After my Doctorate at the Westfälische Wilhelms-University (Münster, Germany), I have started investigating the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects that nanomaterials might exert on human health. To this end, I have joined different labs in Germany, Italy and now in France, and I have participated to several EU-funded and National multidisciplinary research projects.

At the Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg University (Mainz, Germany), in the frame of the FP6 CellNanoTox project, I have investigated the internalization and the effects of nanomaterials (Au, Ag, CoFe, QDots) on an in vitro co-culture model of the human alveolo-capillary barrier. Afterwards, I have joined the Nanobiosciences team at the Institute for Health and Consumer Protection of the Joint Research Centre in Ispra (Italy). By participating in the FP7 NanoReTox and NanoTher projects, I have studied the physico-chemical characterization, the uptake as well as the carcinogenic potential of metallic (Au, Ag, SiO2, TiO2, maghemite) and polymeric nanomaterials in cell lines representative of different body compartments, such as intestine, lung and skin. Then I moved to the Medical Genetics Unit at the University of Pisa (Pisa, Italy), where I continued my research on the genotoxic and carcinogenic potential of pristine and surface-coated metallic nanomaterials (Au, SiO2, TiO2). In Pisa, I have participated in the FP7 SanoWork project, whose aim was the identification of a strategy to produce safe-by-design nanomaterials.

Later on, I have joined the Biomarkers, Environment and Health (BEH) team at the Mediterranean Institute of marine and terrestrial Biodiversity and Ecology, Aix-Marseille Université, campus Timone in Marseille (France). At BEH I have worked for PASSIV-ITER, an A*Midex funded project. In this context, I have focused my interests on tritiated and non tritiated tungsten particles and their genotoxic and epigenetic damages in human-derived bronchial cells.

Currently I am working, at BEH, on the Labex SERENADE associated project TILT (ToxIcoLogie Transverse aux case-studies). The aim of TILT is to develop in vitro medium/high-throughput screening tools and apply them to investigate the genotoxic effects of nanomaterials issued from different SERENADE case-studies such as SafeTiPaint, Saquado, EcoSun and Emballages.