::: SHORT CV   Diego Comparini :::

::: PERSONAL DETAILS

Name:

Diego Comparini

Nationality:

Italian

Email:

Languages:

Italian – mother tongue

English – fluent

::: Qualification & Collaboration

Department of Agricultural Biotechnology - 

 Microbiology  section –  University of Florence

(2001-2005)  

Bachelor Degree “Agrarian Biotecnology”

Thesis “Use of microalgae interesting for Aquaculture: scaling up for commercial level”.

-       Administration and monitoring cultures of microorganisms in photo-bioreactors (microalgae).

Department of Evolutionistic Biology “Leo Pardi” - Microbial genetic laboratory -   

University of Florence 

(2005-2009)

Master of Science “Industrial and EnvironmentaBiotechnologygy”

Thesis “Phenotype of nodulation and expression of gene nodA in Sinorhizobium meliloti strains”.

-       Growth and monitoring nodulation-phenotypes of different strains on  Medicago Truncatula plants.

Use of Real-time PCR to monitor genic expression through new primers design and reference genes validation (SYBR Green).

Department of Plant, Soil and Environmental Science  (DIPSA) – University of Florence

(2010-2013)

Ph.D. in “Agro-biotechnology for tropical production”. Thesis: “Plant applications in space-research: effect of gravity and bio-inspiration for future space technology”.

-       Study of mechanisms involved in the early stages of the chemical and electrical response to gravity in root tips focusing on conditions of hyper-and microgravity (Large Diameter Centrifuge – LDC; Parabolic flight; Drop Tower).

-       Evaluation of electric network activity of roots through the use of the Multi Electrode Arrays system (MEAs).

-       Time-lapse photography technique applied to plants and roots growth.

-       Study the Erodium cicutarium seeds and their potential application for soil exploration.

Faculty of Environmental Engineering, The University of Kitakyushu– Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan. 2012-2015.

Postdoctoral Research Assistant/Professor.

-       Study the effect of light on organisms focusing on using LEDs Technologies for plant research.

-       Pigmentation, postharvesting, photosynthetic activity, growth, and development of plants/fruits under different light regimes.

-       Study the effect of sound on plants and its application as sensing technology.

-       Leader of the joint laboratory Linv@Kitakyushu Research Center.

Department of Agrifood

Production and Environmental Sciences - University of Florence (DISPAA)

 2016-2017

Post-doctoral research for the project:

-       “Analysis of the air purifying ability of plants” which aims to test the ability of plants to purify the air, reducing harmful volatile substances generated inside the buildings (building materials, detergents, combustion, etc.). Within the project, several investigation tasks have been accomplished, in particular,r to study, through the instrument Proton Transfer Reaction - Time of Flight - Mass Spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS), the influence of different plant species and growing media on changes in the spectrum of organic volatile compounds.

Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI) - University of Florence

 2018-2019

Principal investigator, MARIE SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIPS PROJECT SUNDROPS:

-        Self-DRiving hydrOPonic System - Develop automated hydroponic systems that use high frequency pulsing-light and intermittent/alternate nutrient supply to optimize resources and plant adaptation.

-       Aim to research and develop automated hydroponic cultivation system driven by the plant “itself” able to optimize/control the supply of light, water, and nutrients.

Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI) - University of Florence 2020-2021

Post-doctoral research for the project:

- Study of the physiological parameters associated with water stress in plants.

- Monitoring and interpreting the electrical signals produced by plants in water stress conditions for water management applications.

- Phenotypic and gas exchange analyses associated with water and salt stress in plants.

Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI) - University of Florence (2021-2022)

Post-doctoral research for the project:

Electrophysiological investigations for the study of communication in plants.

- investigating the plant-plant and plant-other organism communication mechanisms, focusing, in this project, on the analysis of the electrical activity linked to the interaction between organisms.

-acquiring and analyzing the electrical signals of plants subjected to different stimuli (for example, the presence of other organisms, or tactile, mechanical, chemical stimulus), and studying their propagation, to increase knowledge on the role of electrical signaling in plant communication

Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI) - University of Florence

2022-present

Principal investigator, EU project “Funding projects presented by young researchers”: EVOLUTE (mEchanical VibratiOns and Light spectra as tools for sustainable agricUlTurE)

- Mechanical vibrations and light spectra as tools for sustainable agriculture.

