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We are pleased to announce that the LIFE NatuReef project has recently welcomed three new human resources, who will bring key skills to the success of our activities. Meet Martina Franchini, Monteleone Luca and Dr Carlotta Carlini.
Martina Franchini
Martina Franchini graduated with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Bologna. She obtained a Marie Sklodowska Curie Interfuture Horizon 2020 PhD in Applied Plant Microbiology from the University of Nottingham, working on the interaction between biostimulant bacteria and plants of agricultural interest. Following her PhD, she worked on the molecular transformation of chloroplasts via Biolistic Gene Gun to deliver CRISPR-Cas9 constructs at the University of Nottingham. Subsequently, she followed a project at the Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA) of the University of Bologna aimed at characterizing the bacterial community associated with green microalgae in conditions favoring the accumulation of the biopolymer polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), the basis of the production of bioplastics. She is currently a research fellow at BiGeA. She is involved in the LIFE NatuReef project for monitoring the biodiversity of marine communities before and after the planting of artificial reefs, both through morphological and molecular recognition techniques.
Monteleone Luca
Luca Monteleone, 26 years old and originally from Reggio Emilia, has developed an innate passion for the sea and the environment since childhood. After obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Modena-Reggio (UNIMORE) with a thesis on the soldier fly Hermetia illucens, she obtained a Master's Degree in Marine Biology at the University of Bologna (UNIBO) with a thesis on white sharks in South Africa. She worked at the Shark Study Center in Massa Marittima as an aquarium and laboratory technician, contributing to data collection for studies on elasmobranchs. Currently, she holds the role of Environmental Officer at the Management Authority for Parks and Biodiversity - Delta del Po Emilia Romagna in the LIFE NatuReef project, dealing with the various phases of the project and the Work Packages under the responsibility of the Park Authority.
Carlotta Carlini
Carlotta Carlini is currently a research fellow at the Integrated Geosciences Research Group (I.G.R.G.) of the University of Bologna. In the NatuReef project, she is involved in monitoring activities aimed at assessing the current state of the area of interest and, subsequently, the impacts of the project on these areas. Dr. Carlini earned a PhD in Cultural and Environmental Heritage in 2023 from the University of Bologna, where she also obtained a master's degree in Environmental Analysis and Management and a bachelor's degree in Environmental Sciences. Her doctoral thesis focused on the use of biochar as a filter medium for processing wastewater and as a material for the remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater. She collaborated with researchers from the Universität Wien in Austria and Fraunhofer UMSICHT in Germany and holds a patent for a method for producing a composite material for nutrient recovery and soil remediation using biochar. With these new additions to the team, the LIFE NatuReef project is poised to make great strides in the conservation and monitoring of marine biodiversity.
