534

Supervisor: Giovanna Ponte

Project: “Cell-cultured octopus production through sustainable marine biomass valorization – SEANERGIES”

ERC sectors: Comparative physiology (LS4_2), Neural networks and plasticity (LS5_5)

Settori scientifico-disciplinari: Fisiologia (BIO/09), Anatomia comparata e citologia (BIO/06)

Research Interests

My work at the Stazione Zoologica has mainly focused on experiments aimed at highlighting the physiological responses to visual, mechanical, and electrical stimulation in the cephalopod mollusk Octopus vulgaris, using neurophysiological techniques to assess its biological plasticity. In particular, during my PhD project I concentrated on neural dynamics based on electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings, developing minimally invasive methods to record brain signals (EEG-like) of neuronal activity in living animals, without requiring any surgical intervention. Neurophysiological techniques made it possible to detect the general characteristics of neural traces from different brain regions of the octopus. This approach aims to investigate the physiological and biological mechanisms underlying neural plasticity in this marine organism.
Currently, my research activity is carried out within the framework of the “SEANERGIES” project, with the goal of conducting innovative experiments related to the evaluation of the physiological response of nerve and muscle cells (including organotypic cultures) of Octopus vulgaris, and to the study of responses under stress conditions induced by different stressors, in order to enable a more accurate characterization of the cell types under investigation. The data resulting from this research will be essential for studying neural and neuromuscular dynamics related to biological plasticity and the stress response.

Research fellow

Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn
Sicily Marine Centre
Villa Pace - C.da Porticatello 29, 98167 Messina – Italia

Tel: +39 3486256952
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Curriculum vitae

Supervisor: dott.ssa Teresa Romeo

Research Interests

My research focuses on the design and development of citizen science protocols aimed at monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of conservation and management measures adopted in marine protected areas, with particular reference to the Marine Protected Area of Capo Milazzo. This work is based on continuous dialogue with the local territory and its communities, encouraging the active involvement of citizens, local stakeholders, and educational institutions in processes of scientific observation and data collection. Such participation is further enhanced through the use of digital technologies and innovative communication tools, which support both data gathering and the dissemination of research outcomes.

The approach adopted integrates scientific research with public participation, thereby expanding the knowledge base that supports the protection of marine biodiversity and fostering greater collective awareness of environmental issues and the sustainability of marine ecosystems. Overall, the activities carried out are characterized by a structured and interdisciplinary approach, combining organizational and management aspects with communication and science outreach skills, and contributing to the operational coordination and implementation of the initiatives envisaged by the project.

Comunità epimegabentoniche: Studio delle comunità epimegabentoniche sottoposte a perturbazioni fisiche

Duration: 22/11/2024 – 30/11/2026

SZN Principal Investigator: Maria Cristina Mangano

Within the framework of the implementing agreement for the Marine Strategy (Directive 2008/56/EC), the ISPRA Convention Technical Annex D6-03 governs the scientific collaboration between ISPRA and the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station (SZN) for the 'Study of epimegabenthic communities subjected to physical disturbance'. The central objective is the monitoring and assessment of sea-floor integrity (Descriptor 6), with a specific focus on the impact that fishing activities exert on these vulnerable benthic communities.

Objectives

The project is developed in three operational phases:

'Methodological Development': This phase sees SZN engaged in a National Expert Working Group. Key activities include: the definition of standardized methodological protocols to investigate communities subjected to fishing disturbances; the organization of two technical-scientific meetings to develop such methods; and a final meeting to illustrate the results of the standardization.

'Sea Campaigns and Analysis': This is the operational core of the project. SZN will organize and execute 5 sea campaigns in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Specific activities include: logistical planning and sampling according to the protocols defined in Phase A; sample analysis (both on board and in the laboratory) and verification of quality standards; and joint analysis of the collected data between SZN and ISPRA.

'Reporting and Final Synthesis': The last phase is dedicated to drafting a comprehensive technical-scientific report that gathers all the results covered by the agreement and the experimental activities.

Tecnologie ad alta risoluzione per il monitoraggio di rifiuti marini e rilevamento di effetti sugli ecosistemi marini protetti, verso un sistema di rilevamento rapido transfrontaliero

Programme: Interreg VI-A Italia-Malta

Duration: 02/05/2025 – 02/11/2027

Within the context of the Interreg V-A Italy-Malta cross-border cooperation programme, the TecMAReco project addresses the critical challenge of plastic pollution and marine litter threatening ecosystem health in the cross-border area between Sicily and Malta. The initiative focuses on integrating remote sensing and high-resolution in-situ monitoring systems to specifically identify waste accumulation and analyze its biological impact on Marine Protected Areas. The objective is to establish a shared early warning system between Italy and Malta by standardizing cross-border detection protocols from rivers to the sea. This is achieved through participatory citizen science approaches, the creation of a stakeholder network, and the testing of plastic reuse solutions, aiming for coordinated and timely governance of environmental emergencies.

