Dr. Paola Irato earned her degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Milan in 1984. In 1988, she completed her Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology at the University of Padua. Since 1991, she has been a researcher in General Physiology (BIO/09) at the Department of Biology. Her research has consistently focused on detoxification systems against heavy metals and the physiological responses of animals to environmental conditions that induce oxidative stress. Over the years, she has worked with various model organisms, including protozoa, mollusks, fish, rats, and cell cultures. While her primary approach has been biochemical, she has also employed molecular biology and histological techniques. Another area of interest is the development of innovative teaching strategies for biology education in schools. She has participated in and led several national and international research projects, including: Studies on ecotoxicology and the biological effects of inorganic (metals) and organic pollutants in the Venice Lagoon system National Antarctic Research Program (ENEA) Conservation of biodiversity and sustainable management of brackish biotopes along the Italian coastline (1997) Development of an “expert” system to assess stress levels in sentinel organisms (Mytilus sp.) based on biomarker panels (PRIN 2000) Principal Investigator for the PRIN 2001 project: "Assessment of biological stress indices in mullet species from brackish environments with high and low anthropogenic impact" (MURST) Molecular diversity and functional characterization of antimicrobial peptides in Mytilus galloprovincialis and Venerupis philippinarum (PRIN 2008) Metallothionein gene promoters in the model organism Tetrahymena thermophila: effective tools for the expression of recombinant proteins (PRAT 2008) Oxidative damage and cellular aging: study of antioxidant mechanisms in ciliated protozoa (PRAT 2010) AIRC Funding 2012 European Commission LIFE Program – Holistic inter-institutional environmental experience on perfluorinated compounds (2017) Unit Leader in the PNRA 2018 project: Antarctica as a sensor of global pollution: aquatic and terrestrial organisms as bioindicators and meta-analysis of pollutant trends She has co-supervised Ph.D. theses and has served as supervisor or co-supervisor of numerous master's and undergraduate theses. She has also been responsible for a postdoctoral research fellowship. She has served as scientific contact for two FIRB 2010 projects, two PRIN 2009 projects, and two projects funded by the Czech Science Foundation—the primary public funding agency supporting all areas of basic research in the Czech Republic. She is also a peer reviewer for several scientific journals.

Curriculum PDF File

Physiological responses of animals to environmental conditions where there are chemical contaminants that can also induce oxidative stress. Interactions of metals in relation to the physiological responses performed by animals with particular reference to the induction of metallothioneins and to apoptotic phenomena. Didactic approaches to the teaching of biology in primary and secondary schools.

1. Responses to PFAS exposure under controlled conditions at different times in oligochaete Eisenia hortensis: cell mortality and lysosomal fragility in celomocytes, bioaccumulation and metallothionein determination. 2. Metallothionein's role in homeostatic regulation of trace metals. 3. Educational projects and critical reflections in primary and secondary school of the first degree: experimental approaches to survey the world, observation and study, courses to educate to scientific curiosity.

Last update: 30/06/2025