Graduated in Biology at the University of Rome La Sapienza (1982).
PhD in "Molecular and Cellular Basis of Human Biology" at the Dpt. Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rome, “La Sapienza” (1987) partially carried out at the Laboratory directed by Prof. G.G. Brownlee, Institute Sir William Dunn, School of Pathology, University of Oxford, UK. After training periods at the International Institute of Genetic and Biophysics, IIGB, CNR Naples, Italy, Dr. F. Blasi's laboratory,and at Neurobiology Institute, CNR, Roma, Italy, in Prof. Rita Levi Montalcini Lab.

Since 1989, she is scientist  in the permanent staff at ENEA CR Casaccia, UTAGRI GEN, responsible for a team including permanent people and students, scientific responsible for various projects funded by Italian or International organizations since 1994 and co-author of several peer-reviewed papers, chair-woman and invited speaker at National and International Conferences.

The main scientific activities include:        

• Molecular studies of genes involved in plant response to drought, such as DRF1 gene, and evaluation of their expression profile under different water regimes in durum wheat, triticale and ancestors
• Genotyping of durum wheat varieties, triticale and ancestors
• Antibody molecular biology, antibody engineering, antibodies for plant pathogen resistance, plant molecular factory of engineered antibodies
• Molecular design of proteins such as engineered antibodies, immunoconjugates, transcription factors
• Bioinformatics
• Transgenic plants for crop genetic improvement and valuable protein production
• Triticale for bioenergy

Tutor of several graduate and PhD students, coming from national and international universities, evaluator of research projects funded by MIPAF and EU, reviewer for many plant journals and panel editor for “Food, Agriculture and Environment” journal.
She is member of the ENEA Technology Assessment Committee andmember of ENEA Technology transfer and International Relationship Networks.