Objectives

The project aims to develop a technological and methodological framework for early detection of marine litter and the protection of sensitive habitats. To achieve these goals, the initiative focuses on the following key points:

High-Resolution monitoring systems development: implementation of advanced optical and acoustic technologies (satellite sensors, drones, and ROVs) for detecting, mapping, and quantifying marine litter in marine protected areas and Natura 2000 sites;

Assessment of impacts on ecosystem functioning: in-depth study of the effects of waste-associated contaminants on marine organisms (bioindicators) and vulnerable habitats, to quantify the actual ecological damage;

Creation of a rapid detection (Early Warning) system: implementation of an Italo-Maltese cross-border platform for real-time data exchange, aimed at facilitating coordinated mitigation, reuse, and removal interventions among competent authorities;

Harmonization of protocols: standardization of sampling and analysis methodologies between Italian and Maltese partners to ensure data comparability and the creation of common guidelines for marine litter management (land-to-sea);

Technology transfer and awareness-raising: training of environmental agencies' technical staff and engagement of local stakeholders (fishermen, NGOs, and protected area managers) and citizens in citizen science and beach cleaning activities, for the sustainable and shared protection of marine heritage.

Coordinator: Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Sicily Marine Centre

SZN Principal Investigators: Maria Cristina Mangano, Claudio Berti

Partners:

University of Malta, Malta

Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy

ARPA Sicilia - Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell'Ambiente, Italy

Università degli Studi di Catania, Italy

South Side s.r.l., Italy

Zibel ONG, Malta

Regione Siciliana - Dipartimento della Pesca Mediterranea, Italy

Unraveling environmental and anthropogenic factors ShaPing the snow microbiome and antibiotic REsistome At Dome C (Antarctica)

Programme: Programma Nazionale di Ricerca in Antartide (PNRA) 

Duration:  3 November 2025 – 2 November 2027 

Legacy and emerging organic contaminants have raised increasing concerns due to their persistence, transport potential and toxicity. Polar regions are special eco-environmental systems and generally used as an important global background area. Increasing human activities and presence in Antarctica may have notable impacts at local scale, generating environmental pollution. Among pollutants of interest, there are personal care products (e.g., detergents, soaps, lotions, toothpastes, sunscreens, fragrances, and moisturizers), microplastics, and pharmaceuticals (e.g., antibiotics and their residues, analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs and antidepressants). Considering the effectiveness of snow scavenging of air pollutants, snow acts as an important sink for the distribution of pollutants among different matrices in polar regions (cold-trapping). Especially, scavenging and remobilization of pollutants by snow deposition and melting under the global climate change condition may enhance the pivotal impact on driving pollutants exchange between environmental matrices. This could affect the microbial ecology (biodiversity and ecological roles) in snowy ecosystems, e.g. stimulating the development of antibiotic resistance in snow and its dissemination through the atmosphere and through snow melting. Despite these potential impacts, the anthropogenic impact on the snow antibiotic resistome remains to be elucidated. With SPREAD, snow samples subjected to different levels of anthropogenic activities, and surrounding the Concordia Base, will be collected over a year at Dome C (Antarctica) to evaluate the pollution level and the potentially related impact on the biological community structure and activities. In particular, the composition of the antibiotic resistome will be explored. Expected results will contribute in surveying antibiotic resistance development in anthropogenically impacted sites, even in remote areas. 

Objectives 

Specific objectives will be to: 

- assess the whole biodiversity spatial distribution and temporal dynamics 

- assess the occurrence and spread of personal care products, pharmaceuticals and microplastics 

- describe the resistome, and assess the spread of antibiotic resistance and pathogens 

- analyze the response by microbial communities to contaminants in snow 

- characterize the viable bacterial community for biodiversity and metabolic activities 

Coordinator: Angelina Lo Giudice, CNR-ISP 

SZN Principal Investigator: Carmen Rizzo 

Partners: 

National Research Council, Institute of Polar Sciences 

Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn 

Univerity of Pisa 

Assessing spillover from marine protected areas to adjacent fisheries: Mediterranean and Black Seas

Programme: European project (CINEA/MARE European Commission)

Duration: 01/07/2023 – 30/06/2026

Marine protected areas (MPAs), and in particular fully protected areas (FPAs), can support fisheries through the spillover of fish biomass into adjacent fishing grounds. Spillover occurs when recovered populations within FPAs export juveniles and adults across reserve boundaries, potentially increasing catches and revenues. However, the magnitude and effectiveness of spillover are highly variable and depend on ecological and management conditions. Key factors include MPA design and size, enforcement level, habitat continuity, the presence of partially protected areas, species mobility, and fishing pressure near boundaries. Strengthening scientific evidence on spillover processes is essential to evaluate the real potential of MPAs to reconcile biodiversity conservation with fisheries objectives, especially in European marine regions.

