PERSONAL INFORMATION
Michelini, Elisa (10 Jan 1978, Nogara, Verona)
Researcher ID: ORCID 0000-0002-8651-0575
SCOPUS ID 56403456600
CURRENT POSITION
Since 2017-Associate professor in Analytical Chemistry (Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, University of Bologna)
Since 2024-Affiliated Researcher at IRCCS - AOU S. Orsola - Preclinical & Translational Research in Oncology lab (PRO)
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
2001-Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Bologna (Cum Laude)
2005-PhD Degree in Medical Biotechnology, University of Bologna (Cum Laude)
WORK EXPERIENCE AND UNIVERSITY ACTIVITY
2017-present- Associate Professor in Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician” University of Bologna
2006-2017 - Researcher in Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, University of Bologna
2005-06 - Post-Doc position at the University of Bologna, Dept. of pharmaceutical Sciences
May 2004 - Visiting scholar at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
2004 - Fellowship at the Chemistry Department, Connecticut College, New London, CT, USA
2002 - Research period at the Department of Biotechnology of the University of Turku, Finland
Nov/Dec 2000 - Undergraduate research period at the Chemistry Department of the University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
TEACHING ACTIVITY
Elisa Michelini’s teaching activity, conducted in the fields of analytical and bioanalytical chemistry, includes courses within Bachelor and Master degree programmes in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, and Bioinformatics. In particular, she teaches Clinical Analytical Chemistry, Bioanalytical Proteomics and Interactomics, Biosensors, and Advanced Analytical Chemistry, covering bioanalytical methods, proteomics and interactomics, clinical chemical analysis, biosensors, and point-of-care technologies. She has supervised more than 50 students in Master’s degree programmes in Chemistry, Biotechnology, and Bioinformatics, in the fields of analytical chemistry, proteomics, and bioinformatics.
MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES
2026 - now Member of Italian Society for Optics and Photonics (SIOF)
2012 -now Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the "International Society for Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence" (ISBC)
2015- now Secretary of "International Society for Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence" (ISBC)
2014-2019 Member of the Board of the Interdivisional Group of Biotechnology of the Italian Chemical Society (SCI)
2006- now Member of the Italian Chemical Society
REVIEWER ACTIVITY
-Expert of European Commission for nanobiotechnology (Evaluator of FP7, H2020 and Horizon Europe proposals).
- Reviewer for French National Research Agency (ANR) (Biomedical Innovation program) and São Paulo State Science Foundation.
- Member of the International expert panel for Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) project evaluation in Singapore.
Reviewer for Tuscany Regional Health Research Programs, Polish Academy of Sciences, Israel Science Foundation.
- Reviewer for Trends in Biotechnology, Sci Rep, Nat Commun, Lab Chip Anal Chem, Biosens & Bioelectron, Clin Chem, Anal Bioanal Chem, Photochem Photobiol Sci , Luminescence, J Agric Food Chem, Food Chem Toxicol, Frontiers in Microbiology, Plasmid; Talanta, Anal Chim Acta etc
SCIENTIFIC AND RESEARCH ACTIVITY
Her research focuses on the development and validation of innovative analytical and bioanalytical methods and biosensors based on optical detection, particularly colorimetric, bioluminescent, and chemiluminescent systems, for environmental, clinical-diagnostic, agri-food, and forensic applications. Her research combines a range of biorecognition elements, including enzymes, nanobodies, bacteria, yeasts, human cell lines, and cell-free systems, with engineered luciferases, nanomaterials, and nanozymes. Since 2014, a major research direction has involved the development of portable, low-cost, and sustainable platforms interfaced with smartphones and fabricated using paper- or thread-based supports, microfluidics, and 3D printing for point-of-care and point-of-need analyses. Applications include water quality and toxicity monitoring, also through artificial intelligence-assisted systems, the detection of emerging contaminants, endocrine disruptors, and enzyme inhibitors, as well as the measurement of clinical biomarkers and food-quality indicators. A further research area concerns cellular biosensors and three-dimensional tissue-on-chip models for investigating inflammation, oxidative stress, hypoxia, genotoxicity, protein-protein interactions, and drug responses using reporter technologies, Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET), and complementation assays.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Author of more than 100 articles on refereed journals with high impact factor in the fields of Analytical Chemistry, Environmental and Food Chemistry, Clinical Chemistry and more than 150 oral and poster presentations in national and international congresses (of which more than 40 invited lectures). H-index: 42; Sum of the Times Cited: >5700 (Source: Scopus). Owner of two international patents on a new luciferase gene and on a new device for on site analysis.
