ELENA MAESTRI
Università degli Studi di Parma (University of Parma)
Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale
Parco Area delle Scienze 33/A
43124 Parma
tel. +39-0521905687
e-mail: elena.maestri@unipr.it
Born in Reggio Emilia on 15.08.1961
EDUCATION
1980-1985 University degree (Laurea, 4 years) in Biological Sciences at the University of Pavia, 110/110 with honour.
1985-1989 Doctorate in Genetical Sciences (University of Ferrara Ferrara) at the Institute of Genetics of the University of Parma.
WORK EXPERIENCES
1989-1992 Contracts for professional work, Institute of Genetics, University of Parma
(september-december 1989; february 1990-january 1991; march 1991-february 1992)
1992 Fellowship from C.N.R. (National Research Council), Institute of Genetics, University of Parma
1993-2002 Research associate, Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, University of Parma
Discipline Sector - Genetics
Until December 1995, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Botanical Garden
From January 1996 to July 2012, Department of Environmental Sciences
Since February 1996, confirmation in the role.
From 1.10.2002 to 30.12.2016 Associate Professor, Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, University of Parma
Scientific sector BIO/13 "Experimental Biology"
Confirmation in the role since 1.10.2005.
Fron 31.12.2016 Full Professor, University of Parma
Involved in the degrees in Biotechnologies, Sciences of Nature and Environment. President of the Degree in Biotechnology.
Since 2024 Coordinator of the PhD Course in Biotechnology and Life Sciences
Since 2006: Subject Editor in the area “Phytoremediation and ecosystem restoration” of the journal ESPR – Environmental Science and Pollution Research [ISSN: 0944-1344 (print version); ISSN: 1614-7499 (electronic version)].
Since 2016: Editorial Board International Journal of Phytoremediation [Print ISSN: 1522-6514 Online ISSN: 1549-7879; Impact Factor 2017 1.886]
Since 2020: Editorial Board of MDPI Agronomy [ISSN 2073-4395]
RECENT RESEARCH PROJECTS: PARTICIPATION AND MANAGEMENT
2005-2007-Participation to the NATO-Russia Council Short-Term ad hoc project “Development of a prototype system for sharing information related to acts of terrorism to the environment, agriculture and water systems”, coordinators Nelson Marmiroli and Vladimir Krivilev (Academy of Geopolitical Problems, Russia)
2005-2008-Coordination of a Research Unit within the Regional project “Regional Laboratory for Innovation in control of Air Quality” (LaRIA) financed by Region Emilia Romagna, coordinated by Giorgio Giovanelli, CNR
2006-2008-Participation to the Specific Support Action “Promoting Europeam traceability excellence and research” (PETER) financed by the European Commission, Framework VI, Coordinator Michel Debord (CCI du Gers, France)
2006-2010-Participation to the Integrated Project “Developing and integrating novel technologies to improve safety, transparency – test case fish and poultry” (CHILL ON) financed by the European Commission, Framework VI, Coordinator Matthia Kueck (TTZ-Bremerhaven, Germany)
2007-2010-Participation to the Integrated Project “Integrated System for a Reliable Traceability of Food Supply Chains” (TRACEBACK) financed by the European Commission, Framework VI, Coordinator Raffaello Prugger (Tecnoalimenti, Italy)
2007-2011-Participation to the project Science For Peace “Development of a prototype for the International Situational Centre on interaction in case of ecoterrorism” financed by NATO, NPD Nelson Marmiroli
2007-2009 Participation to the project “iMplemENtation of GNSS tracking and tracing Technologies fOR Eu regulated domains” (MENTORE) finances by the GNSS Supervising Authority (GSA), coordinated by Telespazio SpA
2007-2010-Participation to the project “Space Infrastructure through Satellite Imagery” (2SI) financed by the European Commission (EC), coordinated by Telespazio SpA.