- Aim to research an innovative physical approach, introducing two innovative green methodologies to support sustainable agriculture: the use of specific light spectra and mechanical vibrations. For this purpose, the project's main objectives are to reduce the proliferation of pathogens and insects and/or stimulate plant defense responses, with concurrently enhancing product quality.

 ::: Publications

1. Comparini D., Taiti C., Lanza M., Vita F., Pandolfi C., Luti S., Spinelli F., Pazzagli L., Mancuso S., 2021 ­ Comparison of wild and domesticated hot peppers fruit: volatile emissions, pungency and protein profiles. ­ Adv. Hort. Sci., 35(3): 305­318.
2. Dolfi, M., Dini, C., Morosi, S., Comparini, D., Masi, E., Pandolfi, C., & Mancuso, S. (2021). Electrical signaling related to water stress acclimation. Sensing and Bio-Sensing Research, 32, 100420.
3. Comparini, Diego, et al. "Stem electrical properties associated with water stress conditions in olive tree." Agricultural Water Management 234 (2020): 106109.
4. Taiti, C., Costa, C., Migliori, C. A., Comparini, D., Figorilli, S., & Mancuso, S. (2019). Correlation Between Volatile Compounds and Spiciness in Domesticated and Wild Fresh Chili Peppers. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 1-15.
5. Caparrotta, S., Comparini, D., Marone, E., Kimmenfield, R., Luzzietti, L., Taiti, C., & Mancuso, S. (2019). Correlation between VOC fingerprinting and antimicrobial activity of several essential oils extracted by plant resins against A. tumefaciens and P. savastanoi. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 34(5), 377-387.
6. Taiti, C., Costa, C., Figorilli, S., Billi, M., Caparrotta, S., Comparini, D., & Mancuso, S. (2018). Volatome analysis approach for the taxonomic classification of tree exudate collection using Proton Transfer Reaction Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 33(3), 245-262.
7. Comparini, D., Nguyen, H. T., Ueda, K., Moritaka, K., Kihara, T., & Kawano, T. (2018). Effect of different light spectra on the pigmentation of stored elephant garlic. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 98(7), 2598-2606.
8. Hara, A., Takaichi, H., Murata, Y., Sakata, R., Hara, Y., Iwase, J., Comparini, D., Suzuki, T. and Kawano, T. (2016). Optical evaluation of the shading properties of climbing fern Lygodium japonicum used as thermal buffering green wall plant. Advances in Horticultural Science, 30(2), 59-67.
9. Comparini D., Kihara T., and Kawano T. (2016). Uses of X-ray 3D-Computed-Tomography to monitor the development of garlic shooting inside the intact cloves.  Environmental Control in Biology, 54 (1), 39-44.
10. Lin C., Hara A., Comparini D., Bouteau F., Kawano T. (2015). Zinc-dependent protection of tobacco and rice cells from Aluminum-induced superoxide-mediated cytotoxicity. Frontiers in Plant Science, vol. 6, art. 1079.
11. Nagasawa K., Iwase J.,Comparini D., Kawano T. (2015). Empirical and simulative evaluations of white fluorescence-type light emitting diodes as algal growing light sources based on the photosynthetic oxygen evolution by Synechocystis spp. PCC6803. Environmental Control in Biology 53(3):169-173.
12. J. Iwase, Sato Y., Comparini D., Masi E., Mancuso S., Kawano T. (2015). Non-invasive acoustic sensing of belowground wooden tissues: possible application to spatial mapping of soil usage by tree roots. Environmental Control in Biology 53 (3):175-179.
13. Iwase J., Sato Y., Comparini D., Masi E., Mancuso S., Kawano T. Non-invasive Acoustic Sensing of Tuberous Roots of Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) Growing Belowground. Adv. Hort. Science. (2015).
14. Comparini, D., Uezu, K.,  Kawano, T. (2015). Monitoring of Sonochemically Released Carbon Dioxide from a Methanol-Water System. Solvent Extraction Research and Development, Jpn. Vol. 22(2), 215-221.
15. Masi, E., Ciszak, M., Comparini, D., Monetti, E., Pandolfi, C., Azzarello, E., ... & Mancuso, S. (2015). The electrical network of maize root apex is gravity dependent. Scientific reports, 5.
16. Taiti, C., Costa, C., Menesatti, P., Comparini, D., Bazihizina, N., Azzarello, E., ... & Mancuso, S. (2015). Class-modeling approach to PTR-TOF MS data: a peppers case study. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 95(8), 1757-1763.
17. Mugnai S., Pandolfi C., Masi E., Azzarello E., Monetti E., Comparini D., Voigt B., Volkmann D., Mancuso S. (2014) Oxidative Stress and NO Signalling in the Root Apex as an Early Response to Changes in Gravity Conditions. BioMed Research International. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/834134.
18. Furlan, S., Comparini, D., Ciszak, M., Beccai, L., Mancuso, S., & Mazzolai, B. (2012). Origin of polar order in dense suspensions of phototactic micro-swimmers. PloS one, 7(6), e38895-e38895. Citations:3.
19. Ciszak, M., Comparini, D., Mazzolai, B., Baluska, F., Arecchi, F. T., Vicsek, T., & Mancuso, S. (2012). Swarming behavior in plant roots. PLoS One, 7(1), e29759.
20. Biondi, E. G., Tatti, E., Comparini, D., Giuntini, E., Mocali, S., Giovannetti, L., ... & Viti, C. (2009). Metabolic capacity of Sinorhizobium (Ensifer) meliloti strains as determined by phenotype microarray analysis. Applied and environmental microbiology, 75(16), 5396-5404.

