Ceglie Letizia
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Role | Biologist |
| Structure | SCS5 – Mammalian and Aquatic Species Virology Diagnostic Virology Laboratory |
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| Phone | +39 049 8084237 | |
| lceglie@izsvenezie.it |
Professional profile
Letizia Ceglie is a senior biologist at the SCS5 – Mammalian and Aquatic Species Virology Unit of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe).
She earned her degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Bologna in December 1992 and passed the State Board Examination in April 1994 following a one-year mandatory internship. She continued her post-graduate education in virology at the University of Bologna, earning a Specialization Diploma in Microbiology and Virology in 2000 (enrolled 1996). In 2002, she completed a one-year Master’s degree in Biotechnology at the University of Urbino (FanoAteneo). During the 2019–2020 academic year, she attended a Master’s program in Veterinary Forensic Sciences at the University of Naples Federico II, completing her studies with a defense of an experimental thesis in June 2020.
She has been working at IZSVe since 1995, initially as a research fellow involved in European and national research projects on mammalian viral pathogens. She served as a fixed-term senior biologist from 2006 until 2010, when she obtained a permanent position. Her work focuses primarily on applying classical virological, biomolecular, and serological techniques to diagnose mammalian infectious diseases, with a specific focus on bovine and swine species as well as select zoonoses. She is also responsible for the annual organization of proficiency testing schemes for biomolecular diagnostics under the Aqua Circuit for several target pathogens.
She has participated and continues to serve as a researcher, project leader, or operational unit head in European and national research projects aimed at standardizing and validating biomolecular diagnostic protocols for abortifacient pathogens in cattle (BVD, IBR, Neosporosis, Schmallenberg virus, Q Fever) and wildlife. She has contributed to projects on swine-specific pathogens (such as PRRS: experimental infections and performance evaluations of diagnostic tests, as well as HEV) and zoonoses (Chlamydia, Q Fever, Leptospira).
Her current research interests include BVD virus, Leptospira, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, the molecular characterization of Coxiella burnetii strains via MLVA, and coagulase-positive Staphylococcus strains using microarray technology.