Personal information
Name: Paola Minardi
Date of birth: 31 July 1962, Faenza (Italy)
Civil status: married since 1987, two daughters
Citizenship: Italian
Office
Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences – DISTAL
Plant Pathology and Phytoiatry
Viale Fanin 42, 40127 Bologna (BO)
Phone: 051-2096747
Email: paola.minardi@unibo.it
Website: https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/paola.minardi/en
Languages and informatic knowledges
Italian (native); good knowledge of English, written and
oral.
Main packages for writing, electronic sheet and graphic
elaboration.
Sstatistical, numerical taxonomic and imaging analysis softwares
(NTSYSpc, GelCompar, GeneCompar, BioNumerics, Applied Maths;
GelScan; SPSS; Statistica).
Data bases and the services available on the scientific net.
Operative system: Windows (Vista, XP etc); Internet Explorer
Education and Qualification
1990
Qualification to the use of the radioactive substances at the
Office of Environmental Health, Cornell University, Ithaca, New
York.
1990 PhD
in Plant Pathology, University of Bologna. Thesis entitled:
“Plant-bacteria Cellular Recognition in the heterologous system
tobacco-pseudomonads”.
1988-89 Official Recognised and Visiting
Student, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford.
Research activity on: “Plant cell wall modifications related to the
localized cellular response induced by bacterial elicitors”.
1987
Qualification to a professional biologist, Faculty of Sciences,
University of Bologna.
1986
Bachelor degree in Biological Sciences at the Faculty of Sciences,
University of Bologna. 110/110 cum laude. Experimental
thesis entitled: “Preliminary studies on the mechanisms of ATP
hydrolysis and synthesis in plasmatic fragments of the thermophilic
bacterium Chloroflexus aurantiacus”.
1981
Liceo-Ginnasio E. Torricelli, Faenza.
Fellowships and Awards
1991-93 Two annual fellowships of
the European Commission for biotechnological research activity in
the field of the phytopathological bacteriology during the academic
years 1991-92 and 1992-93.
1991
Research award, National Council of Research of Italy, for the
activity carried out at the Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell
University, Ithaca-New York.
1990-91 Post-doc fellowship of the
National Council of Research of Italy for research activity at the
Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, Ithaca-New
York.
1989-90 Research award “Giammario
Pallotta”, University of Bologna.
Istitutional Academic Positions
from 2019 Assistant Professor with tenure in Plant Pathology at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences – DISTAL – ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - University of Bologna.
2010-2019 Assistant Professor with tenure in Plant
Pathology at the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences –
DiMeVet- ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - University of Bologna.
2004-2010 Assistant Professor with tenure in Plant
Physiology at the department of Veterinary Morphophysiology and
Animal Production (DIMORFIPA) in the Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, University of Bologna.
2001
Pass-mark in the qualifying examination (DR n. 4435 April 13th, 2001) as an Associate Professor in Plant Pathology - AGR/12 (ex G06B), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza
1996-03 Assistant Professor with
tenure in Plant Physiology, Department of land and agro-forestry
systems (TeSAF), University of Padua.
1993-96 Assistant Professor in
Plant Physiology at the TeSAF Department, Faculty of Agriculture,
University of Padua.
1990-91 Visiting scientist,
Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University (Ithaca, New
York). Post-doc research activity on: “Identification of the genes
responsible for the induction of the hypersensitive reaction
towards phytopathogenic pseudomonads”.
from 1989 Matter expert, Plant Pathology and
Phytopathological Bacteriology, 1st Level Degree Course in
Protection of Plants and Vegetal Products, and from 1995 also for
Plant Pathology, 1st Level Degree Course in Biotechnologies,
Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, University
of Bologna.
