Notizie
MIGLIORAMENTO BIOTECNOLOGICO VEGETALE PER LE FONTI RINNOVABILI E LA SOSTENIBILITÀ AMBIENTALE
Il corso mira a fornire conoscenze avanzate sugli approcci metodologici utilizzati per il miglioramento delle colture vegetali e delle alghe, finalizzati allo sviluppo di nuove varietà o ceppi da utilizzare per la produzione sostenibile di biocarburanti e prodotti a valore aggiunto per l’industria, per la difesa sostenibile delle colture agli stress e per il biomonitoraggio.
il corso inizierà martedì 1 marzo 2022 (ore 11.00-13.00) in aulta Tatò in via dei Sardi
Orari di ricevimento
9.00-13.00 every Friday
Curriculum
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
01/10/2018 - 28/02/2019 Sapienza, University of Rome, dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies “C. Darwin” Post-doc (co.co.co) as molecular biologist with responsibilities in supporting the cloning and heterologous expression of hydrolytic enzymes from phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria
01/04/2019 - 30/06/2019 Sapienza, University of Rome, dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies “C. Darwin” Post-doc (co.co.co) as molecular biologist with responsibilities in supporting the generation and characterization of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants.
01/07/2019 - 30/06/2020 Sapienza, University of Rome, dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies “C. Darwin” Post-doc (Assegno di ricerca) focused on the identification, characterization, and heterologous expression of cell wall hydrolytic enzymes from wood-decaying fungi.
01/07/2020 - 30/06/2021 Sapienza, University of Rome, dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies “C. Darwin” Post-doc (Assegno di ricerca) focused on the identification, characterization, and heterologous expression of cell wall hydrolytic enzymes from wood-decaying fungi.
01/10/2021 - 20/12/2021 Sapienza, University of Rome, dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies “C. Darwin” Post-doc (Assegno di ricerca) for proteomic analysis of enzymes secreted by wood-decaying fungi.
22/12/2021 - 21/12/2024 Sapienza, University of Rome, dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies “C. Darwin” RTD-A ex DM 1062/2021 (PON “Ricerca e Innovazione” 2014-2020) for the development of bio-based solutions for the valorization of agro-food waste biomass.
01/11/2014 - 31/10/207 Sapienza, University of Rome PhD student fellowship (Life Science)
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2021/2022 Sapienza, University of Rome, “Biotechnological improvement of plants for renewable resources and environmental sustainability” (BIO/04, 6 cfu/48 h), LM Biotechnology and Genomic for Industry and Environment.
2022/2023 Sapienza, University of Rome, “Molecular and cellular bases of plant biotechnologies” (BIO/04, 3 cfu/24h), LM Cell biology and technology.
2022/2023 Sapienza, University of Rome, “Biotechnological improvement of plants for renewable resources and environmental sustainability” (BIO/04, 6 cfu/48 h), LM Biotechnology and Genomic for Industry and Environment.
2023/2024 Sapienza, University of Rome, “Biotechnological improvement of plants for renewable resources and environmental sustainability” (BIO/04, 6 cfu/48 h), LM Biotechnology and Genomic for Industry and Environment.
2023/2024 Sapienza, University of Rome, “Molecular and cellular bases of plant biotechnologies” (BIO/04, 3 cfu/24h), LM Cell biology and technology.
SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS, AWARDS AND HONORS
2024 SIBV (Italian Society of Plant Biology) membership
2021 EMBO Scientific Exchange Grant (2 months), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Umeå University, Sweden. Title of the research project is: "Interplay between plant cell wall and cell wall modifying enzymes during apical hook development".
FUNDING
2023
Role of Cell Wall in Root-Microorganism interaction for plant development and defense.
2022
ELIA (ELIcitors from Agri-food and algal waste biomasses): bioconversion of waste into products for sustainable crop protection.
2021
The plant cell wall: a regulatory hub in immunity and development.
2021
Interplay between plant cell wall and cell wall modifying enzymes during apical hook development.
2020
Improved pathogen resistance in plants through "on command" release of damage-associated molecular patterns.
2016
Role of proline in the control of root meristem size: A novel non-hormonal modulator of root growth.
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
My research activities involve studying various aspects of plant physiology, ranging from seed germination to plant-pathogen interactions. I am particularly fascinated by the role of the plant cell wall as an environmental sensor and how it influences the plant life cycle in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. During my PhD, my studies focused on photomorphogenesis and the interplay between light signals and hormone signalling during germination and seedling development. As a postdoc, I began working on the plant cell wall, specifically in deconstructing agricultural lignocellulosic waste to release monosaccharides (as an energy source for microalgae) or oligosaccharides (as elicitors to boost plant immunity in both Arabidopsis and Solanaceae). In parallel, I studied the interplay between the cell wall and hormones during apical hook development, as well as the effect of cell wall alterations on the activation of plant immune responses.
PUBLICATIONS
1- Boccaccini A et al. The DOF protein DAG1 and the DELLA protein GAI cooperate in negatively regulating AtGA3ox1 gene. Mol. Plant. 2014 Apr 9. doi: 10.1093/mp/ssu046.
IF 6.337; Citations 33.
2- Boccaccini A et al. Independent and interactive effects of DOF AFFECTING GERMINATION 1 (DAG1) and the DELLA proteins GA INSENSITIVE (GAI) and REPRESSOR OF ga1 (RGA) in embryo development and seed germination. BMC Plant Biology 2014, 14:200. doi:10.1186/s12870-014-0200-z.
