**About the Editor**

**Anna Palumbo** obtained her degree in Biology in 1976. In 1980 she became Research Scientist, in 1992 Senior Scientist, and in 2007 Research Director at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn. She has spent some periods abroad at INSERM and INSA in France and as a visiting scientist at NIH, Bethesda and at MRC, Edinburgh. Her research interests are mainly focused on marine organisms. In particular, she investigated the biosynthesis, signaling, and roles of nitric oxide in relation to the cuttlefish defense system and ascidian development. More recently, her research interests have been focused on understanding how marine organisms are responding and might adapt to the increasing pressure exerted by climatic changes and human activities. The actions of some environmental conditions (acidification, toxic bloom, and contaminants such as microplastics) on marine organisms at different life phases have been examined by laboratory or field experiments. Moreover, grea<sup>t</sup> attention has also been focused on the biological properties of marine bioactive molecules, with the aim of developing pharmacological applications.
