Simona Bonelli

Simona Bonelli is an Associate Professor at the Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin. Since 2000, she has coordinated the Zoological Laboratory (ZooLab), focusing on biodiversity conservation and lepidoptera ecology.

• Specializes in butterfly biology, host-parasite communication, and sustainability
• Collaborated with the Italian Ministry of the Environment for butterfly red list assessments
• Contributed to international butterfly conservation projects (BC-Europe, EU-43/92/CEE)

ZooLab under SB investigates chemical and acoustic signal exchange in ant-social parasite systems. Notable discoveries include the first evidence of acoustic mimicry in Maculinea butterflies (Science 2009) and ant inter-caste communication mechanisms (Current Biology 2013).

• Coordinated Italian butterfly DNA barcoding program
• Advisory role for sustainable phyto-pharmaceutical use in NATURA-2000 areas
• Co-leader of the FUSILLI urban food system sustainability project

Active in academic governance as member of the Departmental Council and Teaching Commission.