IF 3.813; Citations 19.
3- Santopolo S et al. Dof Affecting Germination 2 is a positive regulator of light-mediated seed germination and is repressed by Dof Affecting Germination 1. BMC Plant Biol. 2015 Mar 4;15:72. doi: 10.1186/s12870-015-0453-1.
IF 3.631; Citations 37.
4- Boccaccini A et al. The DAG1 transcription factor negatively regulates the seed-to-seedlings transition in Arabidopsis acting on ABA and GA levels. BMC Plant Biology 2016. Sept 16:198 doi: 10.1186/s12870-016-0890-5.
IF 3.964; Citations 30.
5- Lorrai R et al. Genome-wide RNA-seq analysis indicates that the DAG1 transcription factor promotes hypocotyl elongation acting on ABA, ethylene and auxin signaling. Sci Rep. 2018 Oct 26;8(1):15895. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-34256-3.
IF 4.011; Citations 19.
6- Lorrai R et al. Abscisic acid inhibits hypocotyl elongation acting on gibberellins, DELLA proteins and auxin. AoB Plants. 2018 Oct 5;10(5):ply061. doi: 10.1093/aobpla/ply061. eCollection 2018 Oct.
IF 2.270; Citations 35.
7- Ruta V et al. Inhibition of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 activity reduces trimethylation of H3K27 and affects development in Arabidopsis seedlings. BMC Plant Biol. 2019 Oct 16;19(1):429. doi: 10.1186/s12870-019-2057-7.
IF 3.497; Citations 19.
8- Lorrai R and Ferrari S. Host Cell Wall Damage during Pathogen Infection: Mechanisms of Perception and Role in Plant-Pathogen Interactions. Plants (Basel). 2021 Feb 19; doi:10.3390/plants10020399.
IF 4.658; Citations 41.
9- Lorrai R et al. Impaired Cuticle Functionality and Robust Resistance to Botrytis cinerea in Arabidopsis thaliana Plants With Altered Homogalacturonan Integrity Are Dependent on the Class III Peroxidase AtPRX7. Front. Plant Sci., 16 August 2021. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.696955.
IF. 6.627; Citations 13.
10- Pontiggia, D. et al. The ancient battle between plants and pathogens: plant cell wall resilience and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) drive plant immunity. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group (2023), pp. 393-411. https://dx.doi.org/10.1201/9781003178309.
Citations 1.
11- Lorrai, R et al. Eye Diseases: When the Solution Comes from Plant Alkaloids. Planta Medica 2024 May; 90(6):426-439. doi: 10.1055/a-2283-2350. Epub 2024 Mar 7.
IF 2.1 (2023 waiting for 2024); Citations 0.
12- Boccaccini, A. et al. When Size Matters: New Insights on How Seed Size Can Contribute to the Early Stages of Plant Development. Plants 13.13 (2024): 1793.
IF 4.0 (2023 waiting for 2024); Citations 0.
13- Lorrai R et al. Cell wall integrity modulates HOOKLESS1 and PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR4 expression controlling apical hook formation. Plant Physiology, 2024;, kiae370, https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiae370.
IF 6.5 (2023 waiting for 2024); Citations 0.
CONGRESS AND WORKSHOP ATTENDANCE
2015 “DOF AFFECTING GERMINATION 2 is a positive regulator of light mediated seed germination and is repressed by DOF AFFECTING GERMINATION 1”. The 26th international conference on Arabidopsis research (ICAR 2015). Elevator pitch.
2016 “The Arabidopsis DAG1 transcription factor controls the dormancy/germination developmental switch acting on the balance of ABA and GA”. The 22nd international conference on plant growth substances (IPGSA 2016). Poster presentation.
2017 “Study of the role of the DOF transcription factor DAG1 in the control of seedling development in Arabidopsis thaliana”. Biology and Biotechnology C. Darwin meeting (Ponzano). Oral Presentation.
2019 “Resistance to Botrytis cinerea in Arabidopsis plants impaired in de-esterified homogalacturonan content correlates to increased cuticle permeability and is suppressed by abscisic acid”. XV Cell Wall meeting (Cambridge). Poster presentation.
2022 “Plant cell wall perturbations trigger hormonal changes impairing apical hook development“ XVI FISV Congress (Portici). Poster presentation.
2023 “Turgor-dependent impairment of apical hook development in Arabidopsis thaliana plants with altered cell wall integrity”. XVI Plant Cell Wall Meeting Màlaga, 18-22 June 2023 Poster presentation.
2023 “Turgor-sensitive responses link cell wall integrity to a signalling module promoting apical hook formation in Arabidopsis thaliana”. XII National Conference of the Italian Society of Plant Biology Bari, 11st – 14th September 2023 Oral presentation.
2016 “Studying the role of the DAG1 transcription factor in the control of photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana”. PhD school on “Environmental regulation of plant development (2016). Oral presentation.
2022 “Plant cell wall alterations and hormonal crosstalk during seedling development” "1st hormone, cell wall and morphogenesis workshop" March 9-10, 2022 (Umeå, Sweden). Oral presentation.
2023 "Workshop on Plant Biology 2023" SIBV workshop (Bertinoro, Italy).