Urban parks’ biodiversity to enhance city dwellers’ health.

Graduated in Civil Engineering from the University of Brescia, she then earned a Ph.D. in Technical Urban Planning from the Politecnico di Milano. She is a Full Professor of Urban Planning and Design at the Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture, Territory, Environment, and Mathematics (Dicatam) at the University of Brescia. She serves as the Chair of the Council of the Integrated Degree Programs in Civil and Environmental Engineering.

An author of numerous scientific publications, her research interests primarily focus on land use dynamics in relation to environmental risks, the assessment of planning forecasts for greater sustainability, and policies and techniques for planning safer and more livable cities, with a particular emphasis on the integration of urban planning and mobility planning.

She has participated in national and international research projects, including serving as the Italian Delegate for the Ministry of Universities and Research on the Management Committee of COST Actions.

Since 2013, she has been an Alderman of the Municipality of Brescia, initially responsible for Urban Planning and Sustainable Development until 2023. Since 2023, she has held responsibilities for Urban Regeneration for Sustainable Development, Urban Planning, Private Construction, and Energy.

Anita Maienza is a researcher at the Institute for BioEconomy, focusing on environmental sustainability and soil quality. She is responsible for several projects in urban, agronomic, and forestry environments, where she studies the relationships between human management practices and the plant-soil system. On an urban scale, she is interested in developing a set of indicators for environmental monitoring and soil ecological services in parks, which are crucial for citizens’ well-being.

In addition to her research activities, she is passionate about teaching and scientific outreach, regularly conducting university seminars and serving as a co-supervisor for various theses. At the CNR, she is in charge of the “Soil Biological Quality and Biomass” laboratory at the Institute for BioEconomy.

Graduated in Agrarian-Industrial Biotechnology from the University of Verona, Dr. Dal Corso completed his Ph.D. in Natural Sciences at the Fakultät für Biologie of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU Munich, Germany), including a period as a visiting scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research (Cologne, Germany). His scientific work focused on the chloroplast, specifically on (i) the characterization of proteins involved in the photosynthetic machinery and cyclic electron transport to photosystem I, and (ii) the evolution of plastid and mitochondrial genomes within the cellular context.

In January 2008, Dr. Dal Corso was appointed as a research laboratory assistant at the Department of Biotechnology (Verona), where in 2009 he earned the title of expert in Agrarian Genetics (AGR/07). Since March 2020, he has been a fixed-term researcher (initially RTD_A, now RTD_B) in agrarian genetics at the Department of Biotechnology (University of Verona). Dr. Dal Corso’s current research focuses on plant/environment interactions, with an emphasis on (i) studying the genetic and molecular mechanisms involved in the uptake, accumulation, and detoxification of elements in plants, and (ii) the role of plant/microorganism interactions in promoting the uptake, accumulation, and detoxification of metal ions.

Dr. Dal Corso teaches undergraduate and master’s courses at the University of Verona and the University of Brescia, covering subjects in Genetics and Genetic Improvement of agronomic and industrial species.

He is a co-author of 37 articles indexed in Scopus (h-index = 21). Dr. Dal Corso has received a positive evaluation in the Italian Scientific Qualification for the role of associate professor in the fields of Plant Genetics – 07/E1 and Plant Physiology – 05/A2.

He has been a member of the Italian Society of Plant Genetics since 2008 and has been part of the COST Action CA19116 “Trace Metal Metabolism in Plants” since 2021.

https://www.dafnae.unipd.it/en/Carletti

Researcher (permanent)

Academic field / discipline: AGR/13

Address:  Agripolis – Viale dell’università, 16 – Legnaro (Padova) – ITALY

Phone: +39 049 8272934

E-mail: paolo.carletti@unipd.it

Dr. Achille Amatucci is a Ph.D. candidate in Agricultural, Food, and Rural Estimation Economics at the Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture, Territory, Environment, and Mathematics at the University of Brescia.

Graduated in Agricultural Sciences, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in Civil, Environmental, International Cooperation Engineering, and Mathematics (DICACIM) at the University of Brescia. His primary research focuses on the economic sustainability of agri-food systems, including the economic assessment of ecosystem services, environmental goods, innovation, business models, and consumer preferences.

He is a member of the Agrofood Research Hub at the University of Brescia, a multidisciplinary research group dedicated to promoting sustainable agriculture, environmental health, and the socioeconomic enhancement of the agri-food sector (https://agrofood-en.unibs.it).

