Curriculum Vitae
Academic background and research experience
- Feb 2008 – Feb 2010 (current):
Post-doctorate in Biology (Wageningen University, Wageningen, NL)
Position: Post-doctorate researcher at the Wageningen University and Research Center, Plant Sciences Group, Plant Research International.
Contact address: Wageningen University and Research Center, Plant Sciences Group ,Plant Research International, building 107, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands .Tel: + 31 0317 476082 ; Fax: + 31 0317 418094 ; E-mail: barbara.drigo@wur.nl ; www.pri.wur.nl
Doctorate in Biology (Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Heteren, NL - Leiden University, Leiden, NL)
Position: PhD student at Leiden University (NL) with Prof. George A. Kowalchuk and Prof. Johannes A. van Veen.
Thesis referent: University Distinguished Professor James M. Tiedje of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, and of Crop and Soil Sciences, and Director of the Center for Microbial Ecology at Michigan State University, USA.
The research focus was on the effects of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide on the functional diversity of soil microbial communities and consequences for plant disease incidences in natural ecosystems.
Plant Genomics European Internship (Trento University, Trento, Italy - Wageningen University, Wageningen, NL)
Position: Research assistant with dr. Monique F. van Wordragen in co-operation with the University of Trento.
The research focus was on the detection of quality-related gene expression in Bianca rose and the expression profile analysis of Iris flowers using molecular techniques (Real-Time PCR and Microarray). This research resulted in a thesis at the University of Trento.
- Sept 1999- 19 July 2002 :
Master in Biological Science (Trieste University, Trieste, Italy - Faculty of Farmacy and Biomedicine, Callerio Foundation, Trieste, Italy)
Position: Research assistant with Dr. L. Dolzani, Dr. F. Gionechetti and Prof. Monti Bragadin.
The research focus was on the gene expression of antibiotic resistance in enteric bacteria isolated from seagulls using molecular tools. This research resulted in a master’s thesis at the University of Trieste achieving the title of “Doctor in Biological Science”.
Bachelor in Biological Sciences (Trieste Univerisity, Trieste, Italy - Faculty of Biological Science)
Awards
2007. American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Corporate Activities Program Student Travel Grant.
2006. Travel grant International Society for Microbial Ecology.
2004. EMBO Start-up Grants for Ph.D. students (declined by the candidate).
2002-2003. European grant from Leonardo da Vinci advanced technology project for Molecular Biology and Cell Biology.
2001. University of Trieste grant for merits, B.Sc. III year.
2000. University of Trieste grant for merits, B.Sc. II year.
1999. University of Trieste grant for merits, B.Sc. I year.
Laboratory Skills
Molecular
Stable Isotope Probing (SIP-DNA/RNA), 13C pulse chase labelling, functional genes microarray, 13C-PLFA/NLFA, Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE), Real-Time PCR, RNA/DNA isolation, cloning, Southern Blot, Northern Blot, Restriction Analysis, clone library, sequencing.
In vitro
Medium preparation, microorganisms planting, microorganisms isolation, DAPI, API multitest, microorganisms long-Term conservation, microorganisms identification using standard biochemical techniques (catalase, oxidase, indole, urease, Gram test, etc.), cultivation of anaerobic bacteria, antibiograms.
Bioinformatics
Degenerate primers design (i.e. NCBI database and ClustalX), Database searches, Microarray dataset analysis, Sequence alignment, ARB tree design.
Multivariate analysis
Ordination (CA, PcorA, etc.), Canonical (CCA, RDA, etc.), Clustering, Fillion CO2 method.
Selected presentations
107th General Meeting Program Committee of American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Toronto, Canada: May 21-25, 2007. Poster presentation. (Awarded)
11th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology – ISME 11, Vienna, Austria: August 20-25, 2006. Oral contribution. (Awarded)
Opportunities in Global Change Research: “Responses to human disturbance” Amsterdam, NL: 7 February, 2006. Invited speaker.
NIOO Days 2006: “Responses to human disturbance” Lunteren, NL: 1-2 February, 2006. Invited speaker.
