Arianna Tavanti

Prof. Arianna Tavanti, graduated in Biological Sciences in 1995 and was awarded a PhD in Medical and Experimental Microbiology in 2003 from the University of Pisa, Italy. She joined the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology the University of Aberdeen, Scotland UK (2003-04) as Post-Doctoral Research Fellow. She graduated Specialist in Clinical Pathology in 2004 at the University of Pisa.

Postdoctoral research fellow (2005-06) and then permanent Researcher (2006-14) at the Department of Biology, University of Pisa.

December 2014-November 2020, Associate Professor of Microbiology;
Since December 2020 Full Professor of Microbiology at the Department of Biology.

Since November 2019, President of the Biotechnology BSc Degree, University of Pisa and of the Master Degrees in Molecular Biotechnology and Biotechnologies and Applied Artificial Intelligence for Health.

Since November 2021, Coordinator of the PhD Program in Biology, University of Pisa.

Member of the Directive committee of the Italian Society for Human and Animal Mycopathology (FIMUA,2022-2024).

Since March 2023, member of the Evaluation Committee of the University of Pisa.

Her scientific activity, documented by international publications (81 papers*, H index*: 33, total citations* 3400 *Scopus https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=6602436946) and one book chapter, is mainly focused on:

(i) genetic manipulation of microorganisms (gene deletion and gene editing) as a tool to study microbial virulence and host-pathogen interaction;
(ii) development of novel diagnostic tools (DNA microarray, CRISPR/Cas-based sensors) for the detection of microorganisms.
(iii) study of innovative antimicrobial and antibiofilm strategies (cationic peptides and bacteriophages).

Member of the Editorial Board of Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology; Journal of Fungi and Journal of Medical Mycology.

Co-recipient of a grant awarded by The Wellcome Trust (ref. SDL/BEC, 2003-04); Coordinator of the National Project FIRB - Protocol RBFR100FLV (2011-13), of a MIT-UNIPI joined grant (2016-17) and of the Regional Grant CRISPRSENSE (2022-24). Participant of Project T4-AN_07 “Piano Operativo Salute, Traiettoria 4” “Hub Multidisciplinare e interregionale di ricerca e sperimentazione clinica per il contrasto alle Pandemie e all’antibiotico resistenza” (2022-24).
Unit Principal Investigator of the PRIN 2022 "Innovative mucosal models as prototypes for in depth studies on the pathogenesis of monomicrobial and polymicrobial infections" Grant Ref no. 2022C7JE2F (2021-2025).