Noura Raddadi

Work Experience

• September 2021- Present: Associate Professor of Agricultural Microbiology at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Materials Engineering (DICAM), Environmental Biotechnology and Biorefineries Research Unit -University of Bologna
• October 2010- August 2021: Assistant Professor of Agricultural Microbiology (permanent, full-time position) at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Materials Engineering (DICAM), Environmental Biotechnology and Biorefineries Research Unit -School of Engineering and Architecture, University of Bologna
• March 2008-September 2010: Post.doctoral position at "Dipartimento di Valorizzazione e Protezione delle Risorse Agroforestali (Di.Va.P.R.A.) -University of Turin. A four-year project co-financed by Pied Mont Region in the frame of the brain drain containment program; on the characterization of the symbiotic microbiota associated with Arthropod insects, vectors of human and plant diseases for the development of new symbiotic control approaches of the transmission.
• June 2006-May 2008: Postdoctoral position at The Department of Food Science and Microbiology (DISTAM), Milan University-Italy.
• April 16 to July 4, 2007, engaged for work in the laboratory of Professor Kaare M. Nielsen at the Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine; University of Tromsø, Norway. During this period, I worked on various projects related to horizontal gene transfer in bacteria.
• January 2006: PhD degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry and Ecology of Pesticides (Main research topic: Agricultural Microbiology – Biological pest control), Faculty of Agriculture, University of Milan, Italy.
• December 6, 2005 until January 23, 2006, engaged for work at GenØk (Norwegian Institute of Gene Ecology).

RESEARCH AREAS

Dr Raddadi has been working on the following research topics, developed also in the frame of national and international research collaborations:

1. Development and optimization of biotechnological processes for the production of fine chemicals and bioactive compounds from residues/byproducts of agrifood industries.
2. Isolation, characterization and identification of extremophilic/extremotolerant bacteria from non-conventional environments (hot deserts (sahara) and inland saline systems) and their screening for the selection of new isolates with interesting biotechnological traits including the production of extremozymes and extremolytes
3. Selection of aerobic bacteria for their ability to produce biomolecules of industrial interest (i.e.. biosurfactants and bioemulsifiers) and that could be applied for the development of formulations for the stimulation of the biodegradation of hydrocarbons under marine environment.
4. Selection of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms (pure cultures and consortia) with the ability to degrade synthetic plastics/polymers Development of biotechnological processes for the bioconversion of raw glycerol, waste of biodiesl industry, to fine chemicals.
5. Development and optimization of biotechnological processes for the production of the fine chemical lactobionic acid (LBA) from byproducts of cheese production.
6. Valorization of industrial rice byproducts through the production of bioactive peptides
7. Microbial diversity associated with Arthropods vectors of plant and human disease and development of strategies for symbiotic control
8. Genetic diversity and relationship among the “Bacillus cereus group”. Bacillus thuringiensis - Biocontrol, plant growth promotion and biosafety. Molecular diversity of Bacillus anthracis and development of markers and strategies for the identification of Bacillus cereus/Bacillus thuringiensis strains closely related to Bacillus anthracis

RESEARCH PROJECTS

• INGREEN (H2020, GA 838120, 2019-2022). The project aims at the production of functional ingredients with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties (for cosmetics, food, feed applications) from paper and agrofood side-streams.
• TERMINUS (H2020, GA 814400, 2019-2023) The project aims at developing innovative, recyclable multilayer plastic packaging based on enzymes degrading adhesive/tie layer polymers
• EU FP7-KBBE project “New BIOtechnologiCaL approaches for biodegrading and promoting the environmEntal biotrAnsformation of syNthetic polymeric materials” (BIOCLEAN), Grant agreement n. 312100    
• EU FP7-KBBE project “Integrated Biotechnological Solutions for Combating Marine Oil Spills” (KILLSPILL), Grant agreement n. 312139
• EU FP7-KBBE project “Unravelling and exploiting Mediterranean Sea microbial diversity and ecology for Xenobiotics’ and pollutants’ clean up” (ULIXES), Grant agreement n. 266473
• EU FP7- Capacities project " BIOtechnology for the recovery of valuable peptides from industrial RICE by-products and production of added value ingredients for nutraceuticals, functional foods and cosmetics " (BIORICE), Grant agreement no. 605285
• Progetto ministeriale MIPAAF 2009 “EXTRAVALORE” (Valorizzazione dei sottoprodotti della filiera del biodiesel)
• ATENA (Approcci Tecnologici Nuovi per l’Aumento della shelf-life e del contenuto di servizio nei prodotti qualificanti il modello alimentare mediterraneo), progetto finanziato dal Ministero dello sviluppo economico nell’ambito del bando Programma Industria 2015-Made in Italy.
• Cluster AGRIFOOD (progetto 4 Sostenibilità della filiera agroalimentare – SO.FI.A). "Recupero e riutilizzo di sottoprodotti e scarti delle trasformazioni agroalimentari (prodotti freschi IV gamma, industria cerealicola e vitivinicola, lattiero-casearia e della carne) per la produzione di molecole ad alto valore aggiunto, nuovi alimenti ed energia", nell'ambito dei progetti MIUR "Sviluppo e potenziamento di cluster tecnologici nazionali".