Stefania CHIESA

Professional experience

Reasearch grants/contracts 

September, 1st 2020 - August, 31st 2021 (ongoing) - Researcher, ISPRA (Institute for Environmental Protection and Research), Rome (Italy), INTERREG ITALIE-TUNISIE funded project MED Dè.Co.U.Plages "Méthodologies d’Economie Durable pour les Déchets Côtiers Utilisables des Plages";

May 1st, 2019-August, 31st 2020 -Post-doctoral fellow- ISPRA (Institute for Environmental Protection and Research), Rome (Italy). POR-ERDF funded project BARGAIN "The BAnquette of Posidonia: integrating knowledge and promoting an ecologic management model for responsible management”;

February 1st, 2018-April, 30th 2019 -Post-doctoral fellow- ISPRA (Institute for Environmental Protection and Research), Rome (Italy). INTERREG-MEDITERRANEAN funded project MPA-Adapt "Guiding Mediterranean MPAs through the climate change era: Building resilience and adaptation”;

January 16th, 2017-Jan, 15th, 2018 Post-doctoral fellow- Dept. Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca' Foscari Venice (Italy). Research area “Application of biochemical and genetic-molecular tests and processing of pollutant and environmental data to assess the state of contamination of the most important mollusks of our coasts”;

Nov 1st, 2013- Nov 1st, 2016 Post-Doctoral fellow - Dept. of Biology & CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), Functional Biodiversity Group, University of Aveiro, Aveiro (Portugal). Project funded by Portuguese National FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia), grant number SFRH/BPD/91923/2012 title "Safety and traceability of a valuable seafood product in Northern Adriatic Sea and Portugal: the case of Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum";

March 1st, 2010- Nov 1st, 2013. PostDoctoral Fellow. Dept. Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, University Ca' Foscari Venice (Italy). Area of Research "Genotyping and use of biochemical and physiological markers to clam market safety and traceability";

Jan 1st, 2009- Dec 31st 2009. Postdoctoral Fellow. Dept. Environmental Sciences,  University Ca' Foscari Venice (Venice, Italy). ESF (European Social Fund) project number 101_006. “Analysis and validation of new tools for seafood safety and traceability with the opportunity to reach a DOP certification”. Specific area of Research “Seafood safety and traceability by molecular markers”.

August 5th, 2005-October 4th, 2005. Temporary collaborator at ICRAM "Istituto Centrale per la Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica Applicata al Mare- Institute for Scientific and Technologic Sea Research ” now re-named ISPRA (Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale- Institute for Environmental Protection and Research), Rome, Italy. 

April 28th, 2005- May 27th, 2005. Temporary collaborator at ICRAM, "Istituto Centrale per la Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica Applicata al Mare- Institute for Scientific and Technologic Sea Research ” now re-named ISPRA (Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale- Institute for Environmental Protection and Research), Rome, Italy. 

Teaching contracts 

Academic Year 2019/20.

        Contracted Professor of "Principles of Biotechnologies". Dept. Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, University Ca' Foscari Venice (Italy)

        Contracted Professor of "Marine Biology". Dept.  Sciences, University of "Roma Tre", Rome (Italy) 

Academic Year 2018/19.

   Contracted Professor of "Biotechnologies: Principles and Applications". Dept. Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, University Ca' Foscari Venice (Italy)

   Contracted Professor of "Marine Biology". Dept. Sciences, University of "Roma Tre", Rome (Italy) 

   Contracted Professor of the Module “Introduction to general Microbiology” for the II° level professional Master course “Characterization and Remediation of contaminated sites”, 2019 edition, Ca’ Foscari Challenge School, University Ca' Foscari Venice.

Academic Year 2017/18.

Contracted Professor of "Biotechnologies: Principles and Applications". Dept. Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, University Ca' Foscari Venice.

Student Supervision

Main Supervision (4 students, concluded) 

-Master Degree thesis in “Science and Technology of Bio and Nanomaterials” at the University of Venice “Cà Foscari”, in collaboration with the Dept. Biology, University of Aveiro (Portugal) within ERASMUS program. Title “Gadolinium as an emerging pollutant:a review on its occurrence and impacts in aquatic ecosystems”. Supervisors: S. Chiesa & R. Freitas; Candidate Giacomo Trapasso, AY 2019/2020

-Bachelor degree Thesis in “Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies” at the University of Venice “Cà Foscari”:

1.        “Comparison of various analytical methods in different environmental matrices for the determination of organic carbon”, Supervisors: S. Chiesa, A. Sfriso; Candidate Chiara Gazzola, AY 2018/2019.

2.        “Determination by CHNS elementary sequencer of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur in lagoon sediments” Supervisors: S. Chiesa, A. Sfriso; Candidate Marta Greco, AY 2018/2019.

3.        “Assessment of a molecular method for the identification of Bacillus cereus (B. cereus sensu lato) in food matrices”. Supervisor: S. Chiesa; Candidate Ilaria Bertuol, AY 2018/2019

Co-Supervision (11, concluded): Ph.D. (2 students); Professional Master course (1 student); Master degree (5 students); Bachelor degree (3 students).

Academic degrees

2009 Ph.D. in Biology, Section "Biodiversity and Analysis of Ecosystems". Dept. of Biology, University of "Roma Tre", Rome (Italy). Title "Assessment of genetic differentiation in italian populations of Austropotamobius pallipes species complex: taxonomic and management implications".

2004: 5 years degree in Biological Sciences. Dept. of Biology, University of "Roma Tre", Rome (Italy). Title "Occurrence of allochthonous freshwater crayfishes in Latium (Central Italy)". Final mark: 110/110 cum laude.

Scientific Areas of Interest: Environmental Sciences and Animal Biology (Ecology/Zoology/Applied Biology)

Current research activities are multidisciplinary and focused on environmental sciences and animal biology:

- Biodiversity conservation, management and mitigation of impacts, resilience and adaptation of ecosystems to anthropic disturbances and climate change, with particular reference to transitional and coastal marine environments;

-element contamination in transitional and marine environments and benthic organisms, transferring processes from abiotic to biotic compounds;

-physiological and biochemical responses of marine invertebrates (bivalves) to environmental stresses (pollution, climatic changes);

-molecular biology applied to animal genetics, especially of freshwater and marine taxa (Conservation genetics; Molecular biodiversity; Phylogenetics, biogeography and molecular taxonomy of freshwater and marine animal taxa; Population genetics; Alien species identification; Hybridization processes among native and alien species; Molecular genetics for seafood safety, traceability and forensic sciences);

-Alien species, their impact on native communities and their commercial exploitation;

-Traceability and safety of food products.

Main skills and competences

-Project Cycle Management: management support for European and National financed projects;

-Preparation and submission of national and international proposals (organization and management of networks with public and private partners, preparation of project proposals and project budgets, collection and archiving of documentation; submission of the proposal in EC platforms);

-Management of scientific research activities, including field and laboratory activities, data collection and processing, project reports, technical documents and scientific publications, orders, invoices, equipment maintenance;

-Coordination and management of student activities (internship and thesis preparation for bachelor, master, PhD and post-graduate master's degrees);

-Preparation and accomplishment of theoretical lessons and laboratory exercises, supporting tutorial material, accomplishment of the exams, informatic verbalization of the exams and of the registers as Academic Professor;

-Scientific dissemination and communication, for both general public and undergraduate students (primary, middle and high schools).