 ::: Atti di convegni

JSABEES conference  (Japanese Society of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Engineers and Scientists). Okinawa, Japan, 11/2015. Presentazione: “Possible acoustic monitoring of below-ground plant growth and development”. Comparini D., Iwase J., Sato Y., Masi E., Mancuso S., Kawano T.

JSABEES conference  (Japanese Society of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Engineers and Scientists). Miyazaki, Japan, 9/2015. Presentazione “Scoring tomato fruit maturation based on measurements of frequency-modulated sound propagation and solar-light reflectance by intact fruits”. Comparini D., Iwase J., Murata Y., Hara A., Takaichi H., Kawano T.

Invited speaker at International Symposium on Plant Signaling and Behavior. 29 June - 2 July, 2015, Paris, France. Presentazione: “Acoustic sensing of belowground plant growth and monitoring of fruit ripening”. Comparini D., Iwase J, Masi E., Mancuso S., Sato Y., Kawano T.

JSABEES conference  (Japanese Society of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Engineers and Scientists). Kumamoto, Japan, 11/2014. Presentazione: “Controls of plant growth and development under HB-LEDs: cases of vegetable growth, pigmentation, photosynthesis, and storage”. D. Comparini, T. Kihara, and T.Kawano. Best Presentation Awarded (certificato disponibile).

Annual Meeting of the Society of Plant Signaling and Behavior, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; 07/2013. Presentazione: "Go green, stay green under green light". Comparini D., Yamamoto Y., Moritaka K., Hieu N. H. T., Kihara T., Masago H., Mancuso S., Kawano T.

Annual Meeting of the Society of Plant Signaling and Behavior, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; 07/2013. Action potentials in the root apex are dependent on gravity. Masi E., Ciszak M., Comparini D., Monetti E., Pandolfi C., E. Azzarello, S. Mugnai, Baluska F., S. Mancuso.

Self-burial Mechanism of Erodium cicutarium and Its Potential Application for Subsurface Exploration. Pandolfi C., Comparini D., Mancuso S. Biomimetic and biohybrid systems first International Conference, Living Machines 2012, Barcelona, Spain, July, 2012.

::: Altri Progetti di Ricerca

START Programme (2014), MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan). Progetto: “Electric field resonance-type biological sensing and the development of detecting data analysis system”. Progetto in relazione al suono in collaborazione con l’Università di Kitakyushu e il L’istituto tecnologico di Kyushu.

Regional Innovation Strategy Support Program 2012, MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan). Progetto: "Energy-conserving advanced plant production system with HB-LEDs", Università di Kitakyushu.

European Space Agency (ESA) -  Progetto ARIADNA 2012. Subsurface investigation and interaction by self-burying bio-inspired probes. Study Reference Number: 12-6401.

European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) – Noordwijk (NL)

Spin Your Thesis 2010 and 2011 ESA Education’s Projects

-       Acclimation of plants to hyper-gravity and analysis of the changes in the electrical roots network.

Center of Applied Space technology and microgravity (ZARM) –

Bremen University (DE) 

Drop Your Thesis 2011  ESA Education’s Projects

-       Detection of chemical signalling in roots under microgravity conditions using the Drop Tower Facility.

Novespace, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) –

Bordeaux (FR)

Fly Your Thesis 2012  ESA Education’s Projects

-       Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in plants during gravity changing conditions -  Parabolic Flight Campaign.