Sara Carloni | Biology and Life Sciences | Best Researcher Award

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Assist. Prof. Dr. Sara Carloni | Biology and Life Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Assistant Professor at Humanitas University, Italy

Dr. Sara Carloni is an Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology at Humanitas University, Italy. Her career spans over a decade of cutting-edge research into microbial pathogenesis, microbiota-host interactions, the gut-brain axis, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). A pivotal figure in translational microbiology, Dr. Carloni has contributed substantially to both experimental and clinical microbiology. Her breakthrough discovery of a choroid plexus vascular barrier associated with intestinal inflammation, published in Science (2021), has positioned her as a global leader in microbiota and neuroinflammation studies. As a corresponding or leading author on multiple high-impact publications and a frequent speaker at international conferences, she continues to influence the future of biomedical sciences.

Publication Profile 

Scopus

Orcid

Educational Background 🎓

Dr. Sara Carloni has cultivated a robust academic foundation in microbiology and biotechnology through progressive and interdisciplinary training across prestigious institutions. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnologies in 2009 from a joint program between Università degli Studi di Milano and Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Spain. She then completed her Master’s degree in Biotechnology at Università degli Studi di Milano in July 2011. Driven by a keen interest in microbial research, she pursued a Ph.D. in Biological and Molecular Sciences with a specialization in Molecular Microbiology, which she completed in May 2015 at Università degli Studi di Milano. Following her doctorate, she engaged in several postdoctoral fellowships: first at Università degli Studi di Milano (2015), focusing on small RNA-mediated mechanisms in Pseudomonas aeruginosa; then at the European Institute of Oncology (2016–2017), investigating microbiota in intestinal and oncologic disorders; and subsequently at Humanitas University (2018–2021), where she delved into the gut-brain axis and intestinal inflammation. Her academic journey culminated in her appointment as Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology (RTDA) at Humanitas University in 2021.

Professional Experience 💼

  • Assistant Professor (RTDA)
    Humanitas University (2021–Present)

    • Teaching and research in Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology (MED/07)

    • Supervising PhD and MD students; leading microbiota and AMR research units

  • Postdoctoral Fellow
    Humanitas University (2018–2021)

    • Investigated gut-brain axis, choroid plexus, and intestinal inflammation

  • Postdoctoral Fellow
    European Institute of Oncology (IEO) (2016–2017)

    • Microbiota in IBD and tumorigenesis; explored colitis-brain interaction

  • Postdoctoral Fellow
    Università degli Studi di Milano (2015)

    • Studied quorum sensing and small RNAs in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Research Interests 🔬

  • Gut-Brain Axis (GBA) and Vascular Barriers

  • Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

  • Host-Microbiota Interactions

  • Microbial Metabolites and Neuroinflammation

  • Translational Microbiology

  • Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles (bEVs)

  • Artificial Intelligence in Microbial Diagnostics

Awards and Honors🏆✨

  • Invited Speaker at premier international conferences including:

    • Digestive Disease Week (2024)

    • ECCO Congress (2024)

    • Potsdam Symposium on Mucosal Immunology (2023)

    • IFHNOS World Congress Moderator (2023)

  • Leader of research units in:

    • PNRR-INF-ACT (One Health & AMR Surveillance)

    • PNRR-NBFC (Human Wellbeing & Microbial Biodiversity)

    • 5X1000 Humanitas (IBD and Psychiatric Comorbidities)

  • Visiting Professor, Institut Pasteur – Leadership in microbiota-host interaction and bEVs research

Conclusion🌟

Dr. Sara Carloni stands out as an innovative and collaborative microbiologist, contributing significantly to modern biomedical research. With over 19 peer-reviewed publications, an H-index of 11, and over 1200 citations, she merges basic science discoveries with clinical applications, particularly in AMR surveillance and gut-brain communication. Her multidisciplinary and translational approach places her at the forefront of microbiology, making her a strong contender for high-level research recognitions and global scientific leadership.

Publications 📚

  1. 🍼 Maternal gut microbiota influences immune activation at the maternal-fetal interface affecting pregnancy outcome
    🗞 Nature Communications
    📅 2025-05-09 | 🔗 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58533-8
    👩‍🔬 Contributors: Silvia Giugliano, Andrea Gatti, Martina Rusin, Tilo Schorn, Silvia Pimazzoni, Michela Calanni-Pileri, Valentina Fraccascia, Sara Carloni, Maria Rescigno

  2. 🧫 Epidemiology and resistance profiles of bacteria isolated from blood samples in septic patients at emergency department admission: A 6-year single-centre retrospective analysis from Northern Italy
    🗞 Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance
    📅 2025-03 | 🔗 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2024.12.023
    👩‍🔬 Contributors: Valeria Cento, Sara Carloni, Riccardo Sarti, et al.

