Foto del docente

Francesca Sparla

Associate Professor

Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology

Academic discipline: BIOS-02/A Plant Physiology

Director of Second Cycle Degree in Molecular and Cell Biology

Curriculum vitae

Education

Graduated in Biological Sciences in 1994 at the Department of Experimental Evolutionary Biology, University of Bologna. Qualified to practice as a Biologist in 1997 and earned a PhD in Cell Biology and Physiology in 1999.

Academic Career

After several years of post-doctoral research (1999–2003) and a one-year stay abroad at the Department of Plant Biology of the University of Freiburg (Switzerland), she was appointed Assistance Professor in 2005 in the disciplinary scientific sector BIOS-02/A – Plant Physiology, at the Faculty of Science of the University of Bologna, affiliated with the Department of Experimental Evolutionary Biology.

She obtained the National Scientific Qualification (ASN) as Associate Professor in 2012 and as Full Professor in 2017, in the Sector 05/A2, SSD BIOS-02/A – Plant Physiology.

Since October 2014, she has been Associate Professor in Plant Physiology at the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology of the University of Bologna.

Since June 2024, she has been Director of the International Master’s Degree Programme in Molecular and Cell Biology.

Teaching Activity

Since 2005, she has been involved in teaching activities as the holder of various courses for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Single-Cycle Degree Programmes in the fields of Biotechnology, Genomics, Molecular and Cell Biology, and Pharmacy.

Currently, her teaching activities are part of the Bachelor’s Degree in Biotechnology and the Master’s Degree in Molecular and Cell Biology.

Research Activity

Since 1995, she has carried out research at the Laboratory of Molecular Plant Physiology at the University of Bologna.

Over the years, her research has focused on various aspects of Plant Physiology, with particular interest in membrane-associated redox systems, primary carbon metabolism, and starch metabolism, especially concerning redox-dependent regulatory systems.

Institutional Roles and Academic Appointments

Currently affiliated with the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT) at the University of Bologna.

  • Secretary of the Commission for the Qualification to Practice as Biologist (2011–2012)
  • Internationalization Coordinator for the Biotechnology Degree Programme (2013–2016)
  • Student Affairs Representative for the Biotechnology Degree Programme (2013–2025)
  • Member of the Quality Assurance Committee for the Biotechnology Degree Programme (2013–2025)
  • Member of the Faculty Board for the PhD Programme in Cell and Molecular Biology since 2013
  • Biotechnology Coordinator for the National Scientific Degrees Plan (PLS) since 2017
  • Coordinator of the International Master’s Degree in Molecular and Cell Biology since 2024
  • Member of the PhD Programme Board in Cell and Molecular Biology since 2025

Other Activities

From 2014 to 2017, she served as Secretary of the Italian Society of Plant Biology (SIBV) and was a Board Member from 2018 to 2020.