01/02/2022 – Current - PhD course in Biotechnology, University of Catania. Research project: "Microbial resources for the valorization of Etna's enological productions". Supervisor: Professor C.Caggia.
09/2019 – 19/10/2021 - Master's degree in Agricultural Biotechnology, University of Catania. Degree Thesis: "Staphylococcus aureus from ocular surface and copper as strategy for reducing antibiotic resistance". Supervisor: Professor C.Caggia | 110/110 Cum laude.
07/04/2021 – 09/07/2021 - Erasmus+ programme, Universidade Nova de Lisboa - Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia. Master thesis project carried out at the Microbial Stress Lab and microbiology laboratory. Research activities: understanding the role of copper against the antibiotic resistance of some strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Supervisor: Professor S.Puleta.
09/2016 – 10/2019 - Bachelor's degree - Agricultural Technology, University of Catania. Degree thesis: "Resveratrol: myth & reality". Supervisor: Professor R.N Barbagallo | 110/110.
08/09/2018 – 31/05/2019 - Erasmus+ programme, Mendel University in Brno. Attendance in english courses at agriculture faculty.
01/04/2019 – 30/04/2019 - Erasmus+ traineeship programme, Mendel University in Brno. Undergraduate internship at Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology.
10/2017 – 03/2018 - Wine Taster course, ONAV (Catania) - Organizzazione Nazionale Assaggiatori di Vino.
02/07/2014 – 14/07/2014 - Exchange study programme, Loughborough University. Attendance in english lessons with mother tongue teachers
Microbial resources for the valorization of Etna's enological productions.
This project aims to provide an impetus to the development of bio-industry through the use of indigenous microbial resources. On musts in spontaneous fermentation, through a from omics to colturomics process, metabolically active NS and S. cerevisiae yeast strains will be identified to explore microbial functions directly in the matrix and to understand their response to process conditions.
Yeasts will be isolated and identified, phenotypically and genotypically, and NS strains selected for technological properties will be used in co-culture and sequential inoculations with S. cerevisiae strains in micro-vinification and winery trials.
The objective of this project is: (i) to discover the microorganisms present in Sicilian spontaneously fermenting musts; (ii) to understand how they interact with each other and with the matrix, and; (iii) to identify alternative tailored starter cultures for the valorization of Etna wines.