BRANDUARDI PAOLA

Prof. Paola Branduardi BSc PhD, Full Professor in Chemistry of Fermentation and Industrial Microbiology at the University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy).

Research fields

Bioprospecting and tailoring of microbial strains, mainly yeasts, for the production of heterologous proteins, fine and bulk chemicals, biofuels, nutraceuticals. Metabolic engineering, flow cytometry, screening protocols for improving key performance indicators are the approaches used to select strains with the desired features, including robustness against stress. The goal is the development of sustainable bioprocesses, where non-edible organic residues can be valorized by microbial fermentation in an integrated biorefinery.

Academic, scientific activities and technology transfer

Lecturer of Industrial Microbiology, Industrial Processes and Biorefineries; Microbiology of the Bachelor Degree in Biotechnology and Biology; director of two PhD programmes, “Biology & Biotechnology” and “Converging Technologies for Biomolecular Systems (TeCSBi)” at the University of Milano-Bicocca.

Delegate of the Department for the KIC Raw Materials “RawMatters”.

She coordinates the IndBioTech lab now supervising 2 post-Docs, 6 PhD students of 2 different PhD programmes, and 4 master students. She is one of the directors of a Summer School in Bio-Based Processes, and teacher in national Master programmes on Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainability.

Publications: over 60 peer-reviewed papers, 7 book chapters.

(Co-)inventor of 9 patent applications, 6 of which obtained the PCT status, and 5 subsequently licensed.

Co-founder and President of the academic spin-off Galatea Bio Tech S.r.l., active in the production of bio-based biodegradable materials.

Principles and concepts of Open Science and RRI are embedded both in her researches as in her teaching and communication activities.

Involvement in Research and Training Programmes 

Prof. Branduardi has participated in several national and EU-funded research and PhD training projects. Among other, the following European FP VII: NEMO (Novel high performance enzymes and micro-organisms for conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to bioethanol); Coordination Actions SYSINBIO (Systems Biology as a Driver for Industrial Biotechnology); Marie Curie ITN YEASTCELL (2013-2017). BIOGESTECA, BIOREFILL and BEETOUT: national projects looking over the production of biofuels and chemicals from renewable biomasses.

Prof. Branduardi is currently beneficiary of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie EJD YEASTDOC (2017-2021) and she is the coordinator of the national research project MYSUSHI (valorisation of crude glycerol into fish feed). She is also involved as PI and as member of the MC of the COST Action CA18113, Understanding and exploiting the impacts of low pH on micro-organisms.