Giovannini Luca

Master’s degree in Biology (LM-6) at the University of Florence, with an experimental thesis carried out at the Council for Agricultural Research and Agricultural Economy Analysis (CREA-AA) – Florence, title of the thesis: “Analysis of endophytic bacterial communities of Silene paradoxa L. seeds and selection of strains that promote resistance in metal-contaminated soils”. Subsequently, I did an internship at the Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology of the Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine – University of Florence, where I was involved in the study of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. I have recently completed my three years of PhD at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Pisa, title of the thesis: “Molecular and functional diversity of beneficial microorganisms associated with maize roots: analyses of phosphate transporter gene expression and endophytic bacterial communities”. The aim of the research project was to understand the role played by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and endophytic bacteria in the nutrition of plants of agronomic interest. During these years of study and training, I was able to develop professional skills in the field of biology, especially in the field of molecular biology and microbiology. In particular: use of the main laboratory techniques and instrumentation; analysis of microbial diversity in soil and plants; methods for the study of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, isolation, selection, morphological characterization, maintenance through “trap plants” and differential staining of mycorrhized roots to determine the percentage of colonization. In addition, I have obtained skills related to gene expression analysis techniques using RT-qPCR. I am currently a research fellow under the scientific responsibility of Dr. Raffaella Balestrini, within the project “OPTIMal USage of natural product and biological PRIMing agents to improve rEsilience of agrosystems to climate change” (OPTIMUS PRIME), for the following topic: “Application of chemical and biological priming agents (soil microorganisms) and evaluation of their role in tolerance to environmental stresses, including transcriptomics from roots and leaves”.