Reference: Anna Palumbo

Laboratory equipped for studies of the biochemistry of marine organisms including adaptive responses and immune system.

It includes an area for analysis of proteins and nucleic acids, and classic and basic biological laboratory equipments.

Systems for the experimentation

• UV Spectrophotometer UV, recording spectra of UV/visible and enzyme kinetics.
• electrophoresis on polyacrylamide and agarose gel.
• Centrifuges.
• Chromatography.

Analysis

• Measure of the response of marine organisms (adult and embryonic and larval stages) to environmental factors.
• Morphological characterization and evaluation of biochemical parameters (doses of enzyme activities, evaluation of the cellular redox state).
• Gene Expression, proteins and post-translational modifications induced by stress.
• Purification and biological characterization of proteins and metabolites from marine organisms.

Reference: Graziano Fiorito

Analysis of the behavior of marine organisms and its adaptive plasticity.

It includes apparata for image and video analysis, video recordings, morphological and morpho-functional analysis of the nervous system and other organs and systems.

Classic and basic biological laboratory equipments are also provided.

Systems for the experimentation

• Technologies for the observation and measurement of behavior.
• Systems for the morpho-functional analysis.
• Anterograde and retrograde transport in nerve fibers. Electrophysiology as applied to nervous system.
• Ultrasound and sonography.

Analysis and approaches

• Morfo-functional characterization of neural systems as applied to marine invertebrates.
• Biological, cellular and physiological analysis of learning and memory recall.
• Neural modulation.
• Assessment of variability of behavioral responses.
• Analysis sensory-motor systems.

Equipment

• Ultrasound devices.
• Sliding and rotary microtomes, cryostat.
• Video cameras and video-recording systems (digital and analogue).

Coordinator: Christophe Brunet

Activity

The laboratory of Biogeochemistry and Physiology of Plankton is a multidisciplinary laboratory that uses and develops different approaches dedicated to the study of biogeochemistry and physiology of marine phytoplankton. The laboratory covers research activities related to biological oceanography, biogeochemistry and ecophysiology of marine phytoplankton. Mostly, the laboratory BioFilP implements activities and techniques for the study of the responses of marine microalgae to environmental forcing, with the aim to understand the pelagic ecosystem functioning and the potential use of microalgae in "Blue Growth".

Experimental systems

• Room and cultivation system for microalgae, with development of different types of illumination systems suitable for microalgal growth.
• Pelagic mesocosms for in situ experiments.

Analysis

• Photosynthetic rate and regulation of photosynthesis in microalgae.
• Pigments of photosynthetic organisms.
• Bio-optics of water masses and microalgal cultures.
• Antioxidant activities in microalgae.
• Concentrations of macronutrients in the water masses and in microalgal cultures.
• Spectral light in the water masses.

Equipment

• HPLC analysis for pigments.
• PAMs: Dual-pam and PSI.
• Autoanalyzer for nutrient concentration analysis.
• Spectrophotometer.
• Spectroradiometer in situ probe.
• Bio-optical in situ probe (AC-9).
• Laminar flow hood.
• Room and cultivation system for microalgae.

Responsible: Maria Cristina Buia

Activities

The activities of this laboratory are characterized by the application of various and integrated approaches, classical and innovative, which are conducted in mesocosm/laboratory and in the field, to study the adaptive responses of benthic organisms (invertebrates and macrophytes), and their trophic interactions in relation with environmental factors and gradients, climate change and anthropogenic disturbances. The approaches used include the physiology of individual species, the structure of populations and the dynamics of benthic communities and coastal ecosystems, to identify early-warning signals/descriptors at different level of biological complexity, and finalized to a correct management and conservation of the coastal systems and their biodiversity.

Systems for laboratory experiments

• System for automatic culturing of model organisms.
• Thermostatic chambers for rearing and experiments of benthic organisms in axenic conditions.
• Tanks for maintenance and experimentation of benthic organisms in sea-water open systems.

Analysis

• Qualitative and quantitative analyses of benthic samples deriving mainly from hard and soft bottom vegetated habitats, and soft sediments within the continental shelf.
• Biometric and biomass analyses.
• Biological assays and test for bioactive substances.
• Sample preparation for elemental analyses, and for observation at the  scanning and transmission electron microscopy.
• Measurements of environmental variables (Temp., pH, irradiance, dissolved oxygen).
• Measurements of photosynthetic efficiency in macrophytes.

Instrumentation

• Stereomicroscopes, optical microscopes, inverted optical microscope.
• Freezer at -20 °C and refrigerators +4 °C.
• Laminar flow flume and chemical flume.
• Thermostatic cells and chambers.
• Autoclave, ovens, muffle.
• Filtration system.
• Spectophotometer.
• Analytical and technical balance, microbalance.
• Deionizer.
• Liofilizer (deep-dryer).
• Laboratory oxymeter and pH-meter, portable pH-meter.

For scientific underwater use and diving:

• Cameras and video-cameras with underwater dedicated casts.
• Diving-PAM, pH-meters, quantameter, multi-parametric probes.
• Grabs, dredges, corers for sediment and benthos, air-lift sampler, hand-towed net and plankton nets.