Mariola J. Ferraro (Edelmann), M.S., Ph.D.
University of Florida
Mariola J. Ferraro (Edelmann), M.S., Ph.D., is a tenured associate professor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida. She received her M.S. in biology from Jagiellonian University (2005) and a Ph.D. in clinical medicine from the University of Oxford (2010). Her research focuses on innate immunity and host-pathogen interactions, particularly in the context of gram-negative bacterial infections. Ferraro’s work has been instrumental in elucidating the role of host-derived extracellular vesicles in immune defense. She has identified key exosomal proteins that stimulate both humoral and cellular immune responses and demonstrated their protective function during Salmonella infection. Her studies also highlight the immunomodulatory roles of bioactive lipids and lipid metabolism, proposing new therapeutic strategies for controlling inflammation and combating multidrug-resistant pathogens. With more than 85 peer-reviewed publications and ongoing support from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense and NASA, Ferraro leads a multidisciplinary research effort that integrates proteomics, cell biology and immunology to advance understanding of microbial pathogenesis and immune regulation.