Scientific Activity
Over 30 years of experience on the plant-pathogen interactions,
aspects of the plant immunitary system and the epidemiology of
phytopathogenic bacteria affecting fruit crops, mainly pome fruits
and kiwifruit. She has also worked on the molecular
characterization of fungi used as biological control of fungal
diseases and on the strategies to reduce the growth of
phytopathogenic fungi and the production of mycotoxins. She has
partecipated to different research programs, national and
international, financed by CNR, MiRAAF, MURST and UE. The
scientific activity has been concerned topics of phytopathological
bacteriology with particular concern to the plant-pathogen
interactions studying the mechanisms underling the prevention of
the hypersensitive response with biochemical, histological and
molecular-genetic approaches and the aspects of the plant immune
system. Basic research was focussed on bacterial encapsulation
associated with the localized plant cell response at the time of
the establishment, the role of bacterial periplasmatic
oligosaccharides in induced resistance in homologous and
heterologous systems, the prevention of the hypersensitive reaction
with external membrane protein-lipopolysaccharide complexes, the
induced resistance, the harpin encoded by the hrp gene
complex as a pathogenicity factor and more recently the phenomenon
of quorum sensing. Moreover, the scientific activity has
concerned to the study of the aspects related to the aetiology,
epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis of the bacterial diseases and
to the identification and molecular characterization of fungi used
as biological control of fungal diseases. As for the phytopatogenic
fungi, research activity has been focused on the setting up of
strategies to reduce the fungal growth and the production of
mycotoxins during the feed storage using substances of natural
origin already used as food additives.
The scientific activity is
summarized in more than 90 publications published on national and
international journal and partly presented in national and
international congress as oral or poster communications.
Teaching Appointment at Academic Institutions
2020-21 External Evaluator PhD Thesis in “Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science and Biotechnology” - Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences (DSA3) – University of Perugia.
2020-21 Member of the Examination Board for the PhD final exam in “Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science and Technology” – 2021 - Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna.
from 2019 "Plant biology and microbiota of the plants" and "Essential oils and their antimicrobial activity", Professional Master in "Veterinarian Phytotherapy", School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, University of Bologna AA 2018-19.
from 2014 “Quality and safety of food of plant origin in the
animal diet”, Second cycle degree/Two year Master in “Safety and
Quality in Animal Production”, School of Agriculture and Veterinary
Medicine, University of Bologna.
2011-2014 "Biology of Plant Foods" (module of integrated course
"Animal Nutrition and Feeding") Single cycle degree/Combined
Bachelor and Master in Veterinary Medicine, School of
Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine , University of
Bologna.
from 2009 Tutor of the students to prepare thesis, Degree Course in “Agricultural Science and Technology”, “Ornamental Plants and Landscape Protection” and “Biotechnologies”, University of Bologna.
from 2009 Tutor of the students to prepare thesis for the PhD in “Microbial Ecology and Plant Pathology” and “Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences and Technologies”, University of Bologna.
from 2009 "Advanced Plant Pathology", 2nd Level Degree Course in
Agricultural Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture,
University of Bologna (classes and exams).
2008-13 "Botany", 1st Degree Course in Aquaculture and
Ichthyopathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of
Bologna.
2007 "Feed Technology", Degree Course in Veterinary Medicine,
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bologna
(classes).
from 2006 Phytopathological Biotechnologies I, 1st Degree
Course in Biotechnologies, Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and
Natural Sciences, University of Bologna (classes, practical
exercises and exams).
2004-09 Production and Preservation of Forages, Single
cycle degree/Combined Bachelor and Master in Veterinary Medicine,
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bologna.
from 2004 Member of the Teaching staff of the PhD in “Food
sciences, animal nutrition, and food safety”, Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, University of Bologna.
Seminars in the PhD School in “Agricultural Sciences”, Faculty
of Agriculture, University of Bologna.
Pathogenetic Biodiversity, 2nd Level Degree Course in
Agro-industrial Systems Sciences– Plant medicine, Faculty of
Agriculture, University of Bologna (classes and exams).
2004 Member of the Examination Commission for the PhD in
“Biotechnologies of cultivated plants”, University of Udine AA
2002-03.
2003-04 Plant Biodiversity, Degree Course in Land Protection and
Maintenance, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Padua.
Systematic and Forestry Botany, Degree Course in Forestry and
Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Padua
(classes and practical exercises).
2002-04 Member of the Teaching staff of the PhD on
“Forestry Ecology”, Faculty of Agriculture, University of
Padua.