  3. 🤰 Role of the maternal gut microbiota in immune activation at the maternal-fetal interface: Impact on preeclampsia
    📄 Preprint
    📅 2023-05-30 | 🔗 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2845955/v1
    👩‍🔬 Contributors: Maria Rescigno, Silvia Giugliano, Sara Carloni, Tilo Schorn

  4. 🧠 Unveiling the gut-brain axis: Structural and functional analogies between the gut and the choroid plexus vascular and immune barriers
    🗞 Seminars in Immunopathology
    🔗 DOI: 10.1007/S00281-022-00955-3
    👩‍🔬 Contributors: Sara Carloni, Maria Rescigno

  5. 🦠 Gut vascular barrier impairment leads to intestinal bacteria dissemination and colorectal cancer metastasis to liver
    🗞 Cancer Cell
    🔗 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2021.03.004
    👩‍🔬 Contributors: Bertocchi, A., Carloni, S., et al.

  6. 🧠 Identification of a choroid plexus vascular barrier closing during intestinal inflammation
    🗞 Science
    🔗 DOI: 10.1126/science.abc6108
    👩‍🔬 Contributors: Carloni, S., Bertocchi, A., et al.

  7. 🧪 SARS-CoV-2 serology in 4000 health care and administrative staff across seven sites in Lombardy, Italy
    🗞 Scientific Reports
    🔗 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91773-4
    👩‍🔬 Contributors: Sandri, M.T., Carloni, S., et al.

  8. 🧫 Complement C3aR loss drives colorectal cancer by modulating gut microbiota
    🗞 Journal of Immunology
    🔗 WOS: WOS:000589972400485
    👩‍🔬 Contributors: Guglietta, Silvia, Carloni, Sara, et al.

  9. 🦠 Endogenous murine microbiota member Faecalibaculum rodentium and its human homologue protect from intestinal tumour growth
    🗞 Nature Microbiology
    🔗 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-019-0649-5
    👩‍🔬 Contributors: Zagato, E., Carloni, S., et al.

  10. 🧪 IgG serology in health care and administrative staff populations from 7 hospitals representative of different exposures to SARS-CoV-2 in Lombardy, Italy
    📄 medRxiv Preprint
    🔗 DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.24.20111245
    👩‍🔬 Contributors: Sandri, M.T., Carloni, S., et al.

  11. 💩 Therapeutic faecal microbiota transplantation controls intestinal inflammation through IL10 secretion by immune cells
    🗞 Nature Communications
    🔗 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07359-8
    👩‍🔬 Contributors: Burrello, C., Carloni, S., et al.

  12. 🧬 The small RNA ReaL: A novel regulatory element embedded in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing networks
    🗞 Environmental Microbiology
    🔗 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13886
    👩‍🔬 Contributors: Carloni, S., Macchi, R., et al.

  13. 🦠 Post-transcriptional regulation of the virulence-associated enzyme AlgC by the σ²²-dependent small RNA ErsA of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
    🗞 Environmental Microbiology
    🔗 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12590
    👩‍🔬 Contributors: Ferrara, S., Carloni, S., et al.

 

 

 

 

Wenhui Shi | Ecology | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Wenhui Shi | Ecology | Best Researcher Award

Asociate professor of Zhejiang A&F University, China

🌿 Dr. Wenhui Shi is a dedicated forestry expert with a Ph.D. in Agronomy and extensive research experience in plant-microbe-soil interactions and forest cultivation. As a Master’s supervisor at Zhejiang A&F University, Dr. Shi has led groundbreaking research on bamboo forests and tree physiology, contributing to advancements in sustainable forest management. 📚🔬

Publication Profile : 

Scopus

Educational Background :

Dr. Shi earned his Bachelor’s degree in Forestry from Northwest A&F University in 2011. He then pursued a combined Master’s and Ph.D. program at Beijing Forestry University, completing his Ph.D. in Agronomy in 2018. His doctoral research focused on the impact of seed nutrient variability on the quality and afforestation effectiveness of Quercus variabilis seedlings.

Professional Experience :

Since joining Zhejiang A&F University in 2018, Dr. Shi has been dedicated to advancing knowledge in forest cultivation. He has conducted extensive research on the relationships between tree root characteristics, soil nutrient cycling, and microbial dynamics. His work has particularly emphasized the ecological functions of bamboo forests, exploring the mechanisms of phosphorus uptake and the role of functional soil microorganisms. Dr. Shi has led several key research projects, including those funded by the National Key R&D Program for Young Scientists and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Research Interests : 

Dr. Shi’s research interests include plant-microbe-soil interactions, plant nutrient physiology, tree stress physiology, and tree seedling cultivation. He has made significant contributions to understanding the complex interactions within forest ecosystems, particularly in the context of bamboo cultivation and nutrient management.