2ndBIORHIZ symposium: ‘Rhizosphere Impact on Plant Communities – The Soil Biodiversity Conservation Perspective’ and 4thCONSIDER project workshop: ‘Global Climate Change and Soil Biodiversity’, Reading, UK: 23rd-26thAugust, 2005. Oral contribution.
Soil-Plant-Microbe Interactions, Fundaments & Applications, Uppsala, Sweden: 27 June – 8 July, 2005. Oral contribution.
Climate Change Meeting, Heteren, the Netherlands: 10 December 2004. Oral contribution.
Sense Summer Symposium 2005 ‘Kyoto and Beyond a good climate for responding to Climate Change? de Reehorst, Ede, the Netherlands: June 23. Invited speaker.
IOBC-meeting 2005 ‘Multitrophic Interactions in soil’, Wageningen, the Netherlands: 5-8 June, 2005. Poster presentation.
International Congress, Rhizosphere 2004 –Perspectives and Challenges- A Tribute to Lorenz Hiltner, Munich, Germany: 12-17 September 2004. Poster presentation.
Reviewer
Oikos
Biology and Fertility of Soils
Ecology Letters
Microbial Ecology
Languages and countries of permanency
Italian: native tongue
English: good speaking, reading and writing skills
Dutch: reasonable speaking and reading
2002 - current: Wageningen, Heteren –The Netherlands
1996: Phnom Penh-Cambodia
1984 - 1987: Andros, Paros, Lesvos- Greece
1981 - 1983: Valencia- Venezuela
1979: Sana- Yemen
Italian Nationality
Projects
Effects of increased atmospheric Carbon Dioxide on the functional diversity of soil microbial communities and consequences for plant disease incidences in natural ecosystems.
Drigo B, Kowalchuck GA and van Veen JA
The effects of elevated CO2 on the diversity and composition of soil microbial communities, as well as on critical interactions between functional groups, are still largely unknown.
The specific stimulation or repression of key microbial groups will govern the course of these interactions, potentially shifting the balance between beneficial and harmful interactions with the plant.
As the species diversity of soil micro-organisms for most ecosystem functions is very high, it is unlikely that moderate losses of soil microbial diversity will alter soil ecosystem functioning. Rather, we hypothesise that shifts between key groups or species within the microbial community will be much more relevant. In this project, we are assessing the plant-driven impact of elevated CO2 concentrations on shifts within the microbial community in soil, focussing on the balance between plant pathogens and beneficial in the rhizosphere of Festuca rubra and Carex arenaria, using both culture dependent and independent approaches.
The plants will be grown under conditions of controlled soil temperature and moisture, while subjecting the aboveground compartment to defined atmospheric conditions varying in CO2 concentration. Incubation of plants under 13C-labelled CO2 combined with gradient separation of nucleic acids will allow for the molecular analysis of microbial populations that have incorporated plant-derived CO2. Recovered nucleic acids will be subjected to molecular analyses to analyse biodiversity and populations shifts within both broad microbial groups such as bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi as well as specific functional groups such as phosphoroglucinol, phenazine and chitinase producers, Fusarium spp, Pseudomonas, Burkholderia, Bacillus and AMF. These molecular methods will be mirrored by the use of culture-dependent methods using selective media. Also, root infection by pathogens as well as soil fungistasis will be determined to quantify changes in disease pressure and soil suppression levels in response to elevated CO2 concentrations.
Co-Operation
Prof. Andrew S. Whiteley, Molecular Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. Collaboration for analysis of 13C-labelled material (SIP-RNA).
Dr. H.T.S. Boeschker, Centre for Marine Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-CEME), Yerseke, The Netherlands. Collaboration for analysis of 13C-labelled material (13C PLFA-NLFA).
Dr. P.L.E. Bodelier, Center for Limnology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-CL), Nieuwersluis, The Netherlands. Collaboration for analysis of 13C-labelled material (SIP-RNA).
Dr. Jos M. Raaijmakers ,Wageningen University, Laboratory of Phytophatology, Wageningen, NL. Collaboration for detection of antibiotics production genes.
