University of Parma
About us
The University of Parma promotes the creation, transfer, and advancement of knowledge to meet the needs of higher education and research in society, supporting its openness at an international level.
We are a community of people who place mutual respect and the promotion of each member’s potential—students, faculty, technical and administrative staff—at the heart of our actions. We are a scientific community with ancient roots and an integral part of the international scientific community. We are an independent, open community, oriented toward the world and the future. We are a place for study and personal development. Our goal is to welcome, support, and guide each student in realizing their potential and developing their personality. We are a place for scientific knowledge advancement, providing the public with fundamental knowledge and practical tools to contribute to society’s progress and well-being.
Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability
Our vision
The Department harmoniously integrates the core university activities: research, education, and third mission.
Interaction and collaboration among researchers and professors with diverse and highly qualified expertise lay the groundwork for innovative and integrated approaches to the major challenges facing our planet.
Special attention is given to the use of environmental resources for sustainable development, with the aim of training a new generation of graduates who are responsible and aware of the challenges of the new millennium.
Knowledge dissemination and technology transfer—the heart of the third mission—leverage the Department’s rich and diverse cultural environment to enrich the public, institutions, and local industries.
Our mission
We aim to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in individual disciplines and in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary fields that help address the most pressing problems of modern society.
Chemistry, Earth sciences, life sciences, and biology in their various forms, including the agri-food sector, will be explored to develop new methods and concepts for environmental sustainability, in line with the principles of the University of Parma’s Statute.
We are aware that sustainable economic development cannot exist without respecting and preserving the environment, based on knowledge of its living and non-living components.
Sustainability is one of the Department’s cornerstones and plays a cross-cutting role across various research areas including new materials, green technologies, new investigative techniques, and predictive models of biological and geological systems. The Department acts as a driver for local economic activities, particularly in the agro-industrial and food sectors, as well as in energy production, waste cycle management, and the development of new materials and sensing devices.
People involved in the project
Prof. Mariolina Gullì
Biotechnology, Ecology and Sustainability – BES Unit; Associate Professor of Agricultural Genetics
Research focuses on the genetic and molecular bases of genotype–environment interactions in plants, particularly their responses to abiotic stresses such as high temperature and water deficiency, in both model and crop species. Investigates how environmental conditions (cultivation methods, irrigation regimes, fertilization techniques) affect the quality of storage proteins in cereals. Develops molecular markers for assisted selection and functional genomics applications in crops like tomato, wheat, rice, and maize. Works on molecular traceability along food supply chains to ensure safety and authenticity.
Dr. Enrico Rolli
Evolutionary and Functional Biology Unit; University Researcher in Pharmaceutical Botany
Expert in micropropagation techniques and biological assays on plants both in vitro and in vivo. Optimizes treatments for inducing abiotic stress (especially light and UV stresses). Analyzes and assesses changes in morphogenetic traits.
Dr. Francesca Degola
Evolutionary and Functional Biology Unit; Fixed-term Researcher on a Tenure-Track Position
Studies the metabolic and physiological responses of both higher and lower plants to environmental stresses (NaCl, heavy metals, xenobiotics). Designs and evaluates the effectiveness of new-generation fungicides against agro-food-relevant mycotoxigenic species. Investigates plant-microbe interactions and evaluates the applicability of plant extracts to develop eco-sustainable strategies for enhancing crop resilience to climate change.
Activities within the Project
The RU-UNIPR unit handles the selection of biotic and abiotic stresses to be applied to both WT and mutant MicroTom lines, and the evaluation of the potential biological role of tryptamine and serotonin in tomato response to these stresses. The experiments are conducted on plants grown hydroponically in a phytotron.
In WP5, plants will be exposed to different abiotic stresses (NaCl excess, light, UV radiation). After the treatments, both metabolic responses in different tissues (in terms of marker compounds for specific stress responses) and molecular responses (gene expression related to tryptamine and serotonin biosynthesis pathways) will be evaluated. Sampled tissues will be used by RU-UNIVR for untargeted metabolomics and by RU-CNR for transcriptomic profiling via RNA-seq.
In WP6, the role of tryptamine and serotonin in the response to biotic stress will be analyzed. In vitro experiments will evaluate the antagonistic effects of tryptamine and serotonin against pathogenic bacteria or fungi (e.g., Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, Fusarium spp., Geotrichum candidum). In planta experiments will assess infection responses in both WT and mutant MicroTom lines developed in WP2. Sampled tissues will again be analyzed by RU-UNIVR (metabolomics) and by RU-CNR (transcriptomics via RNA-seq).