Mission

The biochemistry and vegetal physiology laboratory at Scientific and Technological Department of Verona University does it's research activity mainly in the filed of Molecular Ecophysiology of  photosynthetic organisms, that is of mechanisms used by vegetal organisms to cope with a very high number of environmental conditions, even very adverse; these mechanisms have a considerable impact on the geographic distribution of vegetable species and in the productivity of plants of agronomical interest.
The lab is a centre for the base research in the filed of biophysics and of the structure of membrane protein-pigment complexes (Lhc) involved in photosynthesis. This lab developed techniques for the production and characterization of recombinant Lhc proteins and perfected methods for introducing site-specific mutations in order to delete one or more chromophores bound to Lhc complexes.

The research activity is lead on different research fronts applied in the filed of these areas:

a) characterization of the role of carotenoids and of the complexes binding carontenoids in the abiotic stresses resistance;

b) identification, with proteomic techniques, of genic products involved in the abiotic stresses (Arabidopsis thaliana, Hordeum vulgare) and in the maturation processes of the fruit of plants with commercial value  (Lycopersicon esculentum);

c)  structural and functional analysis of the photosynthetic apparatus of maize (Zea mays) genotypes in hydric and cold stress conditions;

d) optimization of the production of bio-hydrogen from algal cultures  (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) in photobioreactors.