Academic Curriculum Vitae:
Name: Claudio Ratti
Date of birth: May 18, 1971
Nationality: Italian
Current position: Associate professor
Area: Plant Pathology and Plant Protection
Department: Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL)
Address: Viale Fanin, 40
40127 - Bologna - Italy
Phone: +39 0512096733
Mobile phone: +39 3890717259
E-mail: claudio.ratti@unibo.it [mailto:claudio.ratti@unibo.it]
Website: https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/claudio.ratti/en
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:
1998 University of Bologna, Italy, MSc - "Agricultural Sciences"
2002 University of Bologna, Italy, PhD - "Cellular and molecular biotechnologies"
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS:
From 2018 University of Bologna - Associate professor - Academic discipline: AGR/12 Plant Pathology.
2015-2018 University of Bologna - Senior assistant professor - Academic discipline: AGR/12 Plant Pathology.
2013-2015 University of Bologna - Junior assistant professor - Academic discipline: AGR/12 Plant Pathology.
2009-2013 University of Bologna - Technician - Research and teaching activities coordination of the Virology and Phytoplasmology Laboratory.
2007-2008 University of Bologna - Post-Doc - “Biochemical processes involved in the symptoms expression of Beet soil-borne mosaic virus (BSBMV)”
2006 University of Bologna - Short fellow - “Molecular protocols development for epidemiological analyses of new plant pathogens”
2006 “Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes du CNRS” Strasbourg (France) - Short term research “Functional characterization Beet soil-borne mosaic virus (BSBMV) p29 protein”
2006 University of Bologna - Post-Doc - “Study of host-pathogen interaction mechanisms within genetic breeding of sugar beet against rhizomania”
2004-2006 University of Bologna - Post-Doc - “Interaction host-pathogen within genetic breeding of sugar beet against rhizomania”
2002-2004 University of Bologna - Post-Doc - “Mycoviruses: possible use in biological control of fungal pathogens of cultivated plants”
APPOINTMENTS IN ACADEMIC INSTITUTION
From 2016 - Member of the PhD course board in “Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science and Technology” - University of Bologna.
From 2016 - Member of the Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-environmental Technology (BAT Center) which include eight Italian Universities.
From 2016 - Member of the Commission for the evaluation of the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL - University of Bologna) research activity.
From 2012 - Scientific manager of the Laboratory DISTAL Plant Pathology (Virology) - University of Bologna, which is officially accredited by Ministry of Agricultural Food and Forestry Policies (MiPAAF) according to Council Directive 2009/143/EC (amending Directive 2000/29/EC) as regards the delegation of the tasks of laboratory testing. The laboratory is officially recognized by MIPAAF and EU to carry out phytosanitary tests.
Member of PhD Jury:
“Widespread occurance of soil-borne mosaic viruses in Belgium: Preferential association of Polymyxa graminis and mosaic viruses on cereals”. Candidate: Celine Vaianopoulos. Date: 16/06/2008 Unité de Phytopathologie della Faculté d'Ingénierie Biologique, Agronomique et Environnementale, Université Catholique de Louvain a Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
“Pomoviruses associated with the rhizomania syndrome: a reverse genetic approach of the genome organization and multiplication requirements in planta”. Candidate: François Crutzen. Date: 28/09/2010 Unité de Phytopathologie della Faculté d'Ingénierie Biologique, Agronomique et Environnementale, Université Catholique de Louvain a Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
SIGNIFICANT DISTINCTIONS / AWARDS:
2017- National Scientific Qualification as a University Full Professor. Qualification is valid until 23/11/2023.
2012 - National Scientific Qualification as a University Associate Professor. Qualification is valid until 05/03/2020.
2006 - "Prof Gabriele Goidanich" award conferred to researchers deserving studies in the field of plant pathology or microbiology.
OTHER RECENT INDICATORS OF PEER ESTEEM:
From 2015 - Member of the Technical and Scientific Committee (CTS) of Grape Pre-multiplication Nucleus of the Emilia-Romagna region.
