Research experience

​PhD Student - September 2018 - Present
Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt am Main (Germany)
  • Investigating the development of the chromatophores control system in the Bobtail Squid (Euprymna  berryi) and the Common Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)
  • Generation and culture of cephalopod genetic lines: Imaging and control of neural circuits in transgenic sepioids

Visiting Researcher - February - July 2019
Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole (USA)
  • Development of genetic tools in Bobtail Squids (Euprymna scolopes and berryi)

Research Intern - January - June 2018
Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole (USA)
  • Development of CRISPR-Cas9 editing tools in Pygmy Squid (Idiosepius paradoxus) and Longfin Inshore Squid (Doryteuthis pealeii)

Research Intern - October - December 2017
SYMAR Laboratory, Nice (France)
  • Culture and characterization of temperate sea endosymbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium sp.)​

Research Intern - July - September 2013
ECOMERS Laboratory, Nice (France)
  • Preparation and observation of Antarctic silverfish otoliths (Pleuragramma antarticum) and fish visual census techniques

​Education

PhD - 2018 - Present
Goethe University Frankfurt am Main (Germany)
  • Biological Sciences

Master's Degree II - 2017 - 2018
University of Nice Sophia Antipolis (France)
  • Biology and Environmental Health - Marine Biology

Master's Degree I - 2016 - 2017
Pythéas Institute: Observatory of Sciences of the Universe (France)
  • Oceanography - Marine Ecology and Biology

Bachelor's Degree - 2012 - 2016
University of Nice Sophia Antipolis (France) 
  • Life Science - Ecosystems and Organisms Biology

​Work and leadership experience

PhD Representative - September 2021 - August 2022
Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt (Germany)

Science Communicator - March 2020 - Present
Dr. NEMO - Youtube, Instagram and Twitter

Amateur Drama Teacher - November 2018 - March 2020
Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt (Germany)

Hotel Student Job - 2013 - 2016
Westminster Hotel & Spa, Nice (France)

Student Body President - 2009 - 2012
Galilei-Campailla High School, Modica (Italy)

Volunteering and activism

​Diversity in Neuroscience Seminar Co-organizer - January 2021- December 2022
Connecting Brains: a Worldwide Neuroscience Lecture Series

Fundraising Event Organizer - March 2022
Fundraising event to create awareness and help children affected by the war in Ukraine (Save the Children)

Fundraising Concert Organizer - April 2022
Fundraising event to provide medical supplies and protective gear for Ukraine

​Languages and certifications

French: Native speaker
Italian: Native speaker
English: Full professional proficiency

Cephalopod Biology and Care - Function A, D and C (FELASA) - July 2021
Fribourg (Switzerland)

​Course on Laboratory Animals - Function A, D and C (FELASA) - October 2018
Fortbildungen-Rhein-Main​ (Germany)

1 Star Diver - International Certificate - June 2014
FFESSM - Fédération française d'études et de sports sous-marins

​Publications

Di Franco, A., Calò, A., De Benedetto, G.E., Ghigliotti, L., Pennetta, A., Renard, M.D., Pisano, E., Vacchi, M. and Guidetti, P., 2021. Otolith chemical composition suggests local populations of Antarctic silverfish Pleuragramma antarctica (Boulenger, 1902) around Antarctica are exposed to similar environmental conditions at early life stages. Polar Biology, 44(10), pp.1979-1991.

Presentations and Posters

International Congress of Neuroethology, Berlin (Germany) - July 2024
Disentangling Cephalopod Chromatophores Motor Units - Poster

CephNeuro 2024, Woods Hole (USA) - April 2024
Development of cephalopod chromatophores motor control system - Workshop talk

CephNeuro 2024, Woods Hole (USA) - April 2024
Disentangling Chromatophores Motor Units - Poster

Game of Research, University of Pisa (Italy) - November 2023
The Art and Struggles of Science Communication - Talk

TEDx Talk, Frankfurt (Germany) - October 2022
Yes, you can be an octopus too - Talk

CephRes 2020, Napoli (Italy) - September 2020
Generating Transgenic Lines in Cephalopods: Development of genetic tools in Euprymna berryi - Online talk

Cephalopod International Advisory Council Conference, St. Petersburg (USA) - November 2018
Establishing a novel model for cephalopods : Development of genetic tools - Talk

TONMOcon, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole (USA) - April 2018
Establishing a novel model for cephalopods : Development of genetic tools - Talk

Supervision

Johann Ukrow - October 2021 - Jan 2025
Research assistant/Master’s student - Computational pipeline for cephalopod chromatophores analysis
​
Maria Grouev and Aeneas Tews - June - July 2022
Max Planck Junior Scholars 2022