Anna Bertolazzi is a Research Fellow on the PRIN 2022 project “Urban Park Biodiversity to Improve City Residents’ Health. URBioPark” at the Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture, Territory, Environment, and Mathematics at the University of Brescia. She holds a single-cycle Master’s degree in Building Engineering Architecture from the University of Brescia and a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Building Production from the Politecnico di Milano.

Her research interests focus on urban planning and the analysis of green infrastructure to enhance city resilience. In addition to her research activities, she works as a freelance professional in architectural design, landscape architecture, and participatory processes.

Claudia Zani is a researcher at the Department of Medical-Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health, Unit of Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Public Health at the University of Brescia. She holds a degree in Biological Sciences and a specialization in Hygiene from the School of Specialization in Hygiene at the University of Milan.

Her research interests focus on environmental mutagenesis across various matrices, including urban and indoor air, drinking water, wastewater, soils, and pure compounds (pesticides). She employs short-term mutagenesis tests in bacteria, plant cells, and human cells.

She is also involved in epidemiological investigations of populations exposed to environmental pollutants. She has contributed to studies on PCB exposure in the Brescia population and the assessment of health effects, population studies on respiratory disorders in children from heavily polluted areas, and studies on the early biological effects of atmospheric pollutants in preschool and school-age children. Recently, she has been involved in a study on male fertility related to environmental and lifestyle factors.

In addition to her research activities, she teaches courses in Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry, Physiotherapy, and Obstetrics, as well as in the School of Specialization in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine at the University of Brescia.

She is a member of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine, and Public Health (SITI) and the European Public Health Association (EUPHA).

I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences and my Master’s degree in Environmental and Behavioral Biology (Environmental Curriculum) from the University of Florence. Since 2023, I have been working at the CNR, specifically at the Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), as a research fellow on the project “Salam-med: Sustainable Approaches to Land and Water Management in Mediterranean Drylands.” Currently, I am a research fellow on the PRIN 2022 project “Urban Park Biodiversity to Improve City Residents’ Health. URBioPark” and on the Self-Funded Research Program BioCHARS at the Institute for BioEconomy (IBE) in Sesto Fiorentino. My work focuses on studying soil biological and microbiological communities in natural and agricultural environments and on environmental biomonitoring.

https://it.didattica.unipd.it/off/docente/75BD62C780EBAC61E2A53F9C9D178AC6

Attività lavorativa
▪ 2019 – attuale Professore Ordinario in Chimica Agraria, Università di Padua
▪ 2014 – 2019 Professore Associato in Chimica Agraria, Università di Firenze
▪ 2004 – 2019 Ricercatore in Chimica Agraria, Università di Firenze

LINEE DI RICERCA
▪ Temi di ricerca: Chimica del suolo, biochimica del suolo, fertilità del suolo, interfaccia terra-pianta, chimica e biochimica della rizosfera, efficienza dell’uso dei nutrienti, biosensori, trascrizione del suolo, proteomica del suolo, volatilomica del suolo, inquinamento del suolo e risanamento, fittoremediazione, bioremediazione, riciclo e riutilizzo dei sedimenti. Uso di software di speciazione chimica del suolo e di stoccaggio del carbonio (esempio, MINTEQ, RothC) e di database chimici, genomici, proteomici e metabolomici (esempio NIST, NCBI, GEO, UniProt). Rappresentante italiano del Management Committee dell’azione COST (CA 1916) Trace metal metabolism in plants (PLANTMETALS).

PROGETTI DI RICERCA
PRIN 2005 (cod. 2005074218_003)
PRIN 2007 (cod. 20074SJTLW_003)
PRIN 2009 (cod. 2009MWY5F9_002)
2008 ERA-NET SUMATECS – Sustainable management of trace element contaminated soil of a decision tool system and its evaluation for practical application.
(2010-2013) EU FP7 KBBE.2010.3.5-01 Gentle remediation of trace element contaminated land ‘GREENLAND’.
2012 PRIME-XS Network (Contract no. 262067- PRIME-XS) competitive access to proteomics technology platforms.
2013-2015 EU LIFE 12 ENV/IT/000652 ‘CLEANSED’ ‘Innovative integrated methodology for the use of decontaminated river sediments in plant nursing and road building’
2015-2018 EU LIFE 14 ENV/IT/000113 ‘HORTISED’ Demonstration of the suitability of dredged remediated sediments for safe and sustainable horticulture production
2018-2020 EU LIFE17 ENV/IT/000269 ‘AGRISED’ Use of dredged sediments for creating innovative growing media and technosols for plant nursery and soil rehabilitation
2019-2022 PRID Project, University of Padua ‘Nuovi approcci per il controllo del rilascio di nutrienti da compost ottenuto da rifiuti solidi urbani’ (COMPOSTANDARD).
2020-2022 UniImpresa project (University of Padua) Gestione della sostanza organica e della risorsa idrica quale base dei servizi ecosistemici a scala vasta ‘SOILBANK’ (Project Coordinator)
2023-2025 PRIN (cod. 2022372A7R).

