Laboratory of Food and Agri-environmental Microbiology

Research, teaching, and contracting activities are carried out in the Agri-environmental Microbiology laboratory. Experimental research activities are also conducted in collaboration with different department areas related to national/European projects.

Research Topics

• Microbial ecology, isolation, and taxonomic study of unknown/known bacterial species with probiotic potential

• Applications of beneficial and probiotic microorganisms to plants, rhizosphere, and soil

• Molecular characterization of microbial communities in agricultural ecosystems also in functions of different agronomic managements and biotic/abiotic stresses

• Application of beneficial and probiotic microorganisms to animals, insects, and humans

• Molecular characterization of the gut microbiota/virome, about disease, antibiotic treatments, etc.

• Characterization and development of prebiotic substances

• Characterization of antimicrobial activity of essential oils. Maintenance and implementation of BUSCOB, the Bologna University Scardovi Collection of Bifidobacteria microbial collection

• Characterization of cellular phenotype and complex microbial communities by Phenotype microarrays (Biolog)

• Microbiological analysis of water for various destinations.

Instrumentation available to the laboratory

The Agri-environmental Microbiology laboratory has various instruments for classical and molecular microbiological analysis. Such instruments include:

• Horizontal laminar flow biological hoods, one of which is for microorganisms of risk class II

• CO2 incubator for cell culture

• Thermostatic baths

• Benchtop centrifuges

• Optical microscope

• Stereomicroscope

• UV-visible spectrophotometer

• Multiscan Thermofisher microplate spectrophotometer

• Benchtop Lyophilizer

• 4 L benchtop fermenter

• Horizontal and vertical electrophoresis chambers and gel image acquirer (The Gel Doc XR+ System)

• E-Gel Agarose System

• Autoclaves

• Stomacher stirrer

• Filter ramps and peristaltic pumps for water analysis

• Ultrasonic Bath

• QuantStudio™ QS5 Real Time PCR Systems (ThermoFisher)

• Thermal cyclers (SimpliAmp Thermal Cycler, Veriti™ 96-Well Fast Thermal Cycler)

• Ultrafreezers: horizontal and vertical.

Services and consulting

The Laboratory performs contract and consulting activities in microbiology with companies/entities in the Emilia-Romagna region and in collaborations with Italian and International Universities. In particular, it performs microbiological analysis of water for drinking and irrigation use, evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of materials of different types and natural substances, and evaluation of the microbial composition of preparations for agronomic and industrial use.

Teaching Activities and Training

The Laboratory offers its resources to support the following:
• Lab exercises of bachelor and master courses in the field of general and applied microbiology
• Development of undergraduate theses
• Development of research projects for doctoral and postdoctoral students.