UNIBO

Alma Mater Studiorum – UnIversità di Bologna

Associated Member

The University of Bologna is the oldest university in the Western world, dating back to 1088, the year in which the Studium of Bologna was founded. It comprises 31 Departments, 4 of which contribute to the JRU MIRRI with Department’s microbial collections.

The Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL) focuses on the sustainable management of agricultural soils, physiology and biochemistry of pathogens, pests and beneficial organisms in agro-ecosystems, farming strategies to improve animal welfare, selection of microbial cultures for traditional, innovative/functional foods and optimization of fermentation processes. The collection comprises: Lactic Acid Bacteria, Bifidobacteria, bacteria from food and animal, yeasts and fungi. 

The Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA) is represented by Environmental Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory (MAbLab). MAbLAb is involved on environmental surveillance of pathogens in air, water, and surface matrices. Moreover, as part of ESCMID Study Group for Legionella Infections (ESGLI) network, the main focus is the Legionella environmental surveillance, with the risk assessments plans and disinfection protocols implementations on water distribution systems. MAbLAb characterized and isolated 2 new Legionella species (L.bononiensis and L. resiliens). The collection is composed of 291 isolates of Legionella spp. belonging to several species. 

The Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT) hosts collections from 3 research laboratories: MEMlab studying the biotechnological aspects of the microbial interaction with contaminants, and the bacterial response to environmental stress conditions and toxic compounds; MBlab focusing on human microbiota and probiotic microorganisms; MGIlab studying the mechanisms driving the patho-physiology of interaction between bacteria and human host. The collection is composed of 91 bacterial isolates from environment and human.

The Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Material Engineering contributes with the Laboratory of Biotechnology. It works on selection and exploitation of microorganisms from non-conventional environments; development of innovative biotechnological processes for the soil’s decontamination, sediments and waters, bioprocesses for the valorisation of organic waste and by-products. The collection is composed of 19 bacterial isolates (Bacillus, Marinobacter, Halomonas, Thalassospira, Streoptomyces, Achromobacter).

Key people:

  • Diana di Gioia
  • Sandra Cristino
  • Martina Cappelletti
  • Noura Raddadi
  • Antonio Prodi


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