Attività di insegnamento
▪ 2005- attuale Lauree triennali: Chimica Organica e Biochimica, Chimica Generale e Agraria
Lauree Magistrali : Biotechnologies for Soil Study and Remediation, Protezione dagli Inquinamenti, Agroforestazione per la protezione e il recupero del suolo
Scuole di Dottorato: Role of the Principal Investigator
ATTIVITA’ EDITORIALE (presente e passato)
Biology and Fertility of Soils (Springer): Opinion and Position Editor
Sustainability (MDPI): Editorial Board Member
Frontiers in Plant Science (Frontiers): Editorial Board Member
Co-Editor of the International book ‘Omics in Soil Science’, Caister Academic Press
Guest Editor of three special issues of Applied and Environmental Soil Science in 2012, 2013, 2014

PRODOTTI DELLA RICERCA (Scopus, Aprile 2023)
Pubblicazioni 120, citazioni totali > 6500, H-index personale = 43, 15 capitoli in libri a diffusione internazionale

Luciano Massetti, Research Technologist at the Institute for BioEconomy of the National Research Council (CNR-IBE), has worked in various applied research sectors, providing expertise in environmental monitoring (using ground-based instruments and drones) and data management and analysis. He has collaborated nationally and internationally in the development and management of networks for monitoring urban microclimate and light pollution, and in studying the impacts of urbanization and vegetation on the environment and human health. For many years, he has been involved in teaching and outreach activities aimed at both primary and secondary schools and the general public. He has participated in numerous regional, national, and international projects for the development and application of innovative teaching methodologies for science and environmental education, integrating inquiry-based methods and technology use. In this context, he has been responsible for international ERASMUS+ projects (Envimobile, Bioprofiles, and Teaching Green) specifically focused on teacher training and the development of practical environmental education materials.

Michela Nota is a Ph.D. candidate in Urban Planning and Transportation at the Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture, Territory, Environment, and Mathematics at the University of Brescia. She obtained her Master’s degree in Green Area and Landscape Design (Landscape Architecture) from the University of Genoa. Her research interests focus on urban planning and the analysis of participatory processes related to urban resilience. She is a co-founder of the urban design studio COurban Design Collective based in Copenhagen.

Graduated in Building Engineering-Architecture from the University of Brescia, she holds a Ph.D. in Urban Planning and is involved in the research group for the project “Un Filo Naturale,” focusing on developing strategies for urban adaptation to climate change. She specializes in conducting spatial analyses using GIS software.

Associate Professor in Plant Physiology (BIO/04) at the Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, since 2014. She earned her degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Florence and her specialization in Nature Conservation and Ecological Territorial Planning from the University of Pavia.

She teaches Plant Physiology in the Biotechnology degree program and the Viticulture and Enology degree program. Her current research areas include: the study of the molecular mechanisms regulating flowering and fruit production, the physiological and molecular responses of plants to biotic and abiotic stress, the action of peptides and small non-coding RNAs in plant development and pathogen resistance, and the study of the mechanisms of action of biostimulant protein hydrolysates.

She is a member of the following scientific societies: Italian Society of Plant Biology, Federation of European Societies of Plant Physiology, International Society for Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions (IS-MPMI), and American Chemical Society.

She is on the Editorial Boards of the journals Genes and BMC Research Notes. She serves as a reviewer for numerous international scientific journals and has been an evaluator for research projects for the National Science Foundation (NSF), USA; International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Trieste; MIUR; REFIN (Research for Innovation); US-Israel Agricultural Research & Development Fund; and Israel Science Foundation.

Dr. Vera Ventura is a Researcher in Agricultural, Food, and Rural Valuation Economics at the Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture, Territory, Environment, and Mathematics at the University of Brescia. She holds a degree in Food Science and Technology and earned her Ph.D. in Technological Innovation for Agro-Food and Environmental Sciences from the University of Milan.

Her primary research focuses on the economic sustainability of agro-food systems, including innovation, business models, consumer preferences, and environmental resource management and evaluation.

She is a member of the Agrofood Research Hub at the University of Brescia, a multidisciplinary research group dedicated to promoting sustainable agricultural production, environmental health, and the socio-economic enhancement of the agro-food sector (https://agrofood-en.unibs.it).