EDUCATION and MAIN PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
1993: Degree with honors in Biological Sciences at the University of Bologna
1993-1997: PhD in Cellular Biology and Physiology at the University of Bologna.
1997: PTP Short Term Training Fellowship (European Community) (5 months) with contribution from the Interdepartmental Center of Biotechnology (University of Bologna) at the Dept. of Cellular Physiology, Horticulture Research International (Wellesbourne - Warwick, UK)
1998-1999: Marie Curie Training Grant (European Community, IV Framework, Biotechnology Program) at the Dept. of Biotechnology and Plant Genetics, Horticulture Research International (Wellesbourne - Warwick, UK) (8 months).
1998-2000: Biennial Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the University of Bologna.
2000-2001: Annual Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the University of Bologna funded by the GUABER company.
2001-2002: Collaboration contract with the Agricultural Institute of San Michele all'Adige (Trento).
2002-2003: 15-month Professional contract, Dept. of Biology ev. sp. of the University of Bologna on PRIN 2001 funds.
2004: Fulbright Research Fellowship, Dept. of Plant Biology, Cornell University (Ithaca, NY, USA).
2004-2005: L'Oreal Italia Scholarship for Women and Science in collaboration with the Italian National Commission for UNESCO (president of the selection commission Prof. Umberto Veronesi).
2005: Researcher of General Botany (BIO/01) with tenure at the Dept. of Experimental Evolutionary Biology, University of Bologna.
2008: Visiting researcher at the Dept. of Plant Biology, Cornell University (Ithaca, NY, USA) with Marco Polo Scholarship of the University of Bologna.
2009: Best Young Researcher as a member of the Permanent Platform for European Excellence Atomium Culture - European Institute for Science, Media and Democracy.
2013-2015: Coordinator of the European project FP7-Capacities BIORICE "BIOtechnology for the recovery of valuable peptides from industrial RICE by-products and production of added value ingredients for nutraceuticals, functional foods and cosmetics"
2013-2015: Partner of the European project FP7-Capacities Bake4Fun "Innovative biotechnological solutions for the production of new bakery functional foods"
2013-2017: Partner of the SOFIA project, National Italian Cluster AGRO-FOOD (MIUR, Italy)
2016-2020. Partner of the European project (H2020) NoAW "No Agro-Waste: Innovative approaches to turn agricultural waste into ecological and economic assets"
2016-2020: Partner of the European project (H2020-BBI) AgriMax "Agri & food waste valorisation co-ops based on flexible multi-feedstocks biorefinery processing technologies for new high added value applications"
2018-2022: Scientific coordinator of the European project (H2020-BBI) PROLIFIC "Integrated cascades of processes for the extraction and valorisation of proteins and bioactive molecules from legumes, fungi and coffee agro-industrial side streams"
October 2019-to date: Associate Professor of General Botany (BIO/01), Dept. BIGEA, University of Bologna.
2008-to-date: Head of the Research Group of Plant Biotechnology, Laboratory of Biology and Biotechnology of Plants and Algae, Dept. BIGEA, University of Bologna.
2008 to-date: Supervisor of numerous Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate theses.
National Scientific Abilitation for Full Professor (sector 05/A1) obtained on 06/04/2017.
MAIN PARTICIPATIONS IN COLLEGIAL BODIES and DEPARTMENTAL AND UNIVERSITY OFFICES
2009-2011: elected member of the Faculty of Science Council (University of Bologna)
2009-2011: elected member of the Board of the Dept. of Experimental Evolutionary Biology, University of Bologna
2018-2019: elected member of the Board of the BIGEA Department
2011-2013: member of the Board of Professors of the PhD in Biodiversity and Evolution (Dept. BIGEA, University of Bologna).
2013-to date: member of the Board of Professors of the Doctorate in Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences (Dept. BIGEA, University of Bologna).
2017-2021: upon appointment of the Rector, Member of the University Strategic Thematic Group (GTA) Biobased and Biotechnologies and Agrofood of the University of Bologna
2019-to date: member of evaluation committees for Erasmus + calls for mobility for internships abroad, BIGEA thesis abroad call, OVERSEAS call (California and Canada group)
2018-to date: member of the Didactic Commission of the Bachelor's Degree Course in Natural Sciences.
May 2021-to date: Delegate for Internationalization of the BIGEA Dept. University of Bologna.
