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Floriana graduated at the University of Oslo, in the PhD physiology program under the supervision of Professor Göran Nilsson. During her PhD FIoriana investigated the molecular and physiological response of teleost species exposed to environmental changes such as high CO₂ levels in water. Here, she looked into a large range of neuro-aspects, from fish behaviour and cognition (Lai et al., Conservation physiology 2015; Näslund et al., Mar Freshw Res 2015) to changes in expression of genes linked with brain excitability (Lai et al., Conservation physiology 2017), neurogenesis and neuroplasticity (Lai et al., Biology letters, 2017). 

In 2018, she joined the MDB group as a researcher. Since then, her research has focused on investigating the physiological and molecular responses associated with appetite and growth regulation under various conditions such as dietary ingredients (Espe et al., 2021; Lai et al., 2023), stress (Lai et al., 2021), fasting (Kalananthan-Lai et al., 2020; Lai et al., 2025), environmental factors (Lai et al., in prep.), and production systems(Lai et al., 2022; Lai et al., 2024).

She has extensive experience supervising many master students and doctoral fellows. 

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2017

. Lai, Floriana; Fagernes, Cathrine Elisabeth; Bernier, Nicholas J; Miller, Gabrielle; Munday, Philip L; Nilsson, Göran Erik. Responses of neurogenesis and neuroplasticity related genes to elevated CO2 levels in the brain of three teleost species. Biology Letters 2017UiO 

2016

. Lai, Floriana; Fagernes, Cathrine Elisabeth; Jutfelt, Fredrik; Nilsson, Göran Erik. Expression of genes involved in brain GABAergic neurotransmission in three-spined stickleback exposed to near-future CO2. Conservation Physiology 2016 ;Volum 4.(1) s. -NTNU UiO 

2015

. Lai, Floriana; Jutfelt, Fredrik; Nilsson, Goran Erik. Altered neurotransmitter function in CO2-exposed stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus): a temperate model species for ocean acidification research. Conservation Physiology 2015 ;Volum 3.(1) s. 1-6UiO 

. Näslund, Joacim; Lindström, Erik; Lai, Floriana; Jutfelt, Fredrik. Behavioural responses to simulated bird attacks in marine three-spined sticklebacks after exposure to high CO2 levels. Marine and Freshwater Research 2015 ;Volum 66.(10) s. 877-885UiO 

2024-pres.: SANDE - Seasonal production of rainbow trout. Research Council of Norway, Innovation Project for the Industrial Sector (project nr. 346461). Project leader and responsible researcher for experimental activities.

2023-pres.:NORDFJORD LAKS - Comparison of different production of Atlantic salmon. Vestland Regional Research Fund (project nr. 349491) and skatteFUNN. Project leader and responsible researcher for experimental activities. 

2021-2024: TIME4SUCCESS - Production of robust salmon in freshwater phase. Researcher. Research Council of Norway  (project nr. 320566). Responsible researcher work package 1. 2023-2026 

2020-2023: NOFOOD2WASTE - Appetite based feeding control in Atlantic salmon. Research Council of Norway, Innovation Project for the Industrial Sector (project nr. 317770). Responsible manager and leader of the experimental activities. 

2020-2022: SEASTAR - Real time monitoring and surveillance of aquaculture farms with networks of underwater sensors. EU/EEA (grant - n.863731). Responsible researcher experimental activities.  

2018-2022: LeuSENSE - Exploring leucine's role in feed intake and growth under stress: from sensing to action. Research Council of Norway  (project nr. 267626). Responsible researcher and leader of experimental activities.