Agriculture & Food Chemistry

Education 1980- High school diplomas in scientific studies. 1985 - Graduated in Biological Sciences (MSc), at the University of Messina, Faculty of Science. 1985-1987- Practice attendance at biological laboratory of the “Riuniti” hospital, Reggio Calabria, Italy. 1987- Professional qualification with honours, to exercise the biology profession, Biology Faculty, Messina University, Sicily, Italy. 1987, 1988 - Fellowship with grant at the “Institute of Cybernetic, on signal transduction pathway. Arco Felice”, Naples. 1988- PhD in Food Science at the Policlinic “Federico II”, University of Naples. Studies and researches performed at the “Policlinic, Federico II University of Naples, Italy (output scientific papers, published in national journals). Professional position 1988- Researcher at the Department of Agrochemistry and Agrobiology of the Agricultural Faculty “Mediterranea” University of Reggio Calabria, Italy. Since 2001- Associate professor of Pedology, Biochemistry and Soil Ecology in the Agricultural Faculty of “Mediterranea” University of Reggio Calabria, Italy. Since 2010 –Eligible for Full professor position in Soil Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Soil Ecology, July 2010-Bolzano University Italy Since December 2016 Full Professor of Soil Ecology and Soil Chemistry in charge to Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria Teaching experience Course taught 1993-1994, 1994-1995, 1995-1996, 1996-1997 - Courses in Forestry Soil Chemistry 1995-1996, 1996-1997, 1997-1998 - Courses in Pedology 1997-1998, 1998-1999, 1999-2000, 2000-2001 -Courses in Plant Biochemistry 1998-1999, 1999-2000, 2000-2001 Courses in Pedology: theory and practice 2001-2002- Courses in Pedology, Plant Biochemistry and Forestry Soil Chemistry 2002-2003, 2003-2004- Courses in Pedology, Plant Biochemistry Since 2004- Courses in Forestry Soil Chemistry and Soil Ecology Seminars on specific interest of Agricultural Chemistry 1995- Course on Food and Environment organized by the National Order of Biologists and Calabria Region. 1996- Chemistry lectures in professional training course for operators of "Food Biotechnology Fund" organized from ENAIP, Calabria Region. 1997 - Teaching in the course, for training technical operator in the laboratory. 2000- Lecture titled "Biological activity of humic matter" at the Centre for Research in Plant Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Bristol University (UK). 2001- Lectures in "Biochemistry and Physiology, Geology and Pedology", in the International Master,II Level in collaboration with the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Paris la Villette at “Mediterranea" University of Reggio Calabria. 2005- Course in Soil Chemistry, (4 CFU), for Technical Training Education Course supported by Calabria Region IFTS titled “Senior technician for the management of agro-environmental area”, held at the office of C.R.A. (Lamezia Terme, CZ). 2006-2007- Soil Chemistry (60 hours) at the Secondary Teacher Training School (SSIS)-AA Cycle VIII (UNICAL, Cosenza, Italy). 2007-2008- Soil Chemistry (60 hours) lessons at the Specialization School for Secondary Teacher Training School (SSIS)-IX AA Cycle 2007-2008 (UNICAL Cosenza). 2008- Pedology (10 hours) lessons in the Training (Project FIXO) course for "expert in technological transfer innovation, design and turf management in Mediterranean environments", held at the Faculty of Agriculture of Reggio Calabria, Italy. Since 2008- Lecturer and trainer in the School of Doctoral Research “PhD in cultivation and defense of tropical and subtropical crops". Coordinator: Prof. Rocco Zappia, Department of Agriculture and Forest System Management. 2009- “Soil quality: assessment and management" lessons in the International Master Level "Technological innovation and sustainability of Mediterranean olive" at the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria, Italy. Since November 2011- Member of the teaching committee of PhD School "PhD Science and technology for forestry and environment management. Tuscia University, Viterbo, Italy Coordinator: Prof. Rosanna Bellarosa Department of Agriculture, Forests, Nature and Energy (D.A.F.N.E.) Tuscia University, Viterbo, Italy. Since 1988- She follows students in the preparation of thesis and in the internship and she is tutor and co-tutor of Master, and PhD thesis.