December 2021-to date: member of the University Working Group for National Agritech Center project on PNRR funds.
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
2006-2010: Technical expert for the Fulbright Commission for the evaluation and selection of the winners of scholarships for the exchange of researchers from Italy to the USA.
2008-to date: coordinator of Erasmus + Study exchanges between the University of Bologna and the Universities of Beyreuth (Germany, closed in 2015), Paris-Diderot, Autonomous of Madrid, Barcelona
Since 2010: Member of the Italian Botanical Society
Member of ALMA FOOD Integrated Research Team (since 2010), of ALMA Low Carbon Integrated Research Team (since 2013)
2010-to date: member of the Register of Auditors for the MIUR (Italian Ministry of University and Research) for the evaluation of PRIN projects and accredited referee for the national VQR (Research Quality Assessment).
Member of the Interdepartmental Center Global Challenges and Climate Change (ALMA CLIMATE), Scientific Unit: Environmental Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability.
Since 2019: member of the Interdepartmental Center for Industrial Agri-Food Research (CIRI AGRO) and of the Interdepartmental Center for Industrial Research of Renewable Sources, Environment, Sea and Energy (CIRI FRAME).
SEMINARS and LESSONS BY INVITATION
2010 (5/11): Seminar for PhD students in Biology (Dept. of Environmental Biology, University of Rome Sapienza).
2014 (26-31/07): Lecture at the Summer School "Lignocellulosic Crops as Feedstock for Future Biorefineries" organized by the Dept of Science and Technology of Biomasses, New University of Lisbon, Portugal
2015 (10/07): Lecture at the Summer School "Plant, food and health: biotechnological innovations for human wellbeing" organized by the Italian Botanical Society, University of Milan.
2016 (10/05): Seminar at the workshop "Foods not just food: Recovery of agri-food waste and enhancement in the chemical and nutraceutical field" organized by the Dept. of Chemistry G. Ciamician, University of Bologna.
2016 (14/05): Event: "A day at the Botanical Garden" organized by the University Museum System (University of Bologna). Seminar entitled: "Insectivorous plants".
2018 (19/12): Cycle of seminars “Science and Wine” organized by Dept. BIGEA (University of Bologna). Seminar entitled: "Grape potential: not only wine"
2019 (19/02): Event: Darwin Day organized by Dept. BIGEA (University of Bologna). Seminar entitled: "Darwinian studies on insectivorous plants"
2019 (28/05): Cycle of lessons entitled: “EDU-CARE: educating to health. Taking care of man and the environment "organized by the FICO Foundation (Bologna, Italy). Lesson entitled: "Food waste: waste or precious raw materials?" in collaboration with Dept. DICAM, University of Bologna.
2019 (11-12/09): Workshop on Residual Biomasses for Eco-compatible and Sustainable Food Packaging, Trieste (Italy), organized by illyCaffè. Seminar entitled: "The PROLIFIC project - an overview"
2019 (25/09) Event Festival del Buon Vivere (Forlì, Italy). Seminar entitled "New bioplastics from food waste" in collaboration with Dept. DICAM, University of Bologna.
2019 (19/11): NEWPACK project workshop (H2020-BBI) (Catholic University of Piacenza, Italy). Seminar entitled "Biorefinery cascading approaches applied to plant by-products: the PROLIFIC and AGRIMAX projects".
OTHER DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES
Articles published in European national newspapers via Atomium Culture: El Pais, Frankfurter Allgemaine
2018 (13/12) Presentation of the EU PROLIFIC project at Rai 3 Buongiorno Regione Emilia Romagna programme.
2019 (05/02) Presentation of the European project PROLIFIC on RAI 3 national television - Scientific dissemination program TG Leonardo.
2020 (22-24/09) European Research and Innovation Days, Science is Wonderful! On-line exhibition. Stand no. 45 "Bio-based solutions for agro-waste's second life - New life of agri-food waste". Videos, leaflets and newsletters.
2020 (27/11) European Researchers’ Night. Online event. Stand entitled "Agri-food waste: new opportunities for a green future". In collaboration with Dip. DICAM, University of Bologna. Oral presentations to general audiences.
2021 (12/01) Rai Scuola, Newton, program for children and teenagers, episode: “Carnivorous plants”.
Since 2021 Member of ParliamoneOra, association of professors and researchers of UniBo for the dissemination of science.
