Maria Elena Martino

My interests lie in understanding the processes underpinning the evolution of bacteria and their adaptation to new environments. I did my PhD in Veterinary Science at the University of Padova (Italy) and the University of Bath (UK), focussing on the study of the evolution and niche specialization within the bacterial genus Aeromonas. During my post-doctoral work at the Institute of Functional Genomics of Lyon (France), I investigated the genetic mechanisms of the mutualistic interaction between bacteria and their hosts, to understand the molecular basis of microbial benefit towards host growth, using experimental evolution in Drosophila and mice. I recently started as Associate Professor at the University of Padua where I study the eco-evolutionary mechanisms driving host-microbiome assembly and function in marine organisms.