Molecular Environmental Microbiology (MEMlab). Coordinator: Cappelletti

Summary of the research activities in MEMlab

Research themes

• Genomic, molecular and metabolic analysis of bacteria of environmental and industrial interest capable of metabolising and/or biotransforming contaminants.
• Omic and functional analyzes of microrganims microbial  from natural environments (caves, contaminated sites, glaciers) and bioreactors, with metabolic capabilities of biotechnological interest (e.g. ability to degrade toxic compounds, accumulate metals, produce bioactive molecules) and involved in bioremediation, biomineralization, bioleaching, and biogeochemical cycles processes in aquatic and terrestrial environments.
• Characterization of the antibacterial activity of materials and/or compounds of different kinds and study of the bacterial stress response.

Lab members

Martina Cappelletti, Associate Professor

Stefano Fedi, Associate Professor

Eva Donini, Research Fellow/Post Doc (research topic: microbiology of filtering system in water treatment plants)

Bernardo da Silva, Research Fellow/Post-Doc (research topic: role of microbes in subterranean ecosystems)

Andrea Timoncini, Research Fellow/Post-Doc (research topic: development of antibacterial and anticorrosion coatings)

Stefania Di Silvestro, PhD Student (research topic: microbes and biochar for bioremediation of contaminate soils)

Ettore Lopo, PhD Student (research topic: ecology and potential of microbes in subterranean environments)

Umberto Genchi, PhD Student (research topic: DNA methylation in Rhodococcus bacterial strains)

Michael Di Maio, Research Fellow (research topic: interaction between bacteria and metallic surfaces)

Matteo Cianciavicchia,  Research Fellow in collaboration with DICAM (research topic: antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of next generation coatings)

Internship projects

There are 2-3 positions available (per year) for master's and bachelor's thesis internships:

• Molecular, functional, and omics analyses of bacterial strains capable of transforming toxic organic molecules, resisting toxic metals, and producing nanomaterials.
• Characterization of microbial communities from contaminated and/or extreme environments and isolation of microorganisms for biotechnological applications.

Main publications

• Ferrari E, Di Benedetto G, Firrincieli A, Presentato A, Frascari D, Cappelletti M. Unravelling the role of the group 6 soluble di-iron monooxygenase (SDIMO) SmoABCD in alkane metabolism and chlorinated alkane degradation. Microb Biotechnol. 2024 May;17(5):e14453. doi: 10.1111/1751-7915.14453.
• Ghezzi D, Salvi L, Costantini PE, Firrincieli A, Iorio M, Lopo E, Sosio M, Elbanna AH, Khalil ZG, Capon RJ, De Waele J, Vergara F, Sauro F, Cappelletti M. Ancient and remote quartzite caves as a novel source of culturable microbes with biotechnological potential. Microbiol Res. 2024 Sep;286:127793. doi: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127793. 
• Ghezzi D, Jiménez-Morillo NT, Foschi L, Donini E, Chiarini V, De Waele J, Miller AZ, Cappelletti M. The microbiota characterizing huge carbonatic moonmilk structures and its correlation with preserved organic matter. Environ Microbiome. 2024 Apr 24;19(1):25. doi: 10.1186/s40793-024-00562-9 
• Ghezzi, D., Filippini, M., Cappelletti, M., Firrincieli A, Zannoni D, Gargini A, Fedi S (2021) Molecular characterization of microbial communities in a peat-rich aquifer system contaminated with chlorinated aliphatic compounds. Environ Sci Pollut Res (2021). doi: 10.1007/s11356-020-12236-3.
• Firrincieli, A., Zannoni, D., Donini, E., Dostálová, H., Rädisch, R., Iommarini, L., Turner, R.J., Busche, T., Pátek, M., Cappelletti, M. (2022) Transcriptomic Analysis of the Dual Response of Rhodococcus aetherivorans BCP1 to Inorganic Arsenic Oxyanions. Applied Environmental Microbiology 12; 88(7):e0220921. doi: 10.1128/aem.02209-21.