Group Members

We are looking for new PhD students, Postdocs, and Master students to join the team (see openings) !

Jump to staff, postdocs, PhD students, graduate students, current visitors, alumni, undergraduate alumni, high school alumni, past visitors. Read more about each staff member by clicking on their name!

The Giovannelli Lab team during a field excursion to the hot springs of Mondragone (Campania) in Summer 2021!

Staff

Donato Giovannelli

Full Professor
email: donato.giovannelli@unina.it

  • 2002-2005 - BSc, Biology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
  • 2005-2007 - MSc, Marine Biology and Ecology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
  • 2010-2013 - PhD, Applied Biology, Microbiology and Ecology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
  • 2013-2016 - Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Vetriani laboratory, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
  • 2016-2018 - Research Fellow, Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo, Japan

Angelina Cordone

Research Scientist (RTI)
email: angelina.cordone@unina.it

  • 2003 - BSc, Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Italy
  • 2003-2006 - PhD, Applied Biology, Microbiology and Ecology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
  • 2007-2008 - Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Reyrat laboratory, Necker Institute, Paris, France

Luciano di Iorio

Lab Manager and First Class Master Brewer
email: luciano.diiorio@unina.it

  • Monte Sant'Angelo Beer Accademy

Edoardo Taccaliti

Bioinformatic specialist
email: edoardo.taccaliti@unina.it

  • MSc in Bioinformatics, University of Bologna, Italy
  • BSc in Biology

Postdocs

Benoit de Pins

MSCA Fellow
Strategies of Carbon Fixation in the Subsurface. Subcarb website
email: benoit.depins@unina.it

  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2019-2023), Milo laboratory, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
  • PhD (2015-2019), Neuroscience, Girault laboratory, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
  • MSc in Biochemistry, Sorbonne University, Paris, France

PhDs

Francesca Iacuzzo

Understanding the diversity and distribution of hydrogen oxidizing organisms
email: francesca.iacuzzzo@unina.it

  • MSc Marine Biology, University of Trieste, Italy
  • BSc Biology, University of Trieste, Italy

Monica Correggia

Developing new analytical techniques to couple microbiological and geochemical data
email: monica.correggia@unina.it

  • MSc Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
  • BSc Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy

Francesco Montemagno

Role of copper in controlling the diversity of copper-containing enzymes
email: francesco.montemagno@unina.it

  • MSc Natural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Italy
  • BSc Natural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Italy

Flavia Migliaccio

Diversity of microbial communities in marine geothermal environments (PNRR BFNC)
email: flavia.migliaccio@unina.it

  • MSc Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
  • BSc Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy

Nunzia Nappi

Diversity of microbial communities in the algal collection ACUF @UNINA (PNRR IR MIRRI)
email: nunzia.nappi@unina.it

  • MSc Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
  • BSc Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy

Feliciana Oliva

Diversity of microbiomes in terrestrial geothermal ecosystems (PNRR IR MIRRI)
email: feliciana.oliva@unina.it

  • MSc Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
  • BSc Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy

Marzia Licata

Genomic diversity of isolates in the algal collection ACUF @UNINA (PNRR IR MIRRI)
email: marzia.licata@unina.it

  • MSc Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
  • BSc Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy

Ana Pelicciari Silva

Microbial diversity associated with shallow water hydrothermal vents and their biotechnological applications
email: ana.pelicciari@unina.it

Jacopo Brusca

Microbial diversity in polar region and biogeochemical cycling in a change climate
email: jacopo.brusca@unina.it

  • MSc Biology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona (Italy)
  • BSc Biology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona (Italy)

Antonio Longo

Developping a microbial-based health index for the oceans
email: antonio.longo@unina.it

  • MSc Biology of Extreme Environments, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
  • BSc Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy

Graduate Students

Chiara Pizzicato

Master student, Biology of Extreme Environments
project:
Co-Advisor:

  • Laurea Triennale, Scienze Naturali, UNINA

Current Visitors

Valentina Marcheselli

Postdoc
visiting from: University of Trento (Italy)
Collaborating on: Sociology of science

Sara Diana

PhD Student
visiting from: University of Palermo (Italy)
Collaborating on: Geochemistry and microbiology of shallow-water hydrothermal vents

Luca Tonietti

PhD Student
visiting from: University of Naples “Parthenope” (Italy)
Collaborating on: In situ resource utilization in Astrobiology and microbial metal mining

