Fecha: Lunes, 6 de febrero 2012
Lugar: Aula del Instituto del Agua, C/ Ramón y Cajal, 4
Horario: 12,30h
Descripción: Conferencia impartida por el profesor Massimiliano Fenice de la Universidad della Tuscia (Viterbo, Italia), dentro del Programa de profesores invitados por el Campus de Excelencia.
Resumen de la conferencia:
Life in extreme environments is not easy. Adaptation to harsh environmental conditions is a central subject in extreme environments biology. The harshest environments in our Planet can be colonized by extremely adapted microorganisms only: thus extreme environments are dominated by microorganisms. Microbial adaptation involve different biochemical targets including the production of “extremozymes”. Microbial adaptation could be useful in industrial and environmental biotechnology. What about temperature, and microbial growth? Various studies have been carried out in Antarctica; however many extreme or sub-extreme environments are still poorly investigated and merit to be considered by the Academic world. In this presentation we describe some results of our works concerning microorganisms adapted to low temperature. In particular, we will deal with our most recent investigations on Kandalaksha Bay (White Sea, Russia) bacteria.
Curriculum Vitae
At the present, Dr. Fenice is Associate Professor of Microbiology (teaching Applied, Industrial and Marine Microbiology) in the Faculty of Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy. He is head of the Applied Microbiology Laboratory of DEB and head of the Laboratory of Marine Applied Microbiology Laboratory of CONISMA (Consorzio Interuniversitario Scienze del Mare), University of Tuscia, Viterbo Italy. He was and is involved in the University of Tuscia management being member or chairman of various administrative bodies (i.e. Administration Board, University Financial and Building Commissions, University Sport Committee). He is responsible for “Erasmus” in DEB. He is member of the following International Scientific Societies: MSA, Mycological Society of America, EUCHIS, European Chitin and Chitosan Society (he is member of the society Board), BENA, Balkan Environmental Association (he is Chairman of the
Mediterranean Office), and SIMGBM: Società Italiana di Microbiologia Generale e Biotecnologie Microbiche (Italian Society of General Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology).
The major fields of interest of Dr. Fenice are: 1) Biomass, enzymes or other by-products production by microorganisms; 2) Immobilization of microbial cells for the production of enzymes or organic acids and for the degradation of pollutants; 3) Bioreactor design and optimization of fermentation processes; 4) Biotechnological treatments and reuse of water and wastewater; 5) Bio-diversity of Arctic and Antarctic microorganisms and marine bacteria;
The Collaboration with the Research Group of Prof. Jesus Gonzalez Lopez (University of Granada) started in 1999 within the EC project “Medusa water”, dealing with the biological treatment of Olive Mill Wastewater (alpechin), and continued till now. In 2006 the two groups were financed for a common project (Accion Integrada Espana/Italia) concerning the “Biodegradation of phenolic and/or recalcitrant compounds from industrial and Agro-industrial effluents by marine bacteria”. In 2009, the two groups obtained another EC grant that is still in course (Project “Algatec”).
Organiza: Campus de Excelencia CEI Biotic Granada