2008-2010-Coordination of a research unit within the Regional project “Environmental Regional Network” (ENVIREN) financed by the Region Emilia-Romagna, coordinated by Giorgio Giovanelli, CNR-ISAC
2009-2010-Participation to the project “Traceability for Agriculture Competitiveness” (TAC) financed by EU-Egypt Innovation Fund, coordinated by North South Consultant Exchange (Cairo, Egypt)
2009-Scientific responsible of the project "Ricerca e sviluppo sperimentale per la realizzazione di un prodotto innovativo denominato terre ricostituite per il ripristino della fertilità dei suoli esausti” with the company m.c.m. ecosistemi
2010-2012-Participation to the project “Advanced M.Sc. Program in Ecology for Volga-Caspian Basin” (AMEV) financed by EACEA (CE), coordinated by Universitaet Stuttgart (Germany)
2010-2012-Participation to the project “EU Based Course in Foodstuff Expertise & Quality Control” financed by EACEA (CE), coordinated by Universitaet Weihenstephan (Germany)
2010-2012-Scientific responsible of the Operative Unit “Variabilità genotipica e fenotipica nella popolazione di Thlaspi caerulescens adattata al suolo ofiolitico del Monte Prinzera” within the PRIN2008 project coordinated by Prof. Giuseppe Zerbi, University of Udine
2010-2014-Participation to the COST Action FA0905 “Mineral-improved Crop Production for Healthy Food and Feed” (substitute Member of Management Committee)
2010-2014-Participation to the project "Nuovo sistema sostenibile di confezionamento attivo per la valorizzazione delle carni fresche" (NACTIVEPACK) financed by Regione Lombardia within the framework of “Bando di invito a presentare progetti innovativi nei settori energia-ambiente, agroalimentare, salute e manifatturiero avanzato”, coordinated by SAPIO
2012-2016-Participation to the project Tempus "HUMAN Security (environment, quality of food, public health and society) on territories contaminated by radioactive agents" (HUMAN) financed by EACEA (CE) coordinated by University of Cordoba (Spain)
2013-2016-Member of the Steering Committee of the Project "Advancing research in agricultural and food science at Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade" (AREA) financed by European Commission, Framework VII, Coordinator Radmila Stikic (Univ. Belgrade, Serbia)
2014-2018-Team leader in the project "Ensuring the integrity of the European food chain" FOODINTEGRITY financed by European Commission, Framework VII, Coordinator Paul Brereton (FERA, United Kingdom
2016-2019-Participation in three projects of Region Emila Romagna: Integration of thermochemcial processes for valorisation of biomass in a zero waste approach - Use of biochar as a filter for water depuration in agriculture - Biochar as a carbon sequestration tool in soils
2016-2018-Participation to FACCE SURPLUS JPI "Intensify production, transform biomass to energy and novel goods and protect soils in Europe" (INTENSE) Coordinatore Arne Sæbø (Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Norvegia)
2017-2020 Scientific responsible for three projects of Region Emilia Romagna: Innovative processes to manage animal waste - Reuse of hemp waste and valorisation of oil - Waste from horticulture, energy transformation and reuse
2018-2021 – Responsible for KA107 Higher education student and staff mobility between Programme and Partner countries with Ukraine
2018-2023 – Reponsible for the Horizon 2020 project Sustainable innovation of microbiome applications in food system (SIMBA)
2019-2022 – Responsible for POR-FESR Emilia Romagna 2014-2020 Asse 1 – Ricerca e innovazione project “BIOWAFER. Biorefining Waste of the Agro Food Chain in Emilia Romagna”
2019-2023 – Resonsible for the PRIMA project “Novel approaches to promote the sustainability of olive cultivation in the Mediterranean” - SUSTAINOLIVE
2019-2023 She participates to the project of Piano di Sviluppo Rurale 2014-2020 della Regione Emilia Romagna - 16.1.01 “Gruppi operativi del PEI per la produttività e la sostenibilità dell’agricoltura”, sottomisura 16.1 “Sostegno per la costituzione e la gestione dei gruppi operativi del PEI in materia di produttività e sostenibilità dell’agricoltura” - Focus Area 5E coordinated by CINSA “Cippatore leggero per territori montani in Emilia Romagna (CLEAN-ER)”
2019-2023 She participates to the project of Piano di Sviluppo Rurale 2014-2020 della Regione Emilia Romagna - 16.1.01 “Gruppi operativi del PEI per la produttività e la sostenibilità dell’agricoltura”, sottomisura 16.1 “Sostegno per la costituzione e la gestione dei gruppi operativi del PEI in materia di produttività e sostenibilità dell’agricoltura” - Focus Area 5E coordinated by Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore “Stream Management to increase carbon stock in soil (SMACS)”
2020-2023 She participates to the project of Piano di Sviluppo Rurale 2014-2020 della Regione Emilia Romagna - 16.1.01 “Gruppi operativi del PEI per la produttività e la sostenibilità dell’agricoltura”, sottomisura 16.1 “Sostegno per la costituzione e la gestione dei gruppi operativi del PEI in materia di produttività e sostenibilità dell’agricoltura” – Focus Area 2A e 4B coordinated by CINSA “FERTILIAS: Strategie green di biorisanamento dei suoli per una migliore gestione idrica, dei fertilizzanti e dei pesticidi”