2012 - Short Term Expert on Plant biotechnology laboratory advanced procedures and elements of bioinformatics. Mission in Afghanistan with the purpose to verify methodology procedures of the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory (Badham Bagh – Kabul), provide basic training on PCR-based screening techniques for germplasm analysis and Real-Time PCR. Moreover to provide training on data formats and entry focused on how create standard and rational formats that can be easily handled and shared, primer design tools, genetic database implementation, principle of data publication. EC projects: Perennial Horticultural Development Project (PHDP II) and “Consolidation of the support to a Plant Biotechnology Laboratory in Kabul” (Aga Khan–Afghanistan Foundation).
2010-2012 - Organisation and holding of training periods for Egyptian researchers in Italy (University of Bologna) and in Egypt (University of Alexandria) providing the necessary expertise for application and developing of traditional and molecular methods for virus detection in Egypt. Project: "Evaluation of molecular diagnostic methods for virus-free certification of propagation plants material" supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a Project of major importance in the Scientific and Technological Collaboration Executive Program between Italy and Egypt.
2010-2011 - Organization and holding of a training stage, for Afghan experts at the Plant Virology laboratory (DiSTA, Bologna, Italy), concerning the knowledge of plant viruses, viroids and phytoplasms of horticultural crops. EC project: “Establishing plant disease diagnostic services in Afghanistan” (Aga Khan–Afghanistan Foundation).
2010 Short term Germplasm Cleaning Development Expert. Mission in Afghanistan with the purpose to survey and evaluate the structures and the activity carried on at the Laboratory of indexing (Badham Bagh – Kabul), contribute to the further development of the PHDP strategic plan to set-up and manage the germplasm indexing, cleaning and conservation (detailing status, structures, staff, numbers, functions, timing) and contribute to the development of the PHDP strategic plan to set-up the micropropagation of clean clonal rootstocks (detailing status, structures, staff, numbers, functions, timing). EC projects: Perennial Horticultural Development Project (PHDP) and “Establishing plant disease diagnostic services in Afghanistan” (Aga Khan–Afghanistan Foundation).
From 2000 - Involved in international projects financed by Defra (UK), Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Commission and in national projects financed by MIUR, MiPAF, CNR and by Emilia Romagna or Veneto Region.
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES / SERVICE / OTHER ACTIVITIES:
- Member of the ICTV (International Committee for Virus Taxonomy) Virgaviridae and Benyviridae working group (2011-present)
- Manuscript Reviewer:African Journal of Biotechnology - Biotechnology Reports - Crop Protection - European Journal of Plant Pathology - International Journal of Molecular Sciences - Journal of Phytopathology - Journal of Plant Pathology - Journal of Plant Physiology - Journal of Virological Methods - Plant Disease - Plant Pathology - Plant Physiology and Biochemistry - PLos ONE - Frontiers - Virology
- Member of:International Working Group on Plant Viruses with Fungal Vectors (IWGPVFV), European Society for Virology (ESV), International Society for Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions (IS-MPMI), Italian Society for Virology (SIV), Italian Society for Plant Pathology (SIPaV).
TEACHING:
- Tutor of high school students during internship within the “work-school alternation” program.
- Supervisor of 68 students (61 BSc+MSc, 7 PhD, 18 as primary supervisor) working on a range of topics including: characterisation of viroids, phytoplasma and viral plant pathogens, using both traditional and molecular techniques; plant disease epidemiology; mycoviruses; advanced molecular tools such as NGS. The students have come from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.
- Current teaching contributions (My specialist area is plant pathology): In recent years I have contributed to teaching at all levels of the agricultural and biological sciences undergraduate programme and the post graduate programme:
2016-2018 - 13356 - General Plant Pathology (Module 2) - Module of Plant Pathology (Integrated Course) - Teaching activity in Italian - School: Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. Degree programme: - First cycle degree programme (L) in Agricultural Technology
2016-2018 - 65817 - Grapevine plant Pathology - Teaching activity in Italian - School: Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine - Degree programme: First cycle degree programme (L) in Viticulture and Enology
2015-2016 - 73561 - Advanced Plant Protection - Teaching activity in English - School: Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine - Degree programme: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in International Horticultural Science
2015-2016 - 35132 - Applied Plant Pathology (Module 2) - Teaching activity in Italian - School: Science - Degree programme: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Biodiversity and Evolution
2015-2016 - 78290 - “Laboratorio di Sintesi 1” (Module 3) - Teaching activity in Italian - School: Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine - Degree programme: - First cycle degree programme (L) in Ornamental plants and landscape protection
2015-2016 - 78290 - “Laboratorio di Sintesi 2” (Module 3) - Teaching activity in Italian - School: Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine - Degree programme: First cycle degree programme (L) in Ornamental plants and landscape protection.
