The group is interested in contributing to the improvement of the health of honey bees (Apis mellifera) by reducing mite infestation levels and infectious diseases (foulbrood diseases, virosis, nosemosis), improving bee immune response in bees and developing new natural strategies to prevent and treat diseases in bee colonies.

The Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) is the primary research, control, and technical-scientific advisory body on public health in Italy. The ISS's activities are distributed across six departments, 16 national centres, two reference centres, five technical-scientific services, and a notified body. The Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health is responsible for the promotion and protection of human and animal health through the development, evaluation and application of knowledge, tools and strategies aimed at ensuring food safety, combating animal and zoonotic diseases and promoting appropriate dietary habits