2020-2023 She participates to the project of Piano di Sviluppo Rurale 2014-2020 della Regione Emilia Romagna - 16.1.01 “Gruppi operativi del PEI per la produttività e la sostenibilità dell’agricoltura”, sottomisura 16.1 “Sostegno per la costituzione e la gestione dei gruppi operativi del PEI in materia di produttività e sostenibilità dell’agricoltura” - Focus Area 5E coordinated by Azienda Stuard “Forest Assessment of Biomass as Energy Resource (FABER)
2021-2025 She participates to the project of 2021 Joint 4 ERA-NET Circularity – coordinato da CINSA “Connecting sustainable agroecosystems and farming with circular bioeconomy and new technologies” (ConnectFarms)
2022-2026 She participates to the project in the framework of PNRR National Centre for Agricultural Technologies AGRITECH – Spoke 8 “Circular economy in agriculture through waste valorization and recycling”
2022-2025 She is responsible person of the project KA171 Mobility of higher education students and staff supported by external policy funds with Ukraine (1-IT02-KA171-HED-000069814)
Since 2023 She participates to the project in the Framework of Piano Nazionale per gli investimenti complementari (PNC) E.1 Salute, Ambiente, Biodiversità e Clima – “Il buon uso degli spazi verdi e blu per la promozione della salute e del benessere” (VeBS) coordinated by Regione Calabria
2023-2025 Principal Investigator of the project in the Framework of Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale Avviso di raccolta di progetti di ricerca bilaterali Italia-Cina NSFC – “FUNctionalized bioCHArs as soil Remediation Strategy for heavy metals (FUNCHARS)
Since 2023 She participates as co-leader Cluster 2 of WP3 to the project EU GREEN: European Universities Alliance for Sustainability: Responsible Growth, Inclusive Education and Environment
Since 2023 Participates to the project in Biodiversa+ 2021 Call for Proposals "Supporting the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems across land and sea" - “MicroEco Microbial Diversity, Ecosystem Services of the Soil Microbiome and Ecosystem Conservation” coordinated by University of Eastern Finland (Finlandia) (as CINSA)
Since 2023 Partecipates to the project in Horizon Mission Soil HORIZON-MISS-2022-SOIL-01-02: "Delivering Soil improvers through improved recycling and processing solutions for food industry residues streams" (DeliSoil) (Luonnonvarakeskus (LUKE), Finlandia) (as CINSA)
Since 2023 Coordinator of the project in the framework “Bando per progetti di ricerca industriale strategica rivolti agli ambiti prioritari della Strategia di Specializzazione Intelligente 2023-2024”, Action 1.1.2. of PR FESR 2021-2027 “Supporto a progetti di ricerca collaborativa dei laboratori di ricerca e delle università con le imprese”: “C+ AgroForER - Non solo carbonio: un approccio multifunzionale per servizi ecosistemici e produzione di alimenti di qualità in sistemi agroforestali dell'Emilia-Romagna”
Since 2025 Partecipato the project in Horizon Mission Soil HORIZON-MISS-2024-SOIL-01-06: "Multifunctional Soil Biodiversity: Unlocking Potential for Healthy Cropping Systems" (MultiSoil) (Luonnonvarakeskus (LUKE), Finlandia) (as CINSA)
MAIN RESEARCH LINES (in recent years)
1-Application of biotechnologies to environmental problems
The research deals with application of higher plants to monitoring and remediation of pollutants, especially heavy metals. Phytoremediation is a technology for environmental remediation currently under rapid development, of which some theoretical and practical aspects have been studied. The practical application of phytoremediation can produce impacts which should be subjected to monitoring. Techniques for molecular analyses developed in other research lines have been applied to model plant systems in order to evaluate the genotoxic effect of inorganic pollutants. Recently, production of plant biomass in marginal soils and agricultural soils has been studied for conversion to energy, chemicals and biochar towards a zero-waste approach.
2-Molecular traceability for food safety and protection of authenticity
The research focuses on application of molecular markers and genomics to the analysis of food products in order to identify the materials utilised in production. The main objectives are the determination of components in qualitative and quantitative terms and in the identification of origin and authenticity of raw materials, especially important for food products under the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).
3-Study of the genetic and molecular bases of genotype-environment interaction
Considering as a model the response of plants to abiotic stress, such as high temperatures, water deficit and salt stress, it concerned the isolation of genes involved in the response to water stress, the analysis of nucleotide sequences of coding and regulatory sequences, the study of gene expression in different stress conditions.
4-Development and application of techniques for molecular investigations in evaluation of genetic variability
The research involves the detection of variability existing at the level of nucleotide sequence in genomic regions involved in adaptive response as a criterion for evaluation of genetic and biological divergence among individuals following exposure to different environmental conditions.
Author of over 130 publications and 240 contributions to conferences.