Publication Top Notes :

  1. Chengjian Hong, Ning Gao, Zhulei Wu, Yuanchun Yu, Lei Jiang, Yeqing Ying, Wenhui Shi (2024). Changes in soil ammonium-to-nitrate ratio and nutritional symbionts enhance Phyllostachys edulis suppression of heterogeneous competitors in shade. Geoderma, 449, 117008.
  2. Yijing Xing, Fucheng Wang, Sirui Yu, Ying Zhu, Yeqing Ying, Wenhui Shi (2024). Enhancing Phyllostachys edulis seedling growth in phosphorus-deficient soil: complementing the role of phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Plant and Soil, 497, 449-466.
  3. Ruiqian Zhu, Ning Gao, Jiali Luo, Wenhui Shi (2024). Genome and transcriptome analysis of the Torreya grandis WRKY gene family during seed development. Genes, 15(3), 267.
  4. Chengjian Hong, Wenhui Shi, Shulei Wu, Yuelin He, Yeqing Ying (2023). The inferior root plasticity of Phoebe chekiangensis and Torreya grandis seedlings intercropped with Phyllostachys edulis leads to worse plant performance than monocultures under shade conditions. Plant and Soil, 488, 305-324.
  5. Jiali Luo, Zhihui Liu, Jiawen Yan, Wenhui Shi, Yeqing Ying (2023). Genome-Wide Identification of SPX Family Genes and Functional Characterization of PeSPX6 and PeSPX-MFS2 in Response to Low Phosphorus in Phyllostachys edulis. Plants, 12(7), 1496.
  6. Yuelin He, Yilei Tang, Lin Lin, Wenhui Shi, Yeqing Ying (2023). Differential responses of phosphorus accumulation and mobilization in Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis (Carrière) J. Houz) seedlings to short-term experimental nitrogen deposition. Annals of Forest Science, 80, 10.
  7. Wenhui Shi, Yijing Xing, Ying Zhu, Ning Gao, Yeqing Ying (2022). Diverse responses of pqqC– and phoD-harbouring bacterial communities to variation in soil properties of Moso bamboo forests. Microbial Biotechnology, 15(7), 2097-2111.
  8. Yijing Xing, Wenhui Shi, Ying Zhu, Fucheng Wang, Hangyan Wu, Yeqing Ying (2021). Screening and activity assessing of phosphorus availability improving microorganisms associated with bamboo rhizosphere in subtropical China. Environmental Microbiology, 23(10), 6074-6088.
  9. Wenhui Shi, Lin Lin, Shanlu Shao, Anguo He, Yeqing Ying (2020). Effects of simulated nitrogen deposition on Phyllostachys edulis (Carr.) seedlings under different watering conditions: is seedling drought tolerance related to nitrogen metabolism? Plant and Soil, 448, 539-552.
  10. Wenhui Shi, Pedro Villar-Salvador, Guolei Li, Xiaoxu Jiang (2019). Acorn size is more important than nursery fertilization for outplanting performance of Quercus variabilis container seedlings. Annals of Forest Science, 76, 22.
  11. Wenhui Shi, Steven C. Grossnickle, Guolei Li, Shuchai Su, Yong Liu (2019). Fertilization and irrigation regimes influence on seedling attributes and field performance of Pinus tabuliformis Carr. Forestry, 92, 97-107.
  12. Fangfang Wan, Amy L. Ross-Davis, Wenhui Shi, Christopher Weston, Xiehai Song, Xiaochao Chang, Anthony S. Davis, Yong Liu, Fei Teng (2019). Subirrigation effects on Larch seedling growth, root morphology, and media chemistry. Forests, 10, 38.
  13. Wenhui Shi, Pedro Villar-Salvador, Douglass F. Jacobs, Guolei Li, Xiaoxu Jiang (2018). Simulated predation of Quercus variabilis acorns impairs nutrient remobilization and seedling performance irrespective of soil fertility. Plant and Soil, 423, 295-306.
  14. Wenhui Shi, Mark Bloomberg, Guolei Li, Liming Jia, Shuchai Su (2017). Combined effects of cotyledon excision and nursery fertilization on root growth, nutrient status, and outplanting performance of Quercus variabilis container seedlings. PLOS ONE, 12, e0177002.