Stefany Castaldi

Background

About Stefany Castaldi

I'm Stefany Castaldi; in April 2022, I obtained a Ph.D. in Biotechnology (European Doctorate) at The University of Naples "Federico II" working in the microbiology laboratory. My current research focuses on "Biology and applications of Industrial microorganisms." In particular, I study spore-forming bacteria (Bacillus species) isolated from extreme environments capable of biosynthesizing enzymes of biotechnological and industrial interest. These bacteria can be used, for example, in food industries for food preservation, as bio-controllers for plant pathogens, and in chemical industries for their enzymatic properties. Furthermore, I study the possibility of exploiting the influence of the sporulation temperature on the structure of the Bacillus bacteria spore surface to increase the efficiency of exposure of heterologous molecules. The exposure systems of heterologous molecules on the surface of viruses and bacterial cells find numerous applications in developing biosensors and biocatalysts, identifying new antibiotics, and designing new drugs or vaccines. Laboratory techniques: Preparation of rich and selective culture media Isolation and characterization of new microbial strains Microscopic identification of different microorganisms Fluorescent Microscopy Standard Antimicrobial and antifungal tests and MIC Cloning, Protein Expression and Purification Eukaryotic Cell Cultures (HaCaT, Caco-2) Fungi cultures Microbial co-cultures (consortia) Extraction of nucleic acids from bacteria and fungi Extraction of proteins from bacteria and fungi Extraction of secondary metabolites from bacteria and fungi Sonication French press Subcellular fractionation, gradients, and ultracentrifugation Electrophoresis on agarose gel and SDS page gel Western Blotting Gene amplification using PCR Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) Flow Cytometry Column Chromatography High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC); FACS (Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting); Electroporation Other: Writing scientific papers, posters, abstracts, protocols, and slide presentations. Article reviewer Managing projects: Budgets, Organizing meetings and congress, Problem-solving, Supplier relationship management, Analytical and creative thinking. I like reading a book, going to the gym, and spending time outdoors in my free time. I'm responsible, sociable, and reliable at work. I like to work, my motto is "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."