Andrea Franzetti

Over the past decade, my research has focused on two main areas: innovative bioremediation techniques for soils and groundwater contaminated by organic pollutants, and microbial ecology in extreme environments. In bioremediation, I have led projects aimed at improving biodegradation rates, emphasizing nature-based solutions. My work on microbially synthesized surfactants and their application in bioremediation has led to major publications in prestigious journals. I have explored microbial processes and advanced bioelectrochemical technologies for the remediation of contaminated sites, resulting in notable publications and a recent patent.
In microbial ecology of glacial environments, I have contributed to understanding microbial communities on glacier surfaces. Our research has uncovered a distinct chronosequence in bacterial communities on debris-covered glaciers, improving our understanding of these ecosystems. Subsequent investigations have explored community assembly mechanisms and uncovered overlooked metabolic processes in glacial environments. Recent work has highlighted the underestimation of microbial populations in supraglacial habitats due to the presence of many anaerobic taxa, detectable only by RNA-based sequencing.
My interest in urban ecology began in 2009 with the investigation of airborne microbial communities linked to air pollution. This has expanded to include the phyllosphere since 2015. In urban phyllosphere ecology, I led a project focused on strategies to reduce worker exposure to pollutants, revealing that urban air pollution affects phyllosphere community structure and function, published in three papers from 2017 to 2021.
Personal website: https://en.unimib.it/andrea-franzetti