About Eu-Sol
Find out more about this project.
An introduction to the aims of EU-SOL and how we plan to achieve them. Plus read about the organisations and people working on this project.
IT: Genelab
Full name: Genelab s.r.l.
Location: Sicily
About Us
Genelab is a biotechnology SME, founded in 2004, whose administrative headquarters are based in Sicily,a less-favored region of the EU. Genelab s.r.l born from the experience of a pool of young scientists (molecular biologists, process biologists, engineers, economists, mathematics) skilled in research fields of plant molecular biology of major crops (tomato, potato, wheat, maize) and new process development by exploitation of membrane filtration technologies at industrial level.
Moleciular biology: GeneLab collaborates with researchers of first level, with experience developed in national and international laboratories. These skills have enabled GeneLab to be a partner (partner 35, WP 5.3) of the EU-SOL project with primary role in the optimization of VIGS silencing in tomato. Genelab’s staff are also trained in molecular characterization of plant species like saffron (Crocus sativus L.). In collaboration with ENEA research centre and University of Naples, a molecular analysis of saffron protein species have been realized, to the purpose of understanding the molecular mechanisms that determine the qualitative traits of the spice (aroma, taste, colour).
Membrane technologies application: Tangential membrane filtration technologies methods are defined Best Available Technologies (U.S. certification of environmental protection) and they operate without the use of heat or chemical reagents, respecting the environment. Today, membrane technologies find application in several fields: biomedical, pharmaceutical, agro-food, industrial wastewater treatment, civilians wastewater treatment (tertiary treatment), drinking water production cycle. GeneLab s.r.l, in collaboration with ENEA research center in Rome, has developed and optimized systems that use Tangential filtration techniques for the recovery and reuse of ultrapure water and high values compounds from several biological matrices. The our main activities concerned with membrane are:
- Definition of new treatment processes based on membrane technologies for the treatment of industrial liquid wastes, especially from the agro industries (Horticulture waste, tomato wash water, whey, milk, olive mill wastewater) through the recovery of bio-active molecules and ultrapure water
- Water management of civil and industrial production cycles through cost-benefit analysis and planning of facilities for saving and recycling available water resources
- Definition of processes for the recovery of water for agricultural use or civilian from brackish waters, marine waters, contaminated water, using technologies nanofiltration and reverse osmosis
Genelab and Eu-Sol
In the EU-SOL project the primary role of Genelab is the construction of optimized silencing vectors, based on TRV, for the study of the efficiency of silencing and stability of the inserts in various vectors and plant organs, including leaves and fruits. Now we are testing the role of tomato cryptochromes gene using VIGS. Moreover it has developed the TILLING of the tomato cryptochrome family in order to unravel cryptochrome function in the control of tomato development, flowering time and fruit quality.
Staff (working on EU-SOL)
- Dr. Leonardo Giliberto
- Dr. Daniele Pizzichini
- Guadalupe Dominguez (PhD student)