Alumni

Silvia Casciani

In the lab from
as a: Master student, Biology of Extreme Environments
Last we checked was a:

Michela Barbetta

In the lab from
as a: Master student, Biology of Extreme Environments
Last we checked was a:

Rita Carvalho

In the lab from
as a: Master student, Biology of Extreme Environments
Last we checked was a:

Isabel Bassolino

In the lab from
as a: Master student, Marine Biology
Last we checked was a:

Giulia Mallocci

In the lab from
as a: Master student, Biology of Extreme Environments
Last we checked was a:

Martina Ferrara

In the lab from
as a: Master student, Biology of Extreme Environments
Last we checked was a:

Deborah Bastoni

In the lab from December 2024 June 2025
as a: Postdoc
Last we checked was a:

Annarita Ricciardelli

In the lab from October 2022 September 2025
as a: Postdoc
Last we checked was a:

Bernardo Barosa

In the lab from November 2021 October 2024
as a: PhD student
Last we checked was a: Postdoc at University of Bologna

Martina Cascone

In the lab from January 2022 December 2024
as a: co-asdvised PhD student
Last we checked was a:

Davide Corso

In the lab from December 2022 September 2024
as a: Postdoc
Last we checked was a: Postdoc at CNR IRSA Rome

Margherita Plotti

In the lab from September 2023 - Dec 2024
as a: Master student, Biology of Extreme Environments
Last we checked was a:

Jake Lowe

In the lab from July 2023 - Nov 2024
as a: Master student, Biology of Extreme Environments
Last we checked was a:

Mirko Leggiero

In the lab from July 2023 - Nov 2024
as a: Master student, Biology of Extreme Environments
Last we checked was a:

Alessia Benedicta Bastianoni

In the lab from September 2021 - May 2024
as a: Postdoc
Last we checked was a: Researcher at ENI SpA

Luigi De Simone

In the lab from Septh 2022 - Dec 2023
as a: Master student, Biology of Extreme Environments
Last we checked was a:

Marina Grilo

In the lab from Septh 2022 - Dec 2023
as a: Master student, Biology of Extreme Environments
Last we checked was a:

Mattia Esposito

In the lab from Septh 2022 - Oct 2023
as a: Master student, Biology of Extreme Environments
Last we checked was a:

Sharath Chandra

In the lab from Sept 2022 - Oct 2023
as a: Master student, Biology of Extreme Environments
Last we checked was a: PhD Student, Portugal

Gabriella Gallo

In the lab from June 2022 - July 2023
as a: Master student, Biological Sciences
Last we checked was a:

Matteo Selci

In the lab from Sept 2019 - April 2023
as a: PhD Student @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Rutgers University (USA)

Nunzia Nnppi

In the lab from
as a: Master student in Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Student @ Unina (Italy)

Luigi Gallucci

In the lab from
as a: Master student in Marine Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a: Visiting Erasmus Student, Max Plank Institute, Bremen (Germany)

Elena Manariello

In the lab from
as a: Master student in Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a:

Mariavittoria Brandi

In the lab from
as a: Master student in Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a:

Marco Giardina

In the lab from
as a: Postdoctoral fellow @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a: Technical Support Agent at Zebra Technologies

Alessandro Masi

In the lab from Jul 2021 - Oct 2022
as a: Master student in Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Student, Department of Chemistry, University of Naples Federico II

Feliciana Oliva

In the lab from Jun 2021 - Oct 2022
as a: Master student in Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Student @ Unina (Italy)

Ottavia Iacovino

In the lab from Jun 2021 - Jul 2022
as a: Master student in Marine Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Candidate, Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norway

Emanuele Nappo

In the lab from Jun 2021 - Jul 2022
as a: Master student in Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a:

Francesco Montemagno

In the lab from Jul 2020 - Dec 2021
as a: Master student in Natural Sciences @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Student in our Lab!

Michela Piegari

In the lab from Apr 2021 - Feb 2022
as a: Master student in Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a:

Carmela Celentano

In the lab from May 2020 - Apr 2021
as a: Master student in Marine Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Student, Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II

Giacomo Fabozzi

In the lab from Mar 2020 - Jul 2021
as a: Master student in Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a:

Antonio Cascone

In the lab from Mar 2020 - Apr 2021
as a: Master student in Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a:

Raffaella Postiglione

In the lab from Mar 2020 - Apr 2021
as a: Master student in Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a:

Deborah Bastoni

In the lab from Mar 2020 - Apr 2021
as a: Master student in Natural Sciences @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Student in our Lab!

