RESEARCH FELLOW
sarapirra(AT)cnr.it
publications: Orcid
personal details and research activity: People
Curriculum Vitae
During my internship at the DiSSPA (University of Bari), I investigated the interactions between Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and soil fungal populations, contributing to the characterization of anthropogenic impacts on ecosystems and the definition of safety standards for REEs.
From May 2024 to March 2026, I held a research fellowship at CNR-IPSP (Bari) within the MiCroResi project (Deciphering Microbiomes from extreme environments for the improvement of Crop Resilience to climate change, food security and safety). My work focused on microbiomes from extreme environments to enhance tomato resilience to salt stress. Through metagenomic analysis, in vitro screening, and pot trials, I identified Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms (PGPMs) capable of mitigating salt-induced damage and improving sustainable biotechnological solutions for modern agriculture.
In parallel, I provided scientific support to EFSA in preparing a database on apple pests. This role required systematic data collection from major scientific databases to conduct phytosanitary risk assessments within the EU territory and third countries.
Currently, as a post-doc at CNR-IPSP, I am characterizing microorganisms previously isolated from saline soils. My work involves in vitro and in planta assays to validate these isolates as biocontrol agents and plant growth promoters for enhancing crop tolerance to soil salinity.