Silvia Gigliotti

Silvia Gigliotti is a Researcher at the Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR-CNR) in Naples, Italy, since 2014. She contributes to the European PhD program in Insect Science and Biotechnology as a member of the Scientific Board and has previously lectured on Insect Biotechnology at the University of Naples 'Federico II' (2009-2013). Her research spans molecular genetics, developmental biology, and insect immunology.

Research Focus: Using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism, her work investigates cell and developmental biology mechanisms, particularly in insect immunity and host-parasite interactions with parasitoid wasps. Her studies aim to identify immunosuppressive parasitoid molecules for bioinsecticide development and explore genetic/molecular characterization of immune genes through RNAi techniques.

Key Contributions: Functional analysis of immune genes like P102 in Spodoptera littoralis (2014), discovery of functional amyloids in insect immune responses (2012), and molecular studies on translational repression in germ cell development (2012). Her work bridges genetic research with biotechnological applications for pest control.

Scientific Recognition:

• Recipient of the 1988 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Italian Society of Biophysics and Molecular Biology
• Contributor to 15+ peer-reviewed publications (2010-2023) on insect immunity, gene regulation, and biocontrol strategies

Collaborations: Works with international institutions including Georg-August University (Germany), US Department of Agriculture (USA), and European research networks. Her lab collaborates on Drosophila models, Varroa destructor studies, and Spodoptera immune gene analysis.