2014-2018 - Course “Impact of biotechnology on production, safety and protection of sustainable agricultural products” within the PhD course “Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science and Technology” - University of Bologna.
RESEARCH SPECIALTIES / WORK EXPERIENCE:
Summary Statement:
My main areas of expertise are plant and fungal virology, with a particular emphasis on molecular characterisation, diagnostics and epidemiology. I’m also studying phytoplasmas, viroids and some plant pathogenic bacteria. Current and recent research topics include:
- Study of the soil-borne viral diseases, transmitted by protozoa Polymyxa ssp, of cereals and sugar beet by reverse genetic approach using full-length cDNA clones of viral RNAs. By in vitro transcription or infection mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens viral RNAs and proteins are functionally characterized with particular interest to post transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) suppressor activity.
- Identification, molecular and biological characterization of mycoviruses infecting plant pathogenetic fungi. Characterization of Cryphonectria parasitica ipovirulent isolates, analyses of viroma from different Fusarium spp. populations, transfection of protoplast for biological characterization of Fusarium culmorum isolate infected and not infected by mycoviruses.
- Collaboration with the regional plant health service (SFR) for technical-specialist support on analyses and epidemiological surveys of phytosanitary risks related to plant pathogen organisms and on control activity of fruit trees, strawberry, olive, grape and kiwifruit plants multiplication material. In particular the collaboration covers all aspects of plant disease diagnosis from symptoms detection in the field to high sensitive molecular techniques for the identification and characterisation of pathogen in plants
- Development, within the national phytosanitary certification program, of methodologies for molecular diagnosis of quarantine and quality plant pathogens organisms in order to increase their sensitivity and accuracy.
- Study of the soil-borne viral diseases, transmitted by protozoa Polymyxa ssp, of sugar beet and cereals by full-length cDNA clones and functional characterization of viral proteins in planta.
- Genetic dissection of resistance to Soil-borne cereal mosaic virus in a durum wheat segregating populations using microsatellite (SSR) and DArT markers.
- Resistant response evaluation of sugar beet germplasm to Beet necrotic yellow vein virus under environmental controlled conditions.
- Diagnosis of viruses, viroids and phytoplasmas infecting horticultural crops, cereals, ornamental and officinal plants and others industrial crops using mechanical transmission, serological techniques, electron microscopy, purification and molecular characterization of viral genomes.
- Employ of techniques with high sensitivity (RT-PCR, nRT-PCR, Real-Time RT-PCR and ddRT-PCR) and high data throughput (NGS platforms including portable MinION device from Oxford Nanopore technologies) for the identification, characterization and/or quantification of virus, virods and phytoplasmas in low concentration on bulbs, tubers, seeds, radical, foliar and phloematic tissues.
- Molecular characterization, diversity and taxonomic position of Iranian isolates of cereals, vegetables and fruit trees within a supervision of PhD students from the Tehran University, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Tarbiat Modares University (Tehran) and Shiraz University, Shiraz.
- Identification and characterization of virus, phytoplasmas and virus-like organisms infecting kiwifruit and pomegranate in Italy.
Recent research contracts and grants:
- Euphresco, 2017. Improvement of diagnostics of quarantine pathogens by digital PCR.
- Afghanistan National Horticulture Development Organization (ANHDO) (Kabul - Afghanistan), 2016. Research on Citrus Tristeza Virus infectivity in citrus orchards in Nangarhar Valley (Afghanistan).
- Emilia Romagna region - EU contribution, 2016-2019. Innovative strategies applied to sustainable protection against emerging pathogens and pest of horticultural crops in Emilia Romagna.
- Emilia-Romagna region, 2015-2019. Support for analyses of plant propagating material for plant pathogenic organisms
- NBVD S.A., 2014. Experimental project for the control of grapevine phytoplasmas.
