Graduate in Agricultural Sciences. PhD in Agricultural Entomology. Assistant professor since 1990, associate Professor since 2002 and full Professor since 2019, in General and applied Entomology.

The research activities regard mainly: morphology, systematic, bio-ethology, genetic and control of Eriophyoidea with particular interest to species of economic relevance and those involved in the control of infesting plants; functional morphology of structures involved in the trophic activity as well as sensilla related to the mouthparts, legs and prodorsal region of mites with economic relevance; morphology, bio-ethology and control of Capnodis tenebrionis (Buprestidae); ecotoxicological responses of biological systems exposed to organic and inorganic xenobiotics in the soil.

Member of the editorial board for the Journals Acarologia, Entomologica, Insects, Persian Journal of Acarology and Redia; associate editor for the International Journal of Acarology, and subject editor for the Journal of Entomological and Acarological Research,

Member of the International Committee of Acarology (201-2026).

Coordinator of the TEMPUS-IV project “International joint master degree in Plant Medicine (IPM)”. Coordinator of some research projects funded by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Research and University, University of Bari, and scientific responsible of agreements between the University of Bari and public and private Institutions.

Scientific secretary of the IV (Siena, 2000) and organizer of the IX Simposium (Bari 2020) of the European Association of the European Acarologists (Eur.A.AC.).

Coordinator of the PhD Course in “Biodiversity, Agriculture and Environment” at the University of Bari (2021-2024).

Member of the Italiuan ASN Commission (2020-2023) for the Sector Plant Pathology and Entomollogy.

Most recent and relevant papers on the main research activities

1. Lotfollahi P., Mehri-Heyran H., de Lillo E., 2023 – Field and Laboratory observations on the biology of Aceria angustifoliae with emphasis on emergence of overwintering mites. Insects, 14, 633. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14070633
2. de Lillo E., Marini F., Cristofaro M., Valenzano D., Petanović, R., Vidović B., Cvrković T., Bon M.-C., 2022 – Integrative taxonomy and synonymization of Aculus mosoniensis (Acari: Eriophyidae), a potential biological control agent for tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima). Insects, 13, 489. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13050489
3. de Lillo E., Freitas-Astúa J., Kitajima E.W., Ramos-González P.L., Simoni S., Tassi A.D., Valenzano D., 2021 – Phytophagous mites transmitting plant viruses: update and perspectives. Entomologia Generalis, 41(5): 439-462. https://doi.org/10.1127/entomologia/2021/1283
4. Valenzano D., Tumminello M.T., Gualandri V., de Lillo E., 2020 – Morphological and molecular characterization of the Colomerus vitis erineum strain (Trfombidiformes: Eriophyidae) from grapevine erinea and buds. Appl. Acarol., 80: 183-201. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-020-00470-w
5. Bari G., Scala A., Garzone V., Salvia R., Yalcin C., Vernile P., Aresta A.M., Facini O., Baraldi R., Bufo S.A., Vogel H., de Lillo E., Rapparini F., Falabella P., 2019 – Chemical ecology of Capnodis tenebrionis (L.) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae): behavioral and biochemical strategies for intraspecific and host interactions. Frontiers in Physiology, 10(604): 1-21. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00604