Pietro Alifano

Pietro Alifano serves as a Full Professor of General Microbiology (SSD BIO/19) at the University of Salento, Italy, within the Department of Experimental Medicine at the Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences.

His research interests span General Microbiology, Applied Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology, and Microbial Biotechnology, with a particular focus on bacterial pathogenicity mechanisms. Throughout his career, he has investigated the genetic and molecular basis of bacterial pathogenicity, especially regarding Neisseria meningitidis infection and host-pathogen interactions.

Alifano has led numerous significant research projects including multiple PRIN (Research Projects of National Interest) initiatives from 1999 through 2025, with recent work focusing on the apoptosis/pyroptosis balance in N. meningitidis infection and microbial adaptation under stressful conditions.

• SIBBM Award 1992 for outstanding work in Molecular Biology and Biophysics

He has held important administrative positions including President of the Teaching Council in Biotechnology (2009-2016) and currently serves as President of the University Quality Committee (since 2019). His laboratory is located at the Ecotekne Center on the University of Salento campus in Lecce.