Staff
Piero Addis
Managing Director
Piero Addis is associate professor of Ecology at the University of Cagliari – Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, where he received the degree of M. Sc. Biological Science (First Class Honors) in 1992. He is a professor of Ecology in the Bachelor of Natural Sciences and a member of the academic council of the Doctoral School in Biology, Biochemistry and Environment at the same University.
Viviana Pasquini
Deputy manager
Researcher at the University of Cagliari. Her research activities focus on the feeding behavior of marine invertebrates, the ecological role of benthic organisms and algae in bio-remediation processes. She also works on protocols for controlled reproduction of echinoderms and other marine invertebrates and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) as a strategy for sustainable diversification of aquatic production.
Serenella Cabiddu
Researcher Ecology UNICA
Researcher of Ecology at the University of Cagliari. Her research focuses on marine ecosystems and transitional waters, particularly on background macrofauna, alien species, and interactions among populations of aquatic species including those of commercial interest. He conducts research in the field and under controlled conditions using manipulative experiments in mesocosms and technological aquaria.
Francesco Palmas
Researcher Ecology UNICA
Researcher at the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari. His research focuses on aquatic ecosystem functioning and biodiversity conservation. He works on descriptive modeling the effects of heat waves on lagoon species, with a focus on prediction models and habitat suitability. He also studies the potential invasiveness of aquatic environments under warming water scenarios and the biogeochemical effects of climate change.
Marco Maxia
Technologist
Technologist at Agris Regional Agency, Research Service for Fish Products. A technical collaborator at GillaLab, he is in charge of plant engineering and environmental monitoring, and an expert in setting up and managing experiments in technological aquariums and rearing tanks for marine invertebrates (echinoderms, mollusks and crustaceans), micro and macroalgae (Ulva).
Interdisciplinary Research Team
Alberto Angioni
Full Professor of Food Chemistry at the University of Cagliari. His research focuses on the nutritional, health and toxicological characterization of foods. Analytical activities aim at studying the influence of breeding and cultivation processes on the chemical composition of foods, as well as industrial and traditional processes of raw material processing.
Antonio Pusceddu
Full professor of Ecology at the University of Cagliari. His research focuses on studying the relationships between biodiversity and marine ecosystem functioning and the impacts of anthropogenic and natural disturbance, including climate change and biological invasions on marine species, habitats and ecosystems.
Andrea Sabatini
Associate professor of zoology at the University of Cagliari. He works on animal biodiversity and faunal studies of coastal marine and freshwater environments and the management and conservation of dulciacuicola fauna.
Alessandro Cau
Associate professor of Ecology at the University of Cagliari. His research focuses on marine benthic ecosystems such as marine animal forests and anthropogenic impacts. He conducts manipulative experiments in mesosomes to study the consequences of climate change and microplastic contamination on the functioning of benthic ecosystems.
Paolo Solari
Associate professor of physiology at the University of Cagliari. His research involves the study of chemosensory systems in marine invertebrates. He uses electrophysiological and behavioral techniques to understand the complex interactions between olfactory and gustatory systems and stimuli of feeding and reproductive interest, including aimed at identifying strategies for the containment of invasive alien species.
Davide Moccia
Researcher at the University of Cagliari. His research focuses on the ecology of coastal and deep benthic communities. He uses experimental aquaculture in mesocosms and bioreactors to study macroalgal species for the development of integrated cultivation and bioremediation approaches that promote environmental sustainability and enhancement of algal biomass in biotechnology.
Gianni Bacchetta
Full Professor of Systematic Botany at the University of Cagliari, Director of the Center for Biodiversity Conservation (CCB). He is involved in geobotanical studies and plant conservation biology in the Mediterranean and plant diversity of the islands with regard to phytoclimatology and phytogeography.
Gianluca Gatto
Full Professor of Converters, Electric Machines and Drives at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (DIEE), University of Cagliari. His research focuses on power electronic converters, electric drives, electromagnetic compatibility in industrial and civil fields. He also works on environmental sensing in IoT, applied to recognition systems and autonomous driving of drones and smart vessels in marine environment.
Valentina Coroneo
Associate Professor of Hygiene in the Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health. She oversees the Environmental Hygiene Laboratory, a facility listed in the regional roster of laboratories accredited for food self-monitoring.
Students
Sonia Cheratzu
A research fellow at the University of Cagliari, he is involved in the study of macrozoobenthic communities in ponds and interactions between invasive alien species and lagoon species using also manipulative experiments in mesocosms.
Lorenzo Chiacchio
PhD student at the University of Cagliari. He works on microplastic contamination of deep marine environments and its ecosystem effects.
Nicola Arru
A graduate student in Food Chemistry, currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Cagliari, he works in toxicology and analytical chemistry for the characterization of food and environmental matrices.
