She studied under Giovanni Battista Grassi at the Sapienza University of Rome, where she graduated with a thesis on sexual dimorphism in mites.
[1] Foà's scientific publications were typically through in-house journals and co-authored with Grassi,[2] with whom she published a study on flagellate structure and reproduction in 1904.
[2] While working in Fauglia, Foà was influential in promoting entomology among women, as she supervised the mixed-sex undergraduates instructed by Grassi.
In 1917, Foà began working for the Italian government to oversee the import and export of plants.
Due to her Jewish heritage, Foà was forced to leave her position in academia following the implementation of the Italian racial laws of 1938.