Date and place of birth: 16.04.1961, Parma, Italy
Associate professor SSD-FIS/07 (UNIPR); at the Dept. of Mathematical, Physical and Computer Sciences http://www.unipr.it/ugov/person/20683;
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0497-2723
H-index = 31 (Scopus)
I. SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES
I.1. ACADEMICS
a. Degree in biology: 06.3.1992, UNIPR.
b. Professional qualification in Biology: 1993
c. PhD in Biophysics, UNIPR 31.01.1997
d. National Scientific Qualifications as Associate Professor: 1. 02/B3: Applied Physics; 2. 05/E1 General Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry
e. 1.11.2002-30.9.2014: Assistant professor in Applied Physics, University of Parma, Italy (UNIPR).
f. 01.10.2014-present Associate professor in Applied Physics, University of Parma, Italy (UNIPR)
I.2. POST-DEGREE AND POST-DOC FELLOWSHIPS
a. 01.04.1996 - 30.04.1997 CNR Post-Degree fellowship , Dept. Physics, UNIPR;
b. 12.11.1997-11.11.1998 Post-Doc Marie Curie grant, at MPI for Radiation Chemistry, Mülheim Ruhr, GER; c. 01.01.2000-30.11.2000 NATO-CNR fellowship at MPI for Radiation Chemistry, Mülheim Ruhr, GER; d. 02.07.1999-02.07.2001 Post doc, Dept. Physics, UNIPR
I.3. CONTRACTS
a.13.11.1998-12.06.1999 MPI for Radiation Chemistry, Mülheim Ruhr, GER.
b. 01.09.2001-31.10.2001 University of Regensburg, GER.
c. 01.10.2001-30.06.2002 MPI for Radiation Chemistry, Mülheim Ruhr, GER
d. 01.07.2002-31.12.2002 MPI for Biochemistry, Martinsried, GER.
I.4. AFFILIATIONS
European Society for Photobiology (ESP);
Società Italiana di Biofisica Pura e Applicata (SIBPA)
I.5. INVITED LECTURES
42 in international meetings
I.6. PUBLICATIONS
80 publications on international peer-reviewed journals; 8 book-chapters.
H-index = 31 (Scopus)
For details: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0497-2723
I.7. RESEARCH ACTIVITY
Novel photosensors for visible-light: structure, function, energetics, evolution and advanced biophysical applications.
Technical skills: steady state and time-resolved UV-Vis spectroscopy; time-resolved photoacoustics
I.8. OTHER ACTIVITIES
a. Convenor of the workshop ESF-EW03-054: Flavin-based sensorial photoreceptors: from bacteria to plants, Parma, Italia, 25-27.3.04.
b. Member of scientific boards in the following international meetings: i. XI congr. ESP (European Society for Photobiology) Aix-les-Bains 2005; ii. XII congr. ESP Bath 2007; iii. 34th ASP (American Society for Photobioloy) meeting, Burlingame, CA, 2008; iv. XIII ESP Wroclaw 2009; v. XIV ESP, Geneve 2011; vi. Gordon Conference on Photosensory Receptors & Signal Transduction, Lucca, 2010; vii. Gordon Conference on Photosensory Receptors & Signal Transduction, Lucca, 2014; viii. 16th International Congress on Photobiology, Córdoba, ARG, 2014; viii. Gordon Conference on Photosensory Receptors & Signal Transduction, Galveston TX, 2016; ix: World Congress on Light and Life (17th Congress of the International Union of Photobiology and 18th Congress of the European Society for Photobiology), Barcelona (Spain) 25-30. 08. 2019.
c. Associated editor to Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences, Royal Society of Chemistry, Londra (2006-present)
d. Visiting scientist at MPI for Chemical Energy Conversion, MH,GER (2005-2015)
e. 03.2014-04.2018 responsible for orientation and divulgation for Physics degrees at UNIPR
f. Referee for H2020-FETOPEN-RIA-2014-2015, contract CT-EX2015D244897-101; referee for ANVUR_VQR 2011-2014; referee for the French National Research Agency (ANR), 2018.