Rosanna Bossa

In the lab from Oct 2019 - Apr 2021
as a: Master student in Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Student, Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II

Angelica Severino

In the lab from Oct 2019 - Apr 2021
as a: Master student in Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Student, Department of Chemistry, University of Naples Federico II

Alessandro Coppola

In the lab from Oct 2019 - Apr 2021
as a: Master student in Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Student, Stazione Zoologica Anthon Dorn

Sonia De Rosa

In the lab from Oct 2019 - Apr 2021
as a: Master student in Biology @ Unina (Italy)
Last we checked was a:

Martina Cascone

In the lab from Apr 2019 - Dec 2020
as a: MSc student in Biology @ UNINA (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Student in our Lab!

Michele Intoccia

In the lab from Apr 2019 - Dec 2020
as a: MSc student in Biology @ UNINA (Italy)
Last we checked was a: Graduate Assistant, Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II

Alessandra Ferrillo

In the lab from May 2019 - Nov 2020
as a: MSc student in Marine Biology @ UNINA (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Student, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway

Rosaria Capuozzo

In the lab from May 2019 - Nov 2020
as a: MSc student in Biology @ UNINA (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Student, University of Bologna, Italy

Matteo Selci

In the lab from Jan 2018 - Feb 2019
as a: MSc student in Marine Biology @ UNIVPM (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Student in our lab!

Marco Basili

In the lab from Feb 2018 - Feb 2019
as a: MSc student in Marine Biology @ UNIVPM (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD Student, CNR-IRBIM Ancona, Italy

Maria Magliulo

In the lab from Jun 2017 - Sept 2018
as a: MSc student in Marine Biology @ UNINA (Italy)
Last we checked was a: PhD student, Essex University, UK

Undergraduate Alumni

  • Francesca Satolli, UNINA, 2023
  • Natalia Russo, UNINA, 2020
  • Emanuela Mastromo, UNINA, 2020
  • Teresa Femiano, UNINA, 2020
  • Martina Tirelli, UNINA, 2020
  • Valentina Morgera, UNINA, 2020
  • Rosa Mesidoro, UNINA, 2020
  • Teresa Iovino, UNINA, 2020
  • Carmen Arpaia, UNINA, 2020
  • Emanuela Peluso, UNINA, 2020
  • Emanuele Galatola, UNINA, 2020
  • Benedetta Sasso, UNINA, 2020
  • Enza Canonico, UNINA, 2020
  • Vincenzo Abbagnale, UNINA, 2020
  • Ilaria di Biase, UNINA, 2020
  • Elena Panariello, UNINA, 2020
  • Alessandra Palazzi, UNINA, 2020
  • Mariacarmen Del Mondo, UNINA, 2020
  • Mattia Acunzo, UNINA, 2020
  • Simona Piccolo, UNINA, 2020
  • Mariavittoria Brandi, UNINA, 2020
  • Andrea Campanile, UNINA, 2020
  • Lucia Di peso, UNINA, 2020
  • Simone De Meo, UNINA, 2019
  • Raffaele Nocera, UNINA, 2019
  • Antonio Nappo, UNINA, 2019
  • Andrea Campanile, UNINA, 2019
  • Mariavittoria Brandi, UNINA, 2019
  • Nunzia Nappi, UNINA, 2019
  • Alessia Masella, UNINA, 2019
  • Angelica De Rosa, UNINA, 2019

High School Alumni

  • Francesca Cafiero, Liceo Statale "Fonseca", Napoli, Summer 2019
  • Domenico Mazza, Istituto Istruzione Superiore "Giancarlo Siani", Napoli, summer 2019

Past Visitors

  • Marina Viggiani, visiting graduate assistant, CNR ISMAR Venezia, Summer 2021
  • Costantino Vetriani, visiting professor, Rutgers University, Fall 2019
  • Matteo Selci, visiting student, Politechnic University of Marche, Spring 2019
  • Joy Buongiorno, visiting postdoc, Carnegie Institution of Washington (USA), Jan-Feb 2019