Technologist
Marine Biotechnology Department

Tel. +39 081 5833 316
e-mail: angela.sardo(at)szn.it

Curriculum Vitae

Research Interests

My research activity is mainly focused on using of marine microalgae as a source of highly valuable products, such as bioactive molecules and potentially marketable products (algal oils, algal flours).  In my career, I also became familiar with massive growth of diatoms: tuning the physical and nutritional parameters of algal cultures is crucial to obtain different biochemical compositions, and, thus, different microalgal products. For example, oil-rich biomass is considered as a good source for green energies, but also a good alternative to animal-derived oils. I am also interested in the development of processes aimed at improving both production and productivity of microalgae on laboratory, pre-industrial, and industrial scale.  I recently cooperated with some industries to test the employment of microalgae to limit flue gas emissions in industrialised areas through their capacity to use carbon dioxide and nitric oxides as nourishment. I am currently investigating  the bioremediation of water bodies by employing the capability of microalgae to adsorb and/or to incorporate heavy metals.

Selected Publications

1. Balzano, S.; Sardo, A. Bioinformatic prediction of putative metallothioneins in non-ciliate protists. Biology Letters 2022, 18, doi:10.1098/rsbl.2022.0039.

2. Barra, L.; Sardo, A.; Caballero, M.M.; Smerilli, A.; Chiaiese, P.; Percopo, I.; Cavalletti, E.; Castro-Hinojosa, C.; Balzano, S. Identification of a Green Algal Strain Collected from the Sarno River Mouth (Gulf of Naples, Italy) and Its Exploitation for Heavy Metal Remediation. Microorganisms 2022, 10, 2445.

3. Cavalletti, E.; Romano, G.; Esposito, F.P.; Barra, L.; Chiaiese, P.; Balzano, S.; Sardo, A. Copper Effect on Microalgae: Toxicity and Bioremediation Strategies. Toxics 2022, 10, doi:10.3390/toxics10090527.

4. Kumar, R.; Paturzo, M.; Sardo, A.; Orefice, I.; Qiucheng, Y.; Rubano, A.; Paparo, D. Toxic Effect of Metal Doping on Diatoms as Probed by Broadband Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy. Molecules 2022, 27, doi:10.3390/molecules27185897.

5. Orefice, I.; Di Dato, V.; Sardo, A.; Lauritano, C.; Romano, G. Lipid mediators in marine diatoms. Aquatic Ecology 2022, 56, 377-397, doi:10.1007/s10452-021-09932-8.

6. Sirico, D.G.; Cavalletti, E.; Miccio, L.; Bianco, V.; Memmolo, P.; Sardo, A.; Ferraro, P. Kinematic analysis and visualization of Tetraselmis microalgae 3D motility by digital holography. Applied Optics 2022, 61, B331-B338, doi:10.1364/ao.444976.

7. Santin, A.; Balzano, S.; Russo, M.T.; Palma Esposito, F.; Ferrante, M.I.; Blasio, M.; Cavalletti, E.; Sardo, A. Microalgae-Based PUFAs for Food and Feed: Current Applications, Future Possibilities, and Constraints. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 2022, 10, 844.