Research field Since 1988 my research investigates connections between soil chemistry, biochemistry and function in regulating ecosystem-level processes. Because I focus on quantifiable material common to many ecosystems, my interests are not limited to any one environment. Consequently, the setting for my research includes forests, managed ecosystems (e.g. tree nurseries), grasslands, as well as urban environments, which welcomes collaborations across a range of disciplines. My research is hypothesis-driven and tends toward experimental discovery, as opposed to descriptive observation. The goal is to conduct research to provide innovative solutions for soil management that will increase profitable crop production and ensure soil and environmental quality. Knowledge derived from my research activities is disseminated to the scientific community and industry, and used to develop management guidelines, recommendations and tools for sound soil management. Interests • Dynamic and evolution of organic matter in forest soil and effects of humic substances separated in fractions (different molecular weight and composition) on seed germination, plant growth and metabolism. Relationship between soil organic matter (labile and recalcitrant C fractions) and soil biodiversity in driving soil ecosystem functioning. • Role of water soluble phenolic compounds (WSP) in influencing the accumulation and availability of soil nutrients and the rate of nutrient cycling in forest ecosystem. Effects of WSP on seed germination, seedling growth and metabolism. • Effects of forest management, waste disposal and environmental constraints on soil properties, organic matter trend, microbial biomass, nutrient cycles and enzyme activities. • Identification of biochemical markers to be routinely used and applicable to most ecosystems as early warning indicators of soil quality changes. • Effects of abiotic stress (salinity, drought and heat) on seed germination, seedling growth and metabolism. Studies on the physiological biochemical and adaptive response of plants to different environmental constraints, considering their productive response and effects on soil properties. Halophytes used as crops, including bioenergy, for the restoration and rehabilitation of salinized or contaminated soils. • Use of polluting recalcitrant agricultural wastes (olive wastes and citrus pulps), and inorganic sulfur obtained from the residues of the desulfurization of natural gas and oil, as fertilizers for a sustainable recovery of saline and alkaline soils, and for an eco-friendly agriculture. • Relationship between microbial ecology and plant physiology. Plants respond to environmental factors by altering growth and longevity of fine roots, which, in part, control the amount and types of organic substrates available for microbial metabolism in soil. Changes in belowground plant growth influence the composition and function of soil microbial communities. My work is focused on understanding the link between plant and microbial activity within terrestrial ecosystems, and the influence climate change may have on these dynamics.

Dr. Manuela Oliverio is, since 2008, Assistant Professor (RTI) at the University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro- Department of Health Sciences. Since 2016 she hold the Italian qualification to Associate Professor in Organic Chemistry.  Her education and training can be summarized by the following steps: 2008 - Post-doc Fellowship for the Research Program “Voucher e Borse per l’Alta Formazione, POR Calabria 2000-2006 - Misura 3.7” at “Università degli Studi Magna Graecia” - Catanzaro. 2005-2008: Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry at “Università degli Studi Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro 2004: Master Degree in Organic Chemistry (110/110 Magna cum Laude) at “Università della Calabria” of Cosenza Her academic career and teaching experience at University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro is summarized below: Since 2014: Assistant Professors Deputy at the Health Sciences Department Jury Since 2013: Member of the Ph. D Teaching Board in Health Science- XXIX- XXXII Cycle- School of Pharmacy Since 2013: Assistant Professor in Organic Chemistry (4 + 2 CFU) at School of Pharmacy – CdS Biotechnology Before 2013: Assistant Professor in General Chemistry (4 CFU) CdS Biotechnology; Assistant Professor in General and Organic Chemistry (2 + 3 CFU) CdS Science and Technology of Animal Productions; assistant Professor in Analytical Chemistry (8CFU) CdS of Pharmacy. Dr. Oliverio is currently involved in the UMG MD Program as teacher of Organic Chemistry at the CdS of Biotecnology - School of Pharmacy; besides, she is involved in the High Formation Programs of UMG School of Pharmacy as lecturer for the Doctoral School in Health Science, the ECM ENPAB Intensive Course in Nutraceutics and the Advanced Course in Nutraceutics. Moreover, she participated as lecturer for the 1st SCI Doctoral School in Green Chemistry of the SCI – GC Division. She is actually supervisor of 2 PhD Students and 2 MD Students. During her academic career