AWARDS
- 2009- Nanotech Applications Award (First prize) at the International Expo-forum on Industrial Innovation - Research to Business R2B, Bologna.
- 2012 - Marlene DeLuca Prize (17th ISBC Symposium, 28 May-2nd June 2012, Guelph-Canada) for the talk "Whole-cell bioluminescence biosensor for on-site anti-doping screening"
-2014 Genelux Award for the most innovative and highest quality scientific presentation for the communication "Bioluminescence helps malaria research: exploiting new luciferases to improve analytical performance of antimalarial drug screening assays"(18th ISBC Symposium, Uppsala, Sweden, 23-28 June 2014)
-2018 recommended by the Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (ABC) Editorial Board as “Rising star” and invited to contribute with an original article to a special issue showcasing research by ‘Young Investigators in Analytical and Bioanalytical Science’ (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00216-019-01805-2#citeas )
- 2022- Winner of the EPA Water Toxicity Sensor Challenge. https://www.epa.gov/innovation/winners-water-toxicity-sensor-challenge-phase-1 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC), the Greater Cincinnati Water Works, and the Water Research Foundation.
-2024 Honorable mention for the EPA Water Toxicity Sensor Challenge Phase II of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency https://www.epa.gov/innovation/winner-water-toxicity-sensor-challenge-phase-2
- corresponding author of an article (A Luciferase Mutant with Improved Brightness and Stability for Whole-Cell Bioluminescent Biosensors and In Vitro Biosensing) invited for Cover story in Biosensors (Volume 12, Issue 9, September 2022), selected out of 102 articles
-Author of the image selected as Cover story for vol.95 Analytical Chemistry (article: Martínez-Pérez-Cejuela, H., Gregucci, D., Calabretta, M. M., Simó-Alfonso, E. F., Herrero-Martínez, J. M., & Michelini, E. (2023). Novel Nanozeolitic Imidazolate (ZIF-8)-Luciferase Biocomposite for Nanosensing Applications, 95(4), 2540–2547.
EDITORIAL ACTIVITY
-from Jan 2026 -present Associate Editor for Biosensors and Bioelectronics (Elsevier, IF 11.8)
-from Jan 2023-present Associate Editor for Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology (IF 5.8)- Biosensors and Biomolecular Electronics.
-from 2022-present Member of the Advisory board of the Sensors & Diagnostic Journal (Royal Society of Chemistry, IF 5.9)
- Nov 2022 Guest Editor for Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. (IF 5.8), Sec. Biomaterials Research Topic “Bioluminescent indicators and sensors for biomedicine and environmental analysis”
-from 2021-present Associate Editor for Frontiers in Microbiology, Board of Microbiotechnology (specialty section of Frontiers in Microbiology, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology and Frontiers in Environmental Science) (IF 5.8)
- 2022 Guest Editor for Frontiers in Microbiology (IF 5.8), Topic Title: “Genetically modified organisms: tricks or threats Vol II”
-2021 Section Editor of the book Handbook of Cell Biosensors (Ed. Springer) ISBN 978-3-030-23216-0
-2019 Guest Editor for Sensors journal (IF 4.0), Special issue "Smartphone-based biosensing"
-Since 2018 Editor for Sensors journal (IF 4.0)
- 2010-2021 Review Editor for Frontiers in Microbiology journal (IF 5.8)
-2014 Guest Editor for Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (IF 4.1), Special issue “Analytical Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence”
- 2015 Guest Editor for Frontiers in Microbiology (IF 5.8), Topic Title: “Genetically modified organisms: tricks or threats”
FUNDED PROJECTS
· HORIZON EUROPE - FARMWISE- Future Agricultural Resource Management and Water Innovations for a Sustainable Europe (Role Partner, Coordinator of Dept Chemistry unit)
· MIUR - PRIN 2022 - SMART paper-based (bio)sensors combined with face MASKs for the development of active and reliable devices for monitoring disease biomarkers: Cystic Fibrosis as a case study (SMARTMASKCF) (Role: Unit Responsible)
· PRIMA (2020-2023): FrEsh fooD sustainable pacKaging In The circular economy (FEDKITO) (Role: Scientific coordinator of local unit)
· NATO-SPS (2016-2019): “Cell Biosensors for Detection of Chemical and Biological Threats” (Role: Coordinator)
· MIUR-PRIN (2016): "Multifunctional nanotools for advanced cancer diagnostics" (Role: local unit PI)
· ASI (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana) (2013): - “On ground microgravity cellular models and proteomic analysis for the identification of targets involved in gastroenterical motility - GUTBRAIN” (Role: participant)
· Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (2011): Gametocyte Assay for Malaria (GAM) for Novel Anti-Transmission Drugs (Role: participant)
