42- years of research with the National Research Council of Italy (CNR); Since 2019 Prof Emeritus at University of Costa Rica (UCR)2019: Associated Researcher at Institute of BioEconomy (CNR-IBE)2016 -2018, Acting Director of Institute of Ecosystem Study (CNR-ISE)2011-2016, Head of the Section of Florence of the Institute of Ecosystem Study

1) Algal Physiology and Biotechnology

2) Microalgal biomass for food and feed applications

3) Microalgae for bioenergy production

4) Development of new designs of photobioreactors

Growth physiology and biotechnology of mass culture of microalgae for food and feed production, bioenergy (in particular hydrogen), and wastewater treatment. He has published 94 papers in international peer review journals, 18 book chapters dealing with photosynthetic microorganisms, and co-edited 1 book on the photobiological hydrogen production. He has patented two photobioreactor designs for outdoor culture of microalgae, one process to tread olive mill wastewater, and a process to attain analytical grade of phycocyanin.