Dr. Angela Meccariello is a molecular biologist interested in understanding how sex is determined in insects and how this knowledge can be harnessed to develop innovative and sustainable strategies for agricultural pest control. Following her PhD in Naples, she moved to London, where her research explores insect biology at the molecular and systems level, integrating genetics, developmental biology, and genomics.

Her work bridges evolutionary and applied science, with a focus on advanced genome engineering technologies to design precise and transferable solutions for pest management with relevance to global food security and environmental health.

Dr. Gouvi Georgia is very experienced in the field of pest control of Tephritidae and the development and characterization of Genetic Sexing Strains (GSS) for the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). She demonstrates expertise in advanced cytogenetic analyses, insect symbiosis, CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering, and insect population management. She has participated in international projects on the Anastrepha, Bactrocera, Ceratitis, Rhagoletis, Zeugodacus and Drosophila genera, identified species chromosomal rearrangements, identified of the position of key genes for SIT in the chromosomes, developed new PCR diagnostic tools for Venna 8 D53, developed polytene maps for the least studied Zeugodacus species, developed transgenic lines for Anastrepha ludens.

Ms Belinda Boateng has been awarded a Global Development Fellowship to expand her expertise in molecular entomology and to integrate advanced genetic and biochemical approaches into her PhD research on Pseudotheraptus devastans. Our research group focuses on the development and application of CRISPR/Cas9-based and RNA interference technologies for the control of agricultural insect pests. Through this fellowship, Ms Boateng will gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge molecular tools, complementing and strengthening her ecological fieldwork in Ghana.

Mr Francesco Maglione is a Senior Research Technician in the group, with expertise in insect genetics, colony management, and molecular laboratory operations. He oversees the maintenance and genetic crossing of key pest species, including Ceratitis capitata(Medfly) and Anastrepha ludens (Mexfly), ensuring high-quality and reproducible laboratory lines. He supports experimental workflows across projects, contributes to biorisk assessment and compliance processes, and coordinates laboratory operations, including procurement and resource management.