Objectives

The goal of this project is to assemble existing information and collect new data to provide an overview of the role that marine protected areas (MPAs) may play for local fisheries through spillover effects in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Overall, this study will lead to an improvement in the assessment and evaluation of MPA benefits to local fisheries. The specific aims of the project are:

assess the ability of fully and partially protected areas to export fishable biomass;

identify whether spillover is mediated by some MPA features, types of fishing activities, or different levels of effort within the MPAs and around their borders, and/or species characteristics;

identify MPAs with different levels of spillover;

assess ecological and fishery spillover through two case studies in the Mediterranean Sea.

The study combines a 1) large-scale assessment collecting information on spillover from published data and grey literature throughout the Mediterranean and Black Seas and 2) a case-study approach focusing on two selected case studies in which in-depth information for both ecological and fishery spillover will be gathered and analysed to assess which MPA features, and species characteristics mainly drive spillover.

Coordinator: Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Sicily Marine Centre

SZN Principal Investigator: Antonio Di Franco

Partners:

Hellenic Center for Marine Research

Interuniversity National Consortium of Marine Sciences

Institute of Oceanology-Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”

Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries

Department of Fisheries and Marine Research

Instituto Español de Oceanografia

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

Potential Role of Sea Ice change in controlling Mercury in coastal Antarctic Areas

Programme: Programma Nazionale di Ricerca in Antartide (PNRA)

Duration: 11 July 2024 – 11 July 2027 (postponed)

Mercury is a toxic trace element found ubiquitously in the atmosphere where it can rapidly deposit to the hydrosphere or cryosphere and pass into nearby ecosystems. Antarctica is thought to be a sink during the polar night and a source during the polar day, although this simple scheme is complicated by atmospheric chemistry. Radicals of oxygen and bromine can enhance oxidation of atmospheric mercury to ionic forms that can deposit more rapidly. We suspect these oxidation processes are more rapid above the sea ice during the springtime when the so-called bromine explosion occurs. Our aim is to carry out atmospheric measurements of bromine and combine them with ozone and NOx measurements already taken at MZS whilst monitoring atmospheric mercury concentrations using a Tekran 2537X instrument. Complimentary to these field measurements, snow samples, ice samples, sea samples, and passive air samples at different points will allow us to start to quantify and connect between different environmental compartments, the depositional processes and metal cycling. In addition, within the same samples, we aim to investigate the presence of the mer-operon that codes for mercury resistance in bacteria as we suspect that after sea ice break up, biological processes become important in the emission of mercury from the sea surface. These measurements together with air mass back trajectories using Lagrangian models (FLEXPART and HYSPLIT) should help us make a valid contribution to understanding the role of Antarctica on the global mercury cycle.

Objectives

Objective 1) Set up a station for the continuous analysis of total gaseous mercury (TGM) in air and collection of aerosol for analysis of bromine and particulate mercury at MZS.

Objective 2) Survey the mercury concentrations in snow, sea ice, glacial melt waters and surface and subsurface seawater of Tethys Bay and the immediate vicinity of Terra Nova Bay.

Objective 3) Phylogenetic characterization of total bacterial communities and molecular detection of specific resistance genes within natural samples, and correlation of their abundance with the detected Hg concentrations.

Objective 4) Isolation of bacterial strains from the sea ice, snow and glacial melt water samples to investigate the presence of the mer-operon that codes for mercury resistance in bacteria.

Objective 5) Investigate the variables that influence the daily variations of mercury in the atmosphere, the eventual re-deposition of mercury and under what conditions, with a real estimate of how much mercury is recycled between the air and snowpack.

Objective 6) Understand how variations in sea ice at the coast can affect the mercury cycle and to what extent.

Coordinator: Cairns Warren Raymond Lee

SZN Principal Investigator: Carmen Rizzo

Partners:

National Research Council, Institute of Polar Sciences

Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn

University of Perugia

Decarbonisation of the fishing fleet in the Mediterranean and Black Sea

“Framework Contract for the provision of scientific advice for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea” FRAMEWORK CONTRACT – EASME/EMFF/2020/OP/0021

Duration: 01/01/2024 – 10/03/2026

The transition towards climate neutrality represents a crucial challenge for the fishing sector, which is currently heavily affected by fuel price volatility and the urgent need to reduce emissions. In this context, the DecarbonyT project promotes technological innovation in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, focusing on the optimization of trawling gear to combine environmental sustainability with economic profitability.