· FIRB (2008): Development of bioremediation procedures and novel detection biotechnologies for Endocrine Disruptors (Role: local unit PI)
· Prin (2009): Integration of biosensing and nanotechnology for medical diagnostics with high analytical performance (Role: participant)
ORGANIZATION OF SCIENTIFIC CONGRESSES AND EVENTS AT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS AND PARTECIPATION TO SCIENTIFIC AND ORGANIZING COMMITTEES
- Member of the organizing committee of the “XIII International Symposium on Luminescence Spectrometry”, 7-11 September 2008, Bologna
-Member of the scientific secretariat of the international workshop "Old and new drugs against malaria: the challenge of fighting parasite drug resistance and transmission" - November 26, 2012, Academy of Sciences of the Institute of Bologna
- Member of the International Advisory Board of the 18th International Symposium of Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence, 18-23 June 2014, Uppsala (Sweden)
- Member of the Scientific Committee of the event "Food: not just food - Recovery of agri-food waste and valorisation in the chemical and nutraceutical fields" held on May 20, 2016 at the Academy of Sciences of the Institute of Bologna
- Member of the International Advisory Board of the 19th International Symposium on Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence, May 29-June 2, 2016, Tsukuba (Japan)
-Member of the Scientific Committee of the 1st Workshop "Chemists for biotechnology", organized by the Board of Directors of the Interdivisional Group of Biotechnology of the Italian Chemical Society February 23, 2018 in Bologna (Italy)
- Chair of the scientific committee of the 1st International Workshop "Biosensors for Security", held on May 9, 2018 in Bologna (Italy) organized within the NATO-SPS Cell Biosensors Project (coordinated by Elisa Michelini)
- Member of the Scientific Committee of the 2nd Workshop "Chemists for Biotechnology" - Biotechnology GI, held on February 22nd 2019 Milan (Italy)
- Chair and member of the scientific committee of the 2nd International Workshop "Biosensors for Security", held on 18 June 2019 in Bologna (Italy) organized within the NATO-SPS Cell Biosensors Project (coordinated by Elisa Michelini)
- Member of the Scientific Committee of the Workshop "Chemistry meets Industry and Society-CIS 2019" organized by the Italian Chemical Society in collaboration with INSTM, Federchimica EuCheMS, CEFIC (Salerno, 28-30 August 2019)
- Member of the International Advisory Committee of the XXIII International Symposium on Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence (ISBC) & XXI International Symposium on Luminescence Spectrometry (ISLS) held in Rayong, Thailand, 25th - 29th May 2026
- Member of the Scientific Board of the National School of Optical Biosensors and Biophotonics, held in Ischia (NA), 8-12 June 2026
Institutional activities at University of Bologna
-Since 2013 Member of area 03 (Chemistry) panel of the Commission for the evaluation of research of University of Bologna (Commissione VRA) dall’AA.2013/14 (appointment confirmed by Rectoral Decree N.0145664 30/06/2022)
-2024 - Member of the VQR Commission of the Dept. of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”
Since 2022-Delegate for the University of Bologna for the Water Europe association (DR. 22/12/22) within this assignment she co-authored the position paper “Towards a zero-pollution strategy for contaminants of emerging concern in the urban water cycle” (https://zenodo.org/records/8087244)
-Since 2023 delegate for Open Science for the Dept of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”
-2023-2024 Member of the Examining Commission of the State Examination for the qualification to the profession of Chemist Section A and Section B, appointed with Rectoral Decree 859/2023, Prot. 179580 of 03.07.2023
2017-2021 - Member of GTA (Gruppo Tematico Strategico di Ateneo) Biobased & Biotechnologies and Agrofood dell’Università di Bologna appointed with Rectoral Decree
Since 20018 Member of Research Commission of the Dept. of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”
-2014-2015 Member of Teaching commission of the Master Degree in Chemistry
-Since 2017 member of the Doctoral College in "Nanosciences for Medicine and the Environment" of the University of Bologna
-Member of the examining commission for admission to the doctoral course in Chemical Sciences in the academic year. 2016/2017 and in the AY 2023/23 39th cycle (Rectoral Decree Rep. n. 709, Prot. n. 0149534 of 02/06/2023
- In 2007 and 2008 she was a member of the Council of the PhD in "Medicine and Public Health", Department of Medicine and Public Health, Higher School of Health Policies.
-In 2009 and 2010 she was a member of the Council of the Doctorate of "General Medical Sciences and Service Sciences" of the University of Bologna