Dr. Oliverio waved several national and international offsite collaborations: Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Genova, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologia del Farmaco, Università di Torino; Christian Doppler Laboratory for Microwaves Chemistry (CDLMC) – Karl Franzens Universität – Graz – Austria; Laboratoire Biomolécolaire de Synthèse”, CNRS de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier II, France. Dr Oliverio was involved as Chairman and/or member of Scientific and Organizing Committee of several scientific meetings: 2017: Organizing Committee (Member) UMG for the Work-shop: EVOO 2017 Annus Orribilis. Università Magna Graecia – June 30, 2017 2015: Organizing Committee (Member) UMG for the SCI-CASI Conference 2015 , Università Magna Graecia, December 3-4 2015: Technical Board Member for the ScienceOne International Conference on Pharmaceutical Sciences – Dubai (UAE)- January 21-23, 2015. 2014: Organizing Committee (Chairman) and Scientific Committee (Member) UMG for the Work-shop: Food Processing Innovation and Green Extraction Technologies: recent advances and applications in human health. Università Magna Graecia – September 25-26, 2014. 2011: Organizing Committee (Member) UMG for the Meeting “Chem4Life: from functional foods to active molecules”, Università Magna Graecia – September 29-30, 2011 (International Year of Chemistry)

Research activity of Dr. Oliverio has been mainly focused on green manipulation of biologically active molecules and on exploiting chemical and agricultural waste as platform for fine chemicals, playing attention to the use of reusable-non toxic catalysts, solvent free conditions, US and MW energy, Q-tube reactors to improve the processes environmental compatibility  She attended to:  6 Conference as Invited Lecturer ( 3 International); 5 Conference as Oral Presenter (3 International), 15 Conference as Poster Presenter (4 International) She was co-author of 59 scientific publications (50 Papers on peer review international journals, 2 Proceedings on peer review international journals, 1 book chapter, 9 Papers in ISSN journals), 13 of which as Reference author, with a total H-index of 18 and total citation number of 743. Dr. Oliverio is reviewer for: Molecules, Green Chemistry Letters, Ultrasonic Sonochemistry, Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology, ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters, Mediterranean Journal of Chemistry, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, Bioorganic Chemistry, Letters in Drug Design & Discovery. 2 ‐ National and international achievements Dr. Manuela Oliverio received her first personal grant after her MD degree by the Bonino-Pulejo Foundation, for the achievement of an excellent results (110/110 cum laude) as MD student. Thanks to this grant Dr. Oliverio had the possibility to start her research activity offsite at the “Laboratoire Biomolécolaire de Synthèse” – CNRS de Montpellier – Université de Montpellier II – France under the Supervision of Doctor C. Mathé. Besides the personal grant, Bonino-Pulejo foundation acknowledged in 2004 Dr. Manuela Oliverio with the Best MD Graduate Award 2004, thus opening a scientific career characterized by important national and international acknowledgments.  In 2014, at the 3th ScienceOne Conference on drug Discovery & Development- Dubai – UAE, the oral presentation of Dr. Oliverio was awarded with the Conference Best Paper Award 2014 by the Scientific Committee of the meeting. Always in 2014, Dr. Oliverio gained the Giacomo Ciamician Medal 2014, for her achievements in the use of alternative solvents, energies and catalysts in organic chemistry. The Giacomo Ciamician Medal is an acknowledgement annually recognized by the Organic Chemistry Division of Italian Society of Chemistry to young researchers who achieved excellent results in their research activities. During her academic career, Dr. Oliverio has already proven to be able to successfully manage national grants. In 2013 the Research project “Valorization of olive oil as functional food in cancer protection” financed by “Fondazione Università Magna Graecia” and coordinated by Dr. Oliverio, won an internal competition dedicated to UMG young researchers.  In 2017 Dr. Oliverio has been positively evaluated for the ANVUR-FFABR grant. Besides the previous involvements as PI, Dr. Oliverio participated as Research Collaborator to the following financed project: 2014: PON03PE_00078_01 Metodologie innovative per l’estrazione e purificazione di derivati del bergamotto e dall’olea europea e per lo sviluppo di biomateriali, biosensori e biomarcatori a basso impatto tossicologico ed ambientale” -Scientific Coordinator Prof. Vincenzo Mollace 2012: PONa3_000359: “Interregional Research Centre for Food Safety & Health –IRC_FSH” - Scientific Coordinator Prof. Vincenzo Mollace 2011: Regional Project QUASIORA – LAB Calabria: “Qualità e Sicurezza Origine degli Alimenti” - Scientific Coordinator Prof. Domenico Britti 2010: PRIN 2008: “Sviluppo eco-compatibile di trasformazioni in sintesi organica” – Scientific Coordinator Prof. Giancarlo Cravotto