Primo Ricercatore
Dipartimento di Biologia ed Evoluzione Organismi Marini
Tel. +39 081 5833275
Fax: +39 081 7641355
e-mail annamaria.locascio(at)szn.it
Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=it&user=l2Xyb04AAAAJ
ORCID ID: https:// orcid.org/0000-0001-6956-2157
ERC Sectors – Integrative Biology: Environmental biology, ecology and evolution (LS8_13), from Genes and Genomes to System Biology (LS2_2, LS2_4, LS2_7).
Settori Scientifico Disciplinari: BIO/11 (Biologia Molecolare), BIO/07 (Ecologia), BIO/18 (Genetica)
Lab members:
Dr. Mary Carolin Kurisingal Cleetus Open University of London-SZN PhD student (2024-2028)
Dr. Giulia Paolella, XXXVIII cycle UniNA-SZN PhD student (2022-2026)
Interessi di ricerca
Response of Marine Organisms to Environmental Factors
My main interests are now devoted to understanding the genetic pathways altered after exposure of marine organisms to contaminants of emerging concern. Thanks to a long experience on molecular evolution and comparative analyses of the gene regulatory networks controlling embryos development and differentiation,
I am studying the phenotypic, molecular and genetic alterations of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis after exposure to microplastics alone and in combination with BPA and/or Natural Organic Matter (NOM). These studies are carried on combining phenotypic, histologic (immune, microscopy and electron microscopy assays) molecular (e.g. differential RNAseq and Real Time PCR). Furthermore, this mussel species shows an unexpected and rare ability to counteract the toxic effects of pollutants. We want to understand the genetic basis responsible for its resilience to pollution with the final objective to identify these components in other marine species and improve environmental management and aquaculture systems. It is a comparative and multidisciplinary study on mechanisms of action and protective strategies.
Principali Pubblicazioni
- M.C. Kurisingal Cleetus, M. Fabbricino, L. Pontoni, A. Locascio. Challenges in the analysis of microplastics and nanoplastics extracted from marine biological tissues: a review. Environ. Chem. Letter (2026) doi: 10.1007/s10311-026-01902-6.
- Chianese T, Galati M, Cappello T, Maisano M, Lettieri G, Marinaro C, Piscopo M, Fasciolo G, Gravato C, Napolitano G, Paolella G, Locascio A, Scudiero R, Rosati L. Exploring the impact of polystyrene microplastic beads on male gonads of the marine mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis. Environmental Toxicology (2025)
- Paolella G, Pontoni L, Locascio A, Sirakov M, Scivicco M, Fabbricino M. Evaluation of potential bioaccumulation of Bisphenol A in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. J Environ Manage. (2025) 382:125295. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125295
-Paolella G, Fabbricino M*, Locascio A*, Sirakov M, Pontoni L. Fate of bisphenol A in marine environment: a critical review. Chemical Engineering Journal (2024). 495, 153228, (*corresponding authors) doi 10.1016/j.cej.2024.153228
-Gerdol M, Greco S, Marino R, Locascio A, Plateroti M, Sirakov M. Conserved Signaling Pathways in the Ciona robusta Gut. Int J Mol Sci. (2024), 25, 7846. doi: 10.3390/ijms25147846.
-Salatiello F, Gerdol M, Pallavicini A, Locascio A, Sirakov M. Comparative analysis of novel and common reference genes in adult tissues of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. BMC Genomics (2022) 23:349. doi: 10.1186/s12864-022-08553-1
-Pontoni L., La Vecchia C., Boguta P. Sirakov M., D’Aniello E., Fabbricino M., Locascio A. Natural organic matter controls metal speciation and toxicity for marine organisms: a review. Environ Chem Lett (2022) doi: 10.1007/s10311-021-01310-y.
