Sara obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology at the University of Milano-Bicocca in Italy. She then completed a Master’s degree in Biobased Materials at Maastricht University. During her Master’s thesis, she worked on the recombinant production of squid-derived proteins in Escherichia coli and Nicotiana benthamiana. This project combined biotechnology and materials science, aiming to produce and explore these proteins as building blocks for advanced biomaterials.

Driven by her interest in precision fermentation for alternative protein sources and in how molecular design can be translated into functional materials, she chose to focus on molecular biology and tissue engineering to advance next-generation biomaterials development.

In November 2025, Sara joined the MERLN Institute as a PhD Candidate. Her research focuses on the recombinant production of engineered proteins in E. coli and their application as cellular scaffolds for the cultivation of bovine muscle cells. Through this work, she aims to contribute to the development of engineered protein-based scaffolds for producing cultivated whole-cut meat that replicates the texture and structure of native muscle tissue.