Prof. Giovanni Sannia

BioPox srl
Viale Maria Bakunin, 12
80126 Napoli, Italy

ORCID.ORG/0000-0002-7986-6223
https://biopox.it/

Description of PI principally associated with DECADES

Professor Giovanni Sannia is Professor of Molecular Biology and Industrial Biotechnology at the University of Naples, Federico II, Italy. He has been visiting scientist and visiting Professor at the University of Cambridge (UK), University Paul Cezanne of Marseille (France) and the University of Westminster of London (UK).

In his career he has occupied several positions as for example: Consultant for the Campania Regional Council; member, on behalf of the Academy of Finland, of the “SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD” of the VTT Industrial Biotechnology Centre of Excellence, Finland. Furthermore, he has coordinated National (MIUR-PRIN, MAE, etc.) and European (IP-SME, STREP, etc:) research projects.

Main research fields: oxidative (laccases) and hydrolytic (lipases) enzymes and their industrial applications in the field of biorafineries, bioeconomy, bioenergetic and environmental bioremediation; biosystems for use and valorization of agro-industial wastes and bioplastic and biopolymer biosynthesis. 

Main roles:

  • 2000-2019, Head of the PhD Course in Biotechnology
  • 2006-2011 Director of the Department of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Napoli Federico II
  • Since 2011, Co-founder and President of the Biotech Company BioPox (biopox.com)
  • 2007-2011, Italian national delegate for the COST Action FP0602: Biotechnology for lignocellulose biorefineries (BIOBIO)
  • 2014-2022, delegate of the University of Napoli Federico II for the Italian Technology Cluster SPRING – Italian Circular Bioeconomy Cluster
  • Since 2016, President of the Master BIOCIRCE on “Bioeconomy in the Circular Economy” (masterbiocirce.com)
  • From 2021, member of the Scientific Committee of the Italian Technology Cluster of “Green Chemistry” SPRING – Sustainable Processes and Resources for Innovation and National Growth
  • From 2022, member of the Scientific Board of Terra Next: The Italian accelerator of the National network of CDP, promoted by CDP Venture Capital and Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center

 

Key Research Facilities, Infrastructure and Equipment
BioPox group facilities comprise equipped biochemistry, enzymology, microbiology and molecular biology laboratories. BioPox has access to Thermal Gradient Cycler PTC-200 Peltier -Celio, MyCycler Thermal Cycler -Bio-Rad, Real Time PCR System -Applied Biosystems; chromatographic systems (AKTA FPLC Chromatographic system -GE Healthcare, AKTA Explorer 100 Chromatographic system -GE Healthcare, BIOPILOT Chromatographic system -Pharmacia); Microplate Spectrophotometer Benchmark Plus -Bio-Rad; lab scale fully automated fermenters from 0.5 to 7 litres; centrifugation and ultrafiltration facilities.

Hosting company
Founded in 2011 by a skilled team of specialized scientists, BioPox srl (Italian Private Limited Company ) Biotech Company was born with the idea to bridge the gap between Research and Industry developing innovative solutions to integrate or partially substitute traditional chemical processes with bio-based ones. Joining together the long-term experience on enzyme characterization, gained by its research team, with the ever-increasing demand of enzymes in several industrial applications, BioPox proposes to the market a range of enzymes-based products/processes to meet both consolidated and cutting-edge industrial needs.

BioPox is also a profitable premier providing of “on-demand” recombinant proteins, from gene cloning to protein expression, purification and product characterization. The research group at BioPox has expertise in industrial applications of fungi, mould, yeast and bacteria, and of their oxidative/ hydrolytic enzymatic systems. Recent research interests are: studies of structure-function relationships of laccases; rational and random mutagenesis of laccases for tailor-adapting enzymes to convert environmental pollutants to non-toxic compounds; applications of free and immobilised oxidative systems to implement bioremediation and biotransformation processes. Biopox team is also skilled in recombinant protein production and engineering, thanks to the availability of a range of well-established expression systems together with its expertise in molecular biology, biochemistry and fermentation technologies.

Relevant Publications and/or Research / Innovation Product