Curriculum

1. 2005.Progetto COST ACTION G8 “Non-destructive Analysis and Testing of Museum Objects” Short Term Scientific Mission 2005, “A Non –Destructive Microbiological Study Of The Biofilm Growing At St Agatha Crypt And Catacombs, Rabat, Malta”.
2. 2005-2007.Scientific and Technological co-operation between the Italian Republic and the republic of India, Project CHCRT-1 on“Assessment of bioerosion of exposed surfaces of monuments and hypogea and development of preventive strategies for their conservation”.
3. 2007-2009. Bilateral Project ASS-CNR Slovacchia-Italy on Molecular characterization of microbial communities involved in the biodegradation of culture heritage (Dott. Domenico Pangallo).
4. 2010-2014. Project PRINprotocollo 2010ANXZ5X006Arte e habitat rupestre in Cappadocia (Turchia) e nell'Italia centromeridionale. Roccia,architettura scavata, pittura: fra conoscenza, conservazione, valorizzazione.
5. 2018-2020. Project “MicroPolArS” cod PNRA 2018_00194 linea D del bando PNRA 1314 del 25 maggio 2018 MIUR/ Istituto di Scienze Polari del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ISP-CNR).
6. 2021-2023. Progetto CRIMAC C64I20000320001UNDERWATER CULTURAL HERITAGE CONSERVATION BY MEANS ANTI BIOFOULING ECONFRIENDLY PRODUCTS (Acronym UNALTERABLE)

Curriculum

CV CLARA ENZA URZI’

Place and date of birth: Messina (Italy) – April 18 1955
Associate Professor of Microbiology SSD BIO/19
University of Messina,
Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences
Viale F. Stagno d'Alcontres, 31 98166 Messina
Tel. +39 090 676 5196, +39 3488717820
E mail clara.urzi@unime.it, urzicl@unime.it
Skype contact: clara184

Teaching

GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY for master students of Marine Biology and Biological Sciences
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY for students of Biological Sciences Courses
GENERAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY courses for specialization students of Microbiology and Virology, Clinical Pathology and Applied Microbiology Schools.
Microbiology applied to Cultural Heritage
Several National and International Courses on BIODETERIORATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE

Research experience and Posts Held
1979 Laurea in Biological Sciences at University of Messina (magna cum laude)
1980-1982 Specialization in Applied Microbiology: University of Messina, Institute of Microbiology, (magna cum laude)
1982-1986 Postspecialization fellow, Institute of Microbiology, University of Messina,.
1985 Fellowship as visiting scientist at Microbiology Institute, Facoltà di Agraria, Milan, February - March 1985.
1986-1989 Doctorate in Microbiological Disciplines: University of Catania, Institute of: Microbiology.
1990 Postdoctoral fellowship as visiting scientist at Geomicrobiology Division, ICBM, University of Oldenburg, Germany, January - May 1990.
1992 Visiting scientist at Geomicrobiology Division, ICBM, University Carl von Ossietsky of Oldenburg, Germany, July - August 1991 and July - August 1992.
1992-1993 Fellowship "Villa Vigoni" by the Permanent Conference of the Rectors of the Italian Universities. a.a. 1992/1993.
1996 Visiting scientist at Institut f. Allgemeine Botanik und Botanisher Garten, Abteilung Mikrobiologie, Hamburg, Germany, September 1996.
1990 University of Messina, Institute of Microbiology and then Department of Microbiology, Genetic and Molecular Sciences as Researcher and Aggregate Professor (2006).

Research Fields

The main research fields are the study of microbial community colonizing outdoor, indoor and submerged Cultural Heritage assets through a multistep approach that foresees the:
• isolation and identification of bacteria and fungi colonizing peculiar environments on monument surfaces;
• study of the interactions of heterotrophic microorganisms with phototrophic microrganisms;
• biomineralization processes on the stone surfaces;
• testing new products and nanobiocides to prevent colonization on subaerial and submerged artifacts in order to apply the best strategies to control biodeteriogens.
 All these studies are part of the Environmental Microbiology and some topics include biotechnological applications.
 

