Our research interest is primarily addressed to the manifold facets of biodiversity, attempting to integrate basic knowledge in systematics and biogeography with ecological genetics and molecular approaches to phylogeography and phylogeny.

Basically we are interested on the genetic structure of populations analysed at different geographic scales and by different molecular tools. Molecular markers and other character sets are used to improve empirical estimation of evolutionary parameters such as selective values, gene flow, and rates of cladogenetic events. Study organisms include cave dwelling organisms, butterflies, crustaceans and fish of economic interest and, more recently, other vertebrates including roe deer and Galapagos iguanas.

Starting from basic science we attempt to render the field of zoology useful to management and conservation of natural resources. In this context we have recently established at Tor Vergata University a joint project with other Universities and the Regional Park Agency named "Osservatorio per la Biodiversità del Lazio" (OBL; Observatory for Biodiversity of Latium). The Observatory database is built up by geo-referential data on plant and animals connected with GIS applications. It represents the necessary informational reservoir for further developments in specific fields from biodiversity mapping to conservation and landscape genetics.