Institute of Sciences of Food Production - National Research Council (ISPA-CNR)
NAME Antonia Gallo
e-mail:antonia.gallo@ispa.cnr.it
ROLE: Researcher.
UOS: Lecce
Education and training
Graduated with honors in Biology at the University of Lecce in 1992.
CNR Fellowships: IBV, Milan, 1995; IRBA, Lecce, 1998-1999;
Research contracts: IRBA, Lecce, 2000; ISPA, Bari, 2002-2007;
1-year CNR fellowship at Molecular Genetics Department, JIC, Norwich (GB), 2001;
Researcher at ISPA since 2008.
Courses: Introduction to Bioinformatics/Advanced bionformatics (FoBiotech, I, 2006/2010);
“qPCR Basic Module” (BioEps, D, 2010); “Training on genomics and DNA based food
traceability technologies” (INAB, GR, 2013).
Skills and competences
Molecular microbiology and biotechnology in the field of agro-food quality and safety.
Analysis of microbial diversity. Molecular studies of biosynthesis of secondary metabolites
and study of regulatory mechanisms for the production of metabolites. Development of
diagnostic molecular assays for the monitoring of microbial contamination.
Main research projects (participation and responsibility)
Participation in the following research projects:
2002-2004: EU-5thFWP-RAFBCA (QLRT-2000-01391)- Risk Assessment of Fungal
Biocontrol Agents
2004-2008: MIUR Project 12818 (DM 593/2000)-SIVINA- Individuation of innovative and
transferable methodologies for safety improvement of Salento high quality red wines
2009-2013: Apulia Strategic Project-INNOWINE-Innovative Biotechnological approaches
to improve quality and safety of typical Apulian wines
2006-2010: MIUR private-public initiative-MBLab Molecular Biodiversity Laboratory
(DM19410).
2009-2013: EU-7thFWP MYCORED (KBBE-2007- 222690)- Novel integrated strategies for
worldwide mycotoxin reduction in food and feed chains
2010-2012: MIPAAF-CRA ALISAL-Improvement of the sanitation, health-functional
properties of commodities for human and/or animal supply
2011-2014: MIUR PON01_01409 -SAFEMEAT-Process and product innovations aimed at
increased food safety and at diversifying pork-based products
2011-2014: MEF Project-CISIA-Integrated knowledge for the sustainability and innovation
of made in Italy agrifood products
2012-2015- MIUR PON art.13-S.I.Mi.S.A- Innovative instruments for the improvement of
food safety: prevention, control, correction
Products
H-Index
9 (Web of Science/Scopus)
28 publications of which 18 on ISI journals and 2
book chapters.
11 (Google Scholar)
41 contributions at national and international
conferences/symposiums/workshops
Project evaluation & Referee activities
Referee activities for: PlosONE, BMC Microbiology; Scientific Reports; Letters in Applied
Microbiology; Journal of Basic Microbiology; International Journal of Food Microbiology; Toxins.
Member of scientific committees at CNR competitions. Evaluator of MIUR research projects.
Institute of Sciences of Food Production - National Research Council (ISPA-CNR)
Main Publications
1. Gallo A., Solfrizzo M., Epifani F., Panzarini G., Perrone G. 2015 (in press). Effect of
temperature and water activity on gene expression and aflatoxin biosynthesis in Aspergillus
flavus on almond medium. International Journal of Food Microbiology.
2. Ferrara M., Perrone G., Gallo A., Epifani F., Visconti A., Susca, A. 2015. Development of
loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the rapid detection of Penicillium
nordicum in dry-cured meat products. International Journal of Food Microbiology 202:42-47.
3. Perrone G., Gallo A., Logrieco A.F. 2014. Biodiversity of Aspergillus section Flavi in Europe
in relation to the management to aflatoxin risk. Frontiers in Microbiology 5:377.
4. Gallo A., Knox B.P., Bruno K.B., Solfrizzo M., Baker S.E., Perrone G. 2014. Identification
and characterization of the polyketide synthase involved in ochratoxin A biosynthesis in
Aspergillus carbonarius. International Journal of Food Microbiology 179:10–17.
5. Gallo A., Ferrara M., Perrone G. 2013. Phylogenetic Study of Polyketide Synthases and
Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetases Involved in the Biosynthesis of Mycotoxins. Toxins 5(4),
717-742.
6. Gallo A., Bruno K.S., Solfrizzo M., Perrone G., Mulè G., Visconti A., Baker S. 2012. New
insight into the ochratoxin A biosynthetic pathway through deletion of a nonribosomal
peptide synthetase gene in Aspergillus carbonarius. Applied and Environmental
Microbiology 78 (23):8208-8218.
7. Gallo, A., Epifani, F., Bonsegna, S., Pascale, M., Santino, A., Perrone, G., 2010. Analysis
of genes early expressed during Aspergillus flavus colonisation of hazelnut. International
Journal of Food Microbiology 137: 111-115.
8. Gallo, A., Perrone, G., Solfrizzo, M., Epifani, F., Abbas, A., Dobson, A.D.W., Mulè, G. 2009.
Characterisation of a pks gene which is expressed during ochratoxin A production by
Aspergillus carbonarius. International Journal of Food Microbiology 129: 8-15.
9. Gallo A., Mulè G., Favilla M., Altomare C. 2004. Isolation and characterisation of a
trichodiene synthase homologous gene in Trichoderma harzianum. Physiological and
Molecular Plant Pathology 65: 11-20.
10. Santino A., De Paolis A., Gallo A., Quarta A., Casey R., Mita G. 2003. Biochemical and
molecular characterization of hazelnut (Corylus avellana) seed lipoxygenases. European
Journal of Biochemistry 270:4365-4375.