Andrea Milani

Experience

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  Sandwich bar

  Jan 2005 - Jan 2007

  Barman - waiter - assistant cook

  From 2005 to 2007 I worked as a barman, waiter and assistant cook at a popular sandwich bar of my town. There, I improved my customer care skills and I learned the team work and how to behave into stressful situations. Although it has been a beautiful working experience, in 2007 I decided to stop it, in order to focus on my studies at University, because of my passion for science.

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  Milani Edoardo

  Jan 2007 - Jan 2009

  Industrial air conditioning systems mechanic - Apprenticeship

  In 2007 I started an apprenticeship as industrial air conditioning systems mechanic, working with my father. I learned the fundamentals about air conditioning and I appreciated the team work. I also learned how to correctly read a P&I diagram and how to act and discuss with other technicians. In 2009 I finally decided to focus on my studies at University.

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  University of Padova

  Mar 2012 - Mar 2013

  Research Internship

  My research internship project (University of Padua, Chemical Process Engineering Department) was focused on the possibility of coupling the microalgae industrial production process with the wastewaters and waste gases treatment. I conceived and managed many different experiments and growth curves, in order to analyze the specific water purification capabilities of different species of microalgae, growing in various wastewater samples and under controlled conditions (pH, temperature, CO2). I also analyzed the chemical composition of the treated wastewater (nitrogen, phosphorous, COD), in order to describe the pollution abatement kinetics of the microalgae/bacteria consortium. Experiments were carried out both in batch and in continuous photobioreactors and both in sterile and non sterile conditions. The evolution of the bacterial population growing with algae into reactors has been pointed out with the Colony Forming Unit spread plate method. A part of my work is described in a scientific paper that is now publicated in "Algal Research". Show less

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  Microlife

  Jul 2013 - Nov 2013

  Internship

  I worked in Research and Development (R&D) of new products and new strategies for the industrial production of cyanobacteria (as Spirulina, Arthrospira platensis and A. maxima), microalgae (as Haematococcus pluvialis and Scenedesmus obliquus) and diatoms (as Phaeodactylum tricornutum), cultivated both in open and closed photobioreactors, from a point of view of a sustainable biorefinery.In lab, I collaborated to develop new Spirulina food products and I performed some Phycocyanin extraction protocols from Spirulina and a purification protocol, too. I also developed some experiments in order to test the wastewater purification capability of S. obliquus growing in diluted landfill leachate (wastewater treatment). Before the end of the internship, I was also developing a rapid and economic protocol to test the presence of microcystins (as well as other toxic substances) both in Spirulina and microalgae samples, making use of brine shrimps (Artemia salina).Furthermore, I had the possibility of testing my problem-finding, -shaping and -solving skills, in customer care, in starting and maintaining the microorganisms production plants and also in Supplier Relationship Management (RSM). Show less

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  Alga Tarifa

  Jan 2014 - May 2014

  Project Assistant

  At AlgaTarifa S.L. (Tarifa, Spain) I was responsible for starting and maintaining of a pilot plant for the production of Spirulina, of about 1,200 liters. I took care of the culture and I did minor repairs about wiring and plumbing, needed for the proper functioning of the installation.I also teach two collaborators about techniques of Spirulina cultivation. I assisted the Project Manager in design and implementation of our internal laboratory, defining space and algae transformation tools and machineries.Each speech is held in Spanish or, if necessary, in English. Show less

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  CAA delle Venezie

  Jun 2014 - Aug 2014

  Employee

  I worked as data entry employee in a office for tax and assistance in agriculture. I learnt to use a management software dedicated to management of "European Regional Development Fund".

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  Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche

  Oct 2014 - Sept 2016

  Scholarship Holder - Borsista

  At National Research Council (Italy) I joined the "Institute of agro-envinronmental and forest biology (IBAF)", where I work as researcher, mainly in molecular biology. We study the problem of weed erbicide resistance in agriculture, that is really challenging for farmers. Experiments are done both in open field (biological fitness) and in laboratory (analysis of DNA/RNA).

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  University of Padova

  Oct 2016 - Oct 2019

  PHD Scholar - Crop Science

  My PhD project will address the evolution and the managment of some Italian populations of herbicide resistant amaranth. It will take place at the IBAF-CNR. The project foresees the classification of the diverse species of amaranth with botanical keys and then the development of a molecular marker that allows to follow the evolution of these populations. Then we will test if it does exist or not species-specific sensitiviy to diverse herbicides.

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  Max Planck Institute

  Jan 2019 - Mar 2019

  Visiting PHD Student
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  Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection

  Dec 2019 - Nov 2020

  Scholarship holder

  I study the molecular mechanisms that allow weeds to survive herbicides. The study of these resistance mechanisms has both practical (protection of agricultural productivity, food security) and academic (adaptation and evolution of species) implications. I mainly deal with different species of Amaranth, typical weeds of soybean and summer crops, some being invasive aliens in Italy. I design greenhouse experiments (screenings, dose-response), I conduct laboratory analyses (molecular biology, biochemistry) and I independently analyze the produced data. I use relevant data for scientific articles. Show less

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  Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection IPSP-CNR

  Dec 2020 - now

  Postdoctoral research fellow

  The Research project iI'll work at aims to develop molecular methods for the rapid identification of point mutations in the Amaranthus genus that endow resistance to some herbicides (specifically LAMP, loop mediated isothermal amplification). I'll also work on resistance mechanism that do not involve mutations of the herbicide target genes, i.e. non-target site resistance mechanisms, in Amaranths.