Principali progetti di ricerca nazionali ed Internazionali: (2005-)
1. 2005.Progetto COST ACTION G8 “Non-destructive Analysis and Testing of Museum Objects” Short Term Scientific Mission 2005, “A Non –Destructive Microbiological Study Of The Biofilm Growing At St Agatha Crypt And Catacombs, Rabat, Malta”.
2. 2005-2007.Scientific and Technological co-operation between the Italian Republic and the republic of India, Project CHCRT-1 on“Assessment of bioerosion of exposed surfaces of monuments and hypogea and development of preventive strategies for their conservation”.
3. 2007-2009. Bilateral Project ASS-CNR Slovacchia-Italy on Molecular characterization of microbial communities involved in the biodegradation of culture heritage (Dott. Domenico Pangallo).
4. 2010-2014. Project PRINprotocollo 2010ANXZ5X006Arte e habitat rupestre in Cappadocia (Turchia) e nell'Italia centromeridionale. Roccia,architettura scavata, pittura: fra conoscenza, conservazione, valorizzazione.
5. 2018-2020. Project “MicroPolArS” cod PNRA 2018_00194 linea D del bando PNRA 1314 del 25 maggio 2018 MIUR/ Istituto di Scienze Polari del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ISP-CNR).
6. 2021-2023. Project CRIMAC C64I20000320001UNDERWATER CULTURAL HERITAGE CONSERVATION BY MEANS ANTI BIOFOULING ECONFRIENDLY PRODUCTS (Acronym UNALTERABLE)

Meeting and Congress organization

November 1991: Organizzatore locale del II Workshop EUROMARBLE nell'ambito del progetto EUREKA EUROCARE sottoprogetto EUROMARBLE EU 496.
Maggio 1992: Organizzatore locale del Workshop dell'European Science Foundation su "MICROBIAL INTERACTIONS WITH THE EARTH'S CRUST".
25 - 29 Gennaio 1995: Organizzazione Workshop on EC projects "Interactive physical weathering and bioreceptivity study on building stones, monitored by Computerized X-ray Tomography (CT) as a potential nondestructive research tool" and "Atmospheric Eutrophication and Saecular Organic Pollution (Biological and Mineralogical Reactions of Mediterranean Monuments)".
1999. Organizzazione 2° meeting progetto europeo ENV4-CT98-0704 “NOVEL REMEDIATION STRATEGIES FOR PRESERVATION OF MARBLE STRUCTURES ENDANGERED FROM ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGES”. (Messina, 13 - 16 Maggio 1999).
2001. Organizzazione meeting finale progetto europeo ENV4-CT98-0707 “Development of innovative water repellent/biocide surface treatments for mortars: assessment of their performance by using modern analytical tools and surface analysis”. (Messina, 29 Marzo – 4 Aprile 2001).
2002. Organizzazione 2° meeting progetto europeo n° EVK4-2000-00028 2001 – 2003, dal titolo “ CYANOBACTERIA ATTACK ROCKS: control and preventive strategies to avoid damage caused by cyanobacteria and associated microorganisms in roman hypogean monuments”, (CATS) (MESSINA, 10-13 NOVEMBRE, 2002).
2008. Organizzatore del 14th International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation Symposium, Sant’Alessio Siculo, Messina Italy 6-11 October 2008.


Membership of Scientific society and Committee

1988 - 2000. Member of National Committee of Ministero dei Beni Culturali for the normalization of techniques on stone works, biological group (Normal B) and UNI
1987 -1993. Member of Group 5 (methods for biological control) EUREKA-Project EUROCARE (European project on Conservation and Restoration)
1990-present Member of the European Project EUREKA EU 496 EUROCARE-EUROMARBLE 1990 – 2002.
1990-presente Member of “Società Italiana di Microbiologia Generale e di Biotecnologie Microbiche (S.I.M.G.B.M.)”.
2020-presente Member of Associazione Italiana di Archeometria, (AIAR)
2003-2012. Member of Editorial Committee of International Journal “International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation” 2003-2012.
1996-present Member of the International Society of Biodeterioration

Editorial activities

Editor International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation”, Elsevier 2012-present.
Co-Editor of special Issue of International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation vol. 63 2009.
Member of Editorial Committee of International Journal “International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation” 2003-2006.
2022 Coeditor Special Issue rivista internazionale STOTEN Science of the Total Environment

Altro
2019-present Rappresentative for Italy of the  International Society for the Biodeterioration and Biodegradation.

Collaboration/convenzioni/partnership with University/research institutions in Italy and Abroad

- Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures Fungal Biodiversity Center CBS Utrecht, The Netherland (Prof. S. de Hoog)
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Istituto de Recursos naturales y Agrobiologia, Sevilla, Spagna (Prof. C. Saiz Jimenez)
- Università di Roma Tor Vergata Dipartimento di Biologia (Prof. L. Bruno)
- Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de Saint-Etienne, France (Prof P. Grosseau).
- Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Rep. Slovacca (Dott. Domenico Pangallo) (.
- Dept. of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science (DiBEST) University of Calabria, CS (Prof. Mauro F. La Russa)
ERASMUS (University Paris-Cergy, France) e
ERASMUS PLUS (University BEN GURION, Israel).