Microbiology

Team Leader
FRACCHIA Letizia

Activity and fields of competence

The Microbiology research group has been carrying out various research activities in the microbiological field for years in collaboration with Italian and international partners. In particular, the group deals with the research, characterisation and application of microbial biosurfactants with anti-adhesive and anti-biofilm activity against bacterial and fungal pathogens on various materials used in the biomedical field (polystyrene, silicone, etc.). Isolation and study of microorganisms that produce bioactive substances and degradative enzymes for industrial, agronomic and pharmaceutical applications. Analysis and characterization of bacterial and fungal bioaerosols in work and hospital environments and genotyping of the airborne microbial component. Study of bacterial strains active in the stimulation of plant growth (PGPR). Analysis of microbial biodiversity in soils, forests and soil improvers using molecular and biochemical methods. The Microbiology Laboratory also boasts a large collection of bacterial and fungal strains isolated and identified over the years from numerous environmental matrices (soil, air, water), agri-food, plants and animals.

The Microbiology group has been collaborating for years with various Italian and international institutions such as: University of Trento, Bruno Kessler Foundation, Turin Polytechnic, School of Biomedical Sciences University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ghent, Belgium, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences - National University of Rosario, Argentina, Institute of Systems Biology and Ecology - Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Faculty of Pharmacy - University of Porto, Portugal.

Technological Resources

The Microbiology group has the most modern technologies and equipment for carrying out microbiological analyzes, for the extraction and characterisation of bioactive microbial substances (proteins, enzymes, biosurfactants), for the molecular and biochemical characterization and for the typing of strains. and microbial communities. In particular: laminar flow hoods, autoclaves, incubators, optical microscope, stereomicroscope, centrifuges, spectrophotometer, thermomixer, orbital shakers, sonicators, ring tensiometer, homogenizer, pH-meter, microwave ovens, refrigerators, freezers (-20 ° C , -80 ° C), analytical balances, rotary evaporator, thermocycler, equipment for Single Strand Conformation Polymorfism (SSCP), equipment for electrophoresis of proteins and nucleic acids, GelCompar Software, air sampler (SAS Super 180).

ERC Sector

LS6, LS7, LS9

Team Members

• CERESA Chiara, DSF, Post-Doc scholarship researcher
• SCIASCIA Ilaria, DSF, scholarship researcher
• RUINI Francesca, DSF, scholarship researcher