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Biography

I obtained my BSc in General and Applied Biology from the University of Naples “Federico II” (Italy) in 2006. My BSc research project aimed to elucidate the impact of epigenetic factors (specifically, H3K4 methylation) on the development of oral carcinoma. Research into the molecular aetiology of human pathology was also the main focus of my MSc project, carried out at the Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM, Naples, Italy). During my time at TIGEM I investigated the molecular and cellular basis of the neurobehavioural phenotype observed in mouse models of 22q11 deletion syndrome (also known as velocardiofacial or DiGeorge syndrome). I moved to the UK in 2010 for my PhD, which was carried out at the Laboratory of Polymers and Biomaterials of the University of Manchester. My PhD research project focused on understanding the mechanical and biochemical factors underpinning the myofibroblast differentiation process, key cellular event leading to fibrotic degeneration in a number of pathological conditions. During my PhD and post-doc, also at the University of Manchester, I became increasingly engaged in my department’s didactic and outreach activities. As a result, I decided to further pursue my dedication to scientific teaching and communication by enrolling in a secondary (11-18) science PGCE, which I was awarded in 2016 from the University of Manchester.