Rachele Ciaramella

2019-2022: PhD course in Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science, University of Catania. Research project: “Mediterranean industrial crops for phytoremediation and bioenergy production in heavy metal polluted soil”.

Phytoremediation, an efficient, inexpensive and eco-friendly rehabilitation strategy, is a bioremediation techniques utilizing plants to remove, detoxify, and contain both organic and inorganic contaminants (metals, pesticides, persistent organic pollutants), especially from soil. Moreover, phytoremediation appears to benefit soil stabilization, biomass/biofuel production, and carbon sequestration, because many plant species show an excellent ability to produce biomass and accumulate various environmental pollutants. The PhD project aims to select new tolerant herbaceous species and to identify a more effective bioremediation approach. Moreover, to obtain valuable products from the biomass (such as bioenergy), in order to ensure the commercial success of the phytoremediation technologies for heavy metal contaminated soils.

• Mar 2019 - Sep 2019: Scholarship Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, supervisor: Prof. Salvatore Luciano Cosentino. Research activities: Evaluation of the phytoremediation capacity of industrial herbaceous crops suitable for the Mediterranean environment.
• Sep 2018 - Feb 2019: Scholarship Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, supervisor: Prof. Salvatore Luciano Cosentino. Research activities:
  Evaluation of phytoremediation capacity of herbaceous biomass crops suitable for the Mediterranean environment.
• Gen 2018 - Jun 2018: Postgraduate Internship, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, supervisor: Prof. Giorgio Testa. Research activities: Carrying out analysis for the assessment of phytoremediation potential and estimation of the phyto-extractive capacity of Mediterranean herbaceous crops

• 2015-2017: Master’s Degree in Agricultural Biotechology, University of Catania; supervisors: Prof. Giorgio Testa Degree thesis: “Phytoremediation of heavy metals polluted soil by industrial hemp” Final mark: 110/110 and praise

• 2011-2015: Bachelor’s Degree in Herbal sciences and Nutraceutical products, University of Catania; supervisor: Prof.ssa Loredana Salerno. Degree thesis: “Herbal remedies for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases caused by cholesterol”. Final mark: 96/110.

• 2011: High School diploma: Istituto Tecnico Industriale statale Gallileo Ferraris, Acireale (CT)