I.9 FINANCED PROJECTS
a. (DFG)- Forschergruppe FOR 526: Blue-light Sensitive Photoreceptors, 2004-2010. Role: Guest Scientist
b. Vigoni programme 2011, running: 2012-2013, project: "Fine-tuning of the photobiophysics of photoreceptor proteins for applications in high resolution fluorescence microscopy and optogenetics". Role: Coordinator
c. PRIN 2010-2011: L'equilibrio tra eccitazione ed inibizione nel sistema nervoso centrale: trasmissione sinaptica, plasticità e sinaptopatie running: 01.02.2013-01.02.2016; Role: Participant
I.10. COLLABORATIONS
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Mülheim an der Ruhr, GER
Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, GER
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, ITA
Università degli Studi di Genova, ITA
University of Würzburg, GER
Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, GER
Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, GER
Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, ARG
Huazhong Agricultural University, WUHAN CHN
Aarhus University, Denmark
University of Leipzig, Germany
I.11. AWARDS
2014: Photocite-B award for the most cited review on Photochemistry and Photobiology during 2010-2013; conferred for: A. Losi, A. and W. Gaertner, Old chromophores, new photoactivation paradigms, trendy applications: flavins in LOV and BLUF Photoreceptors, Photochem. Photobiol., 2011, 87, 491-510.
II. TEACHING AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY
II. 1 COURSE ASSIGNMENTS at UNIPR (Università di Parma, Italy)
AY. 2004/2005: Photobiology (4 credits); Master degree in Physics of Biosystems
AY. 2007/2008: Physics (7 credits); Bachelor degree in Biology
AY. 2008/2009: Physics (7 credits); Bachelor degree in Biology
AY. 2009/2010: a. Physics (9 credits); Bachelor degree in Biology
b. Introduction to Biophysics (9 credits); Master degree in Physics
AY 2011/2012: Introduction to Biophysics (9 credits); Master degree in Physics
AY 2012/2013: Biophysics (6 credits) Master degree in Physics
AY 2013/2014: Biophysics (6 credits) Master degree in Physics
AY 2014/2015-present:
a. Photobiophysics and Photobiology (6 credits) Master degree in Physics
b. Physics (5 credits); Bachelor degree in Zootechnical sciences and technologies in animal productions (UNIPR);
c. Applied Physics (3 credits); Master Degree in Veterinary medicine
II.2. OTHER EDUCATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS at UNIPR
a. 2010-2022 English proficiency B1 level, delegate for the Bachelor degree in Physics
b. 2013-present English proficiency B2 level, delegate for the Master degree in Physics
II.3. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY OUTSIDE ITALY
a. DFG graduate college (GRK 640) ''Sensory photoreceptors in natural and artificial systems'', University of Regensburg (GER). Lezione: Photoacoustics of Photoreceptors, July 20 – 23 , 2001, Nové Hrady, Czech Republic.
b. AA2011-2012; 2012-2013; 2013-2014: Experimental course “Advanced protein biochemistry”, Prof. Wolfgang Gärtner, for the Master in Biochemistry, at the University of Düsseldorf, GER. Personal engagement: steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence; lessons of photobiophysics.
c. 16th-30th April 2016: 12 h lessons within the "Photobiology" Course at the Huazhong Agricultural University, WUHAN CHN
II.4. SUPERVISING AND TUTORING
a. Supervision of 3 PhD thesis
b. Supervision or co-supervision of 15 bachelor and master degree thesis
c. Supervision of 1 Master Thesis in Chemistry for ERASMUS PLUS SMT 2016/2017, LA with Heinrich Heine Universitaet-Duesseldorf (GER)
II.5. ORIENTATION AND DIFFUSION OF SCIENTIFIC CULTURE
March 2013-2018: Delegate to of the Physics course at UNIPR for: a. coordination of orientation activities for ingoing students; b. diffusion of scientific culture. c. local organization of The European Researchers' Night;
September 2018-present: co-organization of The European Researchers' Night and other science divulgation activities