Objectives

The project aims to define a strategic direction for the improvement of high-potential fishing fleets. The central purpose is to determine the actual impact of using optimized trawling gears on fuel reduction, thereby fostering a concrete and measurable decarbonization pathway.

To achieve these goals, the project is organized into a series of Subtasks divided into a management and coordination Task (Task 0) and four technical Tasks (Task 1-4) that are closely interconnected:

Task 1 - Consolidation and Diagnosis: analysis of existing knowledge on energy consumption and technological solutions, including energy audits to establish baselines for specific area/gear combinations;

Task 2 - Monitoring: collection of new, detailed data by fishery (métier);

Task 3 - Decision Support: analysis of the gathered data to provide operators with a guide for assessing the practical consequences—particularly economic ones—of adopting various energy efficiency solutions;

Task 4 - Dissemination: stakeholder engagement and communication of project results.

Website: https://decarbonyt.eu/

Coordinator: National Research Council (CNR) – Italia

SZN Principal Investigator: Maria Cristina Mangano

Partners:

Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN) – Italy

AquaBioTech Group (ABT) – Malta

Consortium for the Inter-University Centre of Marine Biology and Applied Ecology (CIBM) – Italy

COISPA Foundation (COISPA) – Italy

National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Science (CONISMA) – Italy

Fisheries Research Institute (FRI) – Greece

Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) – Greece

Institute of Marine Science – Spanish National Research Council (ICM-CSIC) – Spain

Institute of Oceanography - Spanish National Research Council (IEO-CSIC) – Spain

Institute of Oceanology – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IO-BAS) – Bulgaria

Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (IOF) – Croatia

National Institute for Marine Research and Development (NIMRD) – Romania

Nisea Società Cooperativa (NISEA) – Italy

University of Thessaly (UTH) – Greece

WWF Mediterranean (WWF) – Italy

Differens Digital, Marketing, Innovation - Italy

1. Locatello L, Fonsatti E, Detillo P, Borgheresi O, Guidi L, Grassi E, Bortoletti M, Radaelli G, Pascoli F, Bertotto D (2026) Efficacy of glyoxal acid-free (GAF®) as a non-toxic fixative for fish gonads, gametes and larvae: widespread implications for laboratory studies, field sampling and applied aquaculture. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 38(2):RD25137. https://doi.org/10.1071/RD25137

2. Mehr S, Castoe T, Daly M, Jungo F, Kirchhoff KN, Koludarov I, Mackessy SP, Macrander J, Naidu P, Modica MV, Sanchez EE, Zancolli G, Holford M. (2026) A Proposed Unified, Scalable Platform for Integrative Research on Venomous Species. Gigascience giaf153. https://doi.org/10.1093/gigascience/giaf153

3. Nocella E, Fassio G, Lemarcis T, Zaharias P, Tamagnini D, De Leo N, Puillandre N, Modica MV, Oliverio M (2026) A phylogenomic and morphometric reassessment of Ovulidae highlights host-related shell shape evolution. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 217:108545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2026.108545

4. Oyarzún M, Schmidt CV, Ponte G, Fiorito G, Olsen K and Mouritsen OG (2026) Effect of slaughtering method on umami compounds in meat of Octopus vulgaris. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 23-101437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2026.101437

5. Piccardo M, Mutalipassi M, Pittura L, Sepe RM, De Luca P, Besseau L, Renzi M, Gorbi S, Laudet V, Pallavicini A, Sordino P, Terlizzi A (2026) From antioxidant defenses to transcriptomic signatures: concentration-dependent responses to polystyrene nanoplastics in reef fish. Microplastics, 5: 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics5010014

6. Pieroni EM, O'Connor V, Holden-Dye L, Imperadore P, Fiorito G, Dillon J (2026) Identification of molecular nociceptors in Octopus vulgaris through functional characterisation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Biology Open, 15(1):bio062268. https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.062268

7. Ringeval A, Modica MV, Kantor Y, Jimenez Tenorio M, Garcia Galindo JC, Puillandre N, Farhat S (2026) Multi-omics characterization of toxin expression and producing organs in the predatory gastropods Monoplex corrugatus and Stramonita haemastoma. BMC Genomics 10.1186/s12864-026-12592-3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-026-12592-3

8. Salvador P, Amodio P, Grech D, Sponza S, & Balestrieri R (2026) Do diving seabirds exploit landscape elements for underwater ambushing?. Behaviour 163(1),85-94. https://doi.org/10.1163/1568539X-bja10356