Dr. C. Plugge, Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen Univeristy, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Collaboration for analysis of 13C-labelled material (SIP-RNA).
Dr. S. Wurst, Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Biologie, Ökologie der Pflanzen, Berlin. Collaboration for DGGE analysis.
Dr. M. T. Bezemer, Laboratory of Entomology and Laboratory of Nematology, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Collaboration for statistical analysis of ecological data.
Selected Publications
Barbara Drigo, George A. Kowalchuk and Johannes A. van Veen 2008
Effects of increased atmospheric Carbon Dioxide on the functional diversity of soil microbial communities in natural ecosystems
Publisher: University of Leiden and Netherland Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)
Barbara Drigo, Johannes A. van Veen, Henricus T.S. Boschker and George A. Kowalchuk 2008
Tracking microbial responses in the rhizosphere of plants subjected to elevated CO2
in submission
Publisher: Soil Biology and Biochemistry
BARBARA DRIGO, JOHANNES A. VAN VEEN and GEORGE A. KOWALCHUK 2008
Specific rhizosphere bacterial and fungal groups respond differently to elevated atmospheric CO2
in submission
Publisher: ISME Journal
S. Wurst, S. van Beersum, R. Wagenaar, T. Bakx-Schotman, B. Drigo, I. Janzik, A. Lanoue and W. H. van der Putten 2008
On the impact of soil microorganisms on plant resistance against nematodes
in submission
BARBARA DRIGO, JOHANNES A. VAN VEEN, BRIGITTE M. KNAAP, AGATA S. PIJL, HENRICUS T.S. BOSCHKER and GEORGE A. KOWALCHUK 2008
Elevated atmospheric CO2 increases belowground C translocation and modifies microbially-mediated carbon flow
in submission
Publisher: Enviromental Microbiology
Barbara Drigo, Johannes A. van Veen, Agata S. Pijl, Anna M. Kielak, Hannes Gamper, Marco J. Houtekamer, Paul L.E. Bodelier, Henricus T.S. Boschker, Andrew S. Whiteley and George A. Kowalchuk 2008
Distinct root-associated communities are selected by elevated atmospheric CO2
pre-accepted
Publisher: Nature
Barbara Drigo, George A. Kowalchuk and Johannes A. van Veen 2008
Climate change goes underground: effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 on microbial community structure and activities in the rhizosphere
DOI 10.1007/s00374-008-0277-3
Publisher: Biology and Fertility of Soils
Drigo B., G.A. Kowalchuk, E. Yergeau, T. M. Bezemer, H. T. S. Boschker, J.A. van Veen 2007
Impact of Elevated CO2 on the Rhizosphere Communities of Carex arenaria and Festuca rubra
13: 2396-2410
Publisher: Global Change Biology
Kowalchuk, G.A., Drigo, B., Yergeau, E. and van Veen, J.A. 2006
Assessing Bacterial and Fungal Community Structure in Soil Using Ribosomal RNA and Other Structural Gene Markers
Soil Biology, Volume 8 Nulceic Acids and Proteins in Soil P. Nannipieri, K. Smalla (Eds.), pp159-188
Publisher: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
Drigo, B., Verkerk-Bakker, B. and van Wordragen M.F. 2003
Expression profile analysis of Iris flowers (Iris hollandica L. cv. Blue Magic)
Acta Universitatis - Leonardo da Vinci European programme Traning, Agrotechnological Research Center, ATO B.V., Wageningen
Publisher: Trento University , Trento
Drigo, B. , Ariens, R. and van Wordragen, M.F. 2003
Detection of quality related gene expression in Bianca rose.
Acta Universitatis - Leonardo da Vinci European programme Traning, Agrotechnological Research Center, ATO B.V., Wageningen
Publisher: Trento University , Trento
Drigo, B., Gionechetti, F. and Dolzani L. 2002
Role of first class integrons in the antibiotic resistance of Larus cacchinans m..
Acta Universitatis (Thesis)
Publisher: Trieste University , Trieste, Italy
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