Systematic and Forestry Botany, Degree Course in Forestry and
Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Padua
(exams).
2002-03 Ecophysiology of the Forestry Systems, Degree Course in
Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture,
University of Padua (seminars).
1999-01 Plant Physiology, Degree Course in Forestry and
Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Padua
(classes, practical exercises and exams).
1999-03 Plant Pathology II, Degree Course in Agricultural
Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Padua
(thesis supervision).
1998-99 Phytopathological Biotechnologies, Degree Course in
Biotechnologies, Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural
Sciences, University of Bologna (classes, practical exercises and
exams).
from 1995 Plant Pathology, Degree Course in
Biotechnologies, Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural
Sciences, University of Bologna (practical exercises, exams and
thesis supervision).
1995-99 Systematic and Forestry Botany, Degree Course in
Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture,
University of Padua (classes, practical exercises, exams and thesis
supervision).
1993-95 General Botany, Degree Course in Forestry and
Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Padua
(classes and practical exercises).
1993-03 Tutor of the students to prepare thesis, Degree Course
in Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture,
University of Padua.
1992-95 Forestry Botany, Degree Course in Forestry and
Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Padua
(classes, practical exercises, exams and thesis supervision).
1989-95 Plant Pathology and Phytopathological Bacteriology
(until 1992), Degree Courses in Agricultural Science and
Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bologna
(practical exercises, exams and thesis supervision).
Appointment at institutions, Scientific Societies or
Editors
from 2021 Scientific Expert for the Scientific Evaluation of Italian Research - MIUR (REPRISE Register)
from 2020 Member of the TG “Plant Health” Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences – DISTAL, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna.
from 2019 Head of Teaching or Research in the Laboratory (RDRL) for the laboratories of Biotechnological Phytobacteriology at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences – DISTAL, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna
from 2018 Member of the Organizing Committee of the "14th International Conference on Plant Pathogenic Bacteria - ICPPB 2020". Assisi (Italy) 7-12 June, 2020
from 2018 Member of the Scientific Committee of the Professional Master in "Veterinarian Phytotherapy", School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, University of Bologna
from 2016 Member of the I SIROE Research Group on "Agronomic, biological- phytochemical and pharmacological studies aimed to the valorization of essential oils for their agro-industrial use and environmental hygiene use.
2013-19 Referent of the disciplinary scientific sector AGR12 - Planth Pathology, Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences – DiMeVet- ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - University of Bologna.
from 2913 Referee of scientific papers for international journal Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection.
2013 Member of the Organizing Committee of the "VI National
Meeting on Phytoplasma and phytoplasma diseases". University of
Bologna.
from 2011 Referee of scientific papers for international journal Phytopatologia Mediterranea.
from 2009 Member of the Working Group for
the "Reinforcement of the Scientific Network", University of
Bologna.
from 2008 Member of Faculty Council, Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, University of Bologna.
from 2007 Member of the "Alma
Food IRT" (Integrated Research Team), University of Bologna.
from 2006 Member of the Working Group "Food for Life",
University of Bologna.
Member
of the “National Bacteriology Working Group”, Italian Society of
Plant Pathology.
from 2005 Referee of scientific papers for international journal FEMS Microbiology Letters.
2003-04 Member of Local Organizing
Committee of the “10th International Workshop on Fire Blight”,
International Society for Horticultural Sciences, University of
Bologna.
1999-04 Member of Faculty Council,
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Padua.
1998-00 Member of the Study Commission on the “Utilization of genetically modified
microrganisms”, Italian Society of Plant Pathology.
from 1997 Referee of scientific papers for international journal Journal of Plant Pathology.
1993-04 Responsible for practical
training and thesis supervisor, Degree Courses in Forestry and
Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of
Padua.
Affiliation to Scientific Societies
Italian Society for Research on Essential Oils, from 2013.
International Society for Horticultural Science, from 2010.
International Society for Mycotoxicology, from 2009.
Italian Society of Plant Pathology, from 1988.
Italian Society of Plant Physiology, 1988-99.
Italian Society of Botany, 1988-98.
