Giovanna Martelli, DVM, PhD, Full Professor of Animal Science, Diplomate ECAWBM-AWSEL
Education
Giovanna was born in Bologna (Italy) on January 12th 1965. In 1989 she graduated "summa cum laude" (110/110 e lode) in Veterinary Medicine (5-year university course) at the University of Bologna (ISCED 7).
In 1991 she was Chercheur libre at the Faculty of Agronomics of Louvain-la-Neuve (B) at the laboratories of Prof. M. Vanbelle.
In 1997 she achieved the qualification of "Dottore di Ricerca" (Italian equivalent for PhD) in "Improvement, hygiene, safety and quality of animal products (3-year doctoral post-gradual university course - ISCED 8).
Since February 2016 she has been diplomate of the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine, subspecialty Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law (ECAWBM-AWSEL).
Professional position, tasks and responsibilities
From July 2000 to December 2010 she was Assistant Professor of Animal Science (Zootecnica Speciale) at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Bologna (Italy). From 2010 to 2022 she was Associate Professor of Animal Science (Zootecnica Speciale) at the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences of the University of Bologna (Italy). Since October 2022 she has been Full Professor of Animal Science at the aforementioned Department.
From 2015 to 2021 she was Director of the MSc in Safety and Quality of Animal Productions of the University of Bologna.
Research activity
Her main lines of research are/were: the relationships between animal husbandry, animal feeding, animal welfare and the quality of animal-derived products; the quality of Parma Ham; organic farming; the reduction of environmental impact (N pollution) of pigs by dietary means; the assessment of swine welfare based on the study of animal-based indicators; the assessment of dairy cows welfare by means of score systems; digestibility assessment of nutrients using digestibility crates for swine; the effects of feed additives on pig and dairy cows production parameters.
She was responsible for research groups (Ager Project granted by private fundations, Italian Ministry for University and Research funds and University of Bologna funds) in the field of animal welfare and on the use of specific feed ingredients in swine production.
Teaching activity
Since 2000 she has been a teacher at the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences of the University of Bologna in fundamental courses within the realm of the quality of animal-derived products, intensive and extensive animal farming and animal welfare. She was teacher at the 2nd level Master Course in Ethology and animal welfare (Universities of Bologna and Padua). She is teacher at the post-gradual School of Animal Health and Animal Production (University of Bologna). In 2000-2009, she was Secretary of the Doctoral Course in Feed and Food Science of the University of Bologna. She is presently member of the Doctoral School in Veterinary Sciences of the University of Bologna.
She has been supervisor for many students during the preparation of their graduate, postgraduate and doctoral theses.
Other scientific activities/duties
She was evaluator for some European (CORE Organic II, Piscopia/Marie Curie Action) and North-America (Canada) research projects.
Since 1990 she has been a member of the DVM College of Bologna district (Italy).
From 1998 to 2019 she was member of the Appeal Committee of the Parma Quality Institute (National Inspection Body for Parma Ham and other pork-based Italian PDO products, according to Reg. 1151/2012).
From 2005 to 2016 she was appointed, by Ministry Decree (Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies) n. 229 of 29/7/2005, as National Expert in the field of agricultural research.
In 2006-2007 she was a member of a Working Group of EFSA (European Food Safety Authority - AHAW Panel) requested to produce a scientific report on fattening pigs welfare and health.
By Decision n.C/262/03 of 28 Sept. 2010 she has been appointed member of pool of the expert group for technical advice on organic production (EGTOP Group) set up by European Commission Decision n. 2009/427/EC (renewed in 2017 and 2021).
From April 2011 to June 2015 she was a member of the FEEDAP Panel (Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed) and of the Standing Working Group on Aminoacids of EFSA.
From September 2015 to November 2018 she was a member of the Working Group on Other Zootechnical Additives of EFSA.
Since March 2020 she has been member of the Working Group on Animal Nutrition of EFSA.
Since 2021 she has been an alternate member of the European Platform on Animal Welfare.
Since 2021 she as been associate editor (Animal Nutrition and Metabolism) of Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
She acted as reviewer for the following international Journals: Livestock Science, British Journal of Nutrition, Journal of Animal Science, PlosOne, Animals, Physiology and Behaviour, Journal of Agricultural Science, Research in Veterinary Science, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, Italian Journal of Animal Science, Sustainability, Animal Feed Science and Technology.
