Nicoletta La Rocca research activity always aimed at investigating the effects of environmental factors on the photosynthetic apparatus structure and function in organisms with different position of the evolutionary scale, from plants to microbes living in extreme environments.
In the last 10 years Nicoletta La Rocca focused in the field of astrobiology, collaborating with researchers of the National Institute of Astrophysics (Astronomic Observatory Padova) and of the Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnology (CNR Padova) aiming to define the ability of photosynthetic microorganisms, cyanobacteria in particular, to growth and perform oxygen evolution when exposed to the light of red dwarf stars, generated by a custom made illuminators and atmospheric chambers. This is a really cutting edge research topic, as in the last years earth-like planets, like those of the Trappist-1 planet system, have been discovered orbiting around this type of stars.

PRESENT RESEARCH INTERESTS
1) Basic research in astrobiology. Design, realization and optimization of experimental setups to cultivate photosynthetic organisms under simulated extreme terrestrial or non-terrestrial conditions. Principal aim is to study their growth, biochemical and transcriptomic features, gas exchange rates and impact on oxic or anoxic atmospheres when exposed to different simulated star spectra (M- and G-types). The biological data will feed mathematical models to predict the vegetation cover potential as well as surface and atmospheric biosignatures of exoplanets, to better interpret observations coming from future space explorations.
2) Characterization of extremophiles and their BLSS or biotechnological applications. Exploration of the biodiversity and adaptability to abiotic stresses of photosynthetic organisms from extreme environments. This is obtained through their Isolation, characterization and screening of the best growth conditions leading to higher biomass production and synthesis of valuable compounds as well as to elevated O2 release and CO2 sequestration, for biotechnological purposes and for supporting human space exploration beyond Low Earth Orbit and life in Moon and Mars outposts.

The research currently ongoing in the laboratory concerns:

1) studies on photosynthetic microorganisms of extreme environments
- characterization of the microbiota, with particular attention to the cyanobacterial population, from the natural thermal springs and mud used for the therapies at the Euganean District of Abano and Montegrotto Terme;
- physiological characterization and optimization of the growth of some strains isolated from the Euganean District and of particular importance for the production of high-value compounds that confer anti-inflammatory therapeutic properties to thermal muds.
- physiological characterization of microalgae from Alpine and Antarctic environments

2) studies on growth and photosynthetic responses of cyanobacteria exposed to stellar lights and atmospheres of exoplanets simulated by specially designed instruments, realized in collaboration with researchers of the National Institute of Astrophysics (Padua Astronomical Observatory) and the Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnology (CNR Padova). Research is focused on dwarf red stars and oxygen-free, CO2-rich atmospheres.

Interested students can contact me for more information on current projects.

If you want to get an idea of ​​how it is working with us, visit this link edited by our collaborators
https://www.instagram.com/plant.lab.unipd/