She received her Ph.D. and master’s in Mechanical Engineering from University of Pittsburgh in 2005 and 2003, respectively, and bachelor’s in Mathematics from University of Naples II in 2000. She directs the Mechanics of Soft Biological Systems Lab and works in the general areas of experimental and theoretical mechanics of nonlinear elastic, viscoelastic, and liquid crystal biological systems including tracheae, ligaments, tendons, cells, and lipid bilayers.