Date and place of birth: October, 31, 1966, Mestre (VE), Italy Work address: Department of Biology, via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131, Padova, Italy e-mail: nicoletta.larocca@unipd.it CURRENT POSITION Associate Professor of Plant Physiology (05/A2) Department of Biology, University of Padova, Italy. EDUCATION 1997-1999 - Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology. Thesis title: ‘Light stress and photodamaging effects on the photosynthetic apparatus of angiosperms’, Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Padova. Supervisor: Prof.ssa Nicoletta Rascio. Ph.D. thesis defence 9th February 2000. 1994 - One year research stage for Biologist profession qualification. Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, University of Padova. Supervisor: Prof. Roberto Barbato. Degree, June 1995. 1993 - Master Degree in Biology, with full marks and honors (110/110 cum laude). Thesis title: “Reserve mobilization during seed germination and first photosynthetic phases of the shoot in Ceratonia siliqua L.” Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Padova. Supervisor: Prof. ssa Nicoletta Rascio. WORK EXPERIENCE Italian Universities: Since October 2001 to October 2017 - Researcher in Plant Physiology (05/A2) at the Department of Biology, University of Padova, Italy. The position implies teaching duties as well as supervision of the work of undergraduate students. April 2000 - October 2001 - Assegnista di Ricerca (PostDoc) at the Laboratory of Algology, Department of Biology, University of Padova. Project title: ‘Taxonomic and physiological surveys on Antarctic microalgae’ (funded by Italian Antarctic Research Program, PNRA). Supervisor: Prof. Carlo Andreoli. 1996 - 10 months research contracts (January-October) at the Laboratory of Algology, Department of Biology, University of Padova. Project title: “Monitoraggio della presenza di microalghe tossiche nella fascia costiera di Civitavecchia”(funded by ENEL). Supervisor: Prof. Carlo Andreoli. 1995 - 8 months research contracts (May-December) at the Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Padova. Foreign Universities: 1999-2000 - Guest researcher for a total of 5 months at the Laboratory of Phytochemistry, Botanical Institute of the Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany. Research Project concerning: ‘Chlorophyll precursors in the regulation of photosynthesis related gene expression’ (partially funded by the hosting laboratory, SFB 184 DFG). Collaboration with Prof. Wolfhart Rüdiger. Editorial and reviewer activities: Since 2016 Nicoletta La Rocca is Member of the Editorial Board of Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group). 2008 and 2015 Nicoletta La Rocca had an Editorial Contract for writing two chapters of the book ‘Fisiologia delle Piante’ 1st (published in 2012) and 2nd (published in 2017) Edition, by EDISES, Napoli, Italy Extended version of the CV in the following pdf file.

Curriculum PDF File

Nicoletta La Rocca is currently Associate Professor of Plant Physiology at the Department of Biology, University of Padova. Her research activity, carried out in different laboratories of both Italian and foreign Universities, always aimed at investigating the effects of environmental factors on the photosynthetic apparatus structure and function in organisms with different position of the evolutionary scale, from plants to microbes. Collaborating at research projects considering extremophile photoautotrophic microorganisms she contributed to the discovery and description of 7 new species. Main current research topics concern: 1) the investigation of environmental factors effects such as light, temperature and drought on the photosynthetic apparatus structure and function in organisms with different position in the evolutionary scale 2) the photosynthetic characterization of microalgae and cyanobacteria from extreme environments, like cold (Alps and Antartica) or hot (thermal springs and muds) habitats. She has been recently PI in a PRAT project and a research contract from a private company (undisclosed name) aiming at the selection of microalgae and cyanobacteria for the production of high added value compounds such as pigments, lipids and polysaccharides. She is presently the PI of a research project financed by Centro Studi Pietro d’Abano for the characterization of the microbiota, cyanobacteria in particular, conferring healthy properties to the Euganean Thermal Districts muds. 3) the growth and photosynthetic performances analyses of selected strains of cyanobacteria exposed to simulated star lights and atmospheres of exoplanets. Within the last two years Nicoletta La Rocca started a peculiar collaboration in the field of astrobiology with researchers of the National Institute of Astrophysics (Astronomic Observatory Padova) and of the Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnology (CNR Padova) aiming to define the ability of photosynthetic microorganisms, cyanobacteria in particular, to growth and perform oxygen evolution when exposed to the light of red dwarf stars, generated by a custom made illuminator. This is a really cutting edge research topic, as recently earth-like planets, like those of the Trappist-1 planet system, have been discovered orbiting around this type of stars.

The research currently ongoing in the laboratory concerns: 1) studies on photosynthetic microorganisms of extreme environments - characterization of the microbiota, with particular attention to the cyanobacterial population, from the natural thermal springs and mud used for the therapies at the Euganean District of Abano and Montegrotto Terme; - physiological characterization and optimization of the growth of some strains isolated from the Euganean District and of particular importance for the production of high-value compounds that confer anti-inflammatory therapeutic properties to thermal muds. - physiological characterization of microalgae from Alpine and Antarctic environments 2) studies on growth and photosynthetic responses of cyanobacteria exposed to stellar lights and atmospheres of exoplanets simulated by specially designed instruments, realized in collaboration with researchers of the National Institute of Astrophysics (Padua Astronomical Observatory) and the Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnology (CNR Padova). Research is focused on dwarf red stars and oxygen-free, CO2-rich atmospheres. Interested students can contact me for more information on current projects. If you want to get an idea of ​​how it is working with us, visit this link edited by our collaborators https://www.instagram.com/plant.lab.unipd/

Last update: 03/06/2025