Luana's project
Luana now works at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "Giuseppe Caporale" (Teramo, Italy), where she focuses on next-generation sequencing (NGS) applications for the genome analysis of microorganisms and pathogens of veterinary and public health interest.
The aim of her PhD was to investigate the combined effect of plastic pollution and climate change, with focus on the consequences of plastic additive exposure in a global warming and ocean acidification scenario. Specifically, she conducted several exposure experiments where adult blue mussels (Mytilus spp.) were exposed to different concentrations of the plastic softener DEHP (di(2- ethylhexyl) phthalate) and climate conditions (high environmental temperature and low water pH), with particular attention to the different responses based on sex and reproductive status.
The first paper from this research was published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin special issue “Multiple Stressors in Marine Ecosystems” (Consequences of combined exposure to thermal stress and the plasticiser DEHP in Mytilus spp. differ by sex, Marine Pollution Bulletin, 170, 112624). She discovered that while male mussels were mostly affected by increased temperature, females were more sensitive to DEHP exposure. In fact, males were observed to accelerate their reproductive cycle and modify the molecular defences against stress in a global warming scenario, while females exhibited altered estrogen receptor-related responses to the plastic additive exposure.
Luana's short Bio
Regarding my education experience, I obtained a three-year BSc in Biological Science and two-year Master Degree (MSc) first-class honours (110/110 cum Laude) in Marine Biology at Marche Polytechnic University (Ancona, Italy), working on a project concerning the effect of climate change (global warming and ocean acidification) and heavy metals exposure on biological responses in mussels, with a thesis in Ecotoxicology entitled "Role of climate change on bioaccumulation and toxicity of environmental contaminants in Mytilus galloprovincialis”. From this work, a paper was published in November 2016 with the title "Indirect effects of climate changes on cadmium bioavailability and biological effects in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis" (Chemosphere, 169, 493-502).
Regarding my supplementary research experience, I did an internship in Portugal, working in two marine biology laboratories (Laboratório Marítimo da Guia and the Instituto Português do Mar and Atmosphere, Lisbon), specialised in the study of animal behavioural responses. I worked on the consequences of harmful algal bloom toxins (domoic acid and saxitoxins) on swimming, foraging and interactive behaviours of fish larvae and juveniles under different conditions of temperature and pH. Previously I did an internship at the National Research Council (Ancona, Italy), working on the extraction of photosynthetic pigments from seawater samples and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from sediment samples for HPLC analysis, also doing an oceanographic cruise in the Adriatic Sea for collecting samples from surface and deep waters.
Publications
Available at RG (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luana-Mincarelli-2) and GS (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=TU1dLFsAAAAJ&hl=en)
Mincarelli, L. F., Rotchell, J. M., Chapman, E. C., Turner, A. P., & Wollenberg Valero, K. C. (2021). Consequences of combined exposure to thermal stress and the plasticiser DEHP in Mytilus spp. differ by sex. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 170, 112624.
Mincarelli, L. F., Paula, J. R., Pousão-Ferreira, P., Rosa, R., & Costa, P. R. (2018). Effects of acute waterborne exposure to harmful algal toxin domoic acid on foraging and swimming behaviours of fish early stages. Toxicon, 156, 66-71.
Nardi, A., Mincarelli, L. F., Benedetti, M., Fattorini, D., d'Errico, G., & Regoli, F. (2017). Indirect effects of climate changes on cadmium bioavailability and biological effects in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Chemosphere, 169, 493-502.
F., Chapman, E. C., Rotchell, J. M., Turner, A. P., & Wollenberg Valero, K. C. (2022). Sex and gametogenesis stage are strong drivers of gene expression in Mytilus edulis exposed to environmentally relevant plasticiser levels and pH 7.7. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 1-13.
The aim of her PhD was to investigate the combined effect of plastic pollution and climate change, with focus on the consequences of plastic additive exposure in a global warming and ocean acidification scenario. Specifically, she conducted several exposure experiments where adult blue mussels (Mytilus spp.) were exposed to different concentrations of the plastic softener DEHP (di(2- ethylhexyl) phthalate) and climate conditions (high environmental temperature and low water pH), with particular attention to the different responses based on sex and reproductive status.
The first paper from this research was published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin special issue “Multiple Stressors in Marine Ecosystems” (Consequences of combined exposure to thermal stress and the plasticiser DEHP in Mytilus spp. differ by sex, Marine Pollution Bulletin, 170, 112624). She discovered that while male mussels were mostly affected by increased temperature, females were more sensitive to DEHP exposure. In fact, males were observed to accelerate their reproductive cycle and modify the molecular defences against stress in a global warming scenario, while females exhibited altered estrogen receptor-related responses to the plastic additive exposure.
Luana's short Bio
Regarding my education experience, I obtained a three-year BSc in Biological Science and two-year Master Degree (MSc) first-class honours (110/110 cum Laude) in Marine Biology at Marche Polytechnic University (Ancona, Italy), working on a project concerning the effect of climate change (global warming and ocean acidification) and heavy metals exposure on biological responses in mussels, with a thesis in Ecotoxicology entitled "Role of climate change on bioaccumulation and toxicity of environmental contaminants in Mytilus galloprovincialis”. From this work, a paper was published in November 2016 with the title "Indirect effects of climate changes on cadmium bioavailability and biological effects in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis" (Chemosphere, 169, 493-502).
Regarding my supplementary research experience, I did an internship in Portugal, working in two marine biology laboratories (Laboratório Marítimo da Guia and the Instituto Português do Mar and Atmosphere, Lisbon), specialised in the study of animal behavioural responses. I worked on the consequences of harmful algal bloom toxins (domoic acid and saxitoxins) on swimming, foraging and interactive behaviours of fish larvae and juveniles under different conditions of temperature and pH. Previously I did an internship at the National Research Council (Ancona, Italy), working on the extraction of photosynthetic pigments from seawater samples and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from sediment samples for HPLC analysis, also doing an oceanographic cruise in the Adriatic Sea for collecting samples from surface and deep waters.
Publications
Available at RG (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luana-Mincarelli-2) and GS (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=TU1dLFsAAAAJ&hl=en)
Mincarelli, L. F., Rotchell, J. M., Chapman, E. C., Turner, A. P., & Wollenberg Valero, K. C. (2021). Consequences of combined exposure to thermal stress and the plasticiser DEHP in Mytilus spp. differ by sex. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 170, 112624.
Mincarelli, L. F., Paula, J. R., Pousão-Ferreira, P., Rosa, R., & Costa, P. R. (2018). Effects of acute waterborne exposure to harmful algal toxin domoic acid on foraging and swimming behaviours of fish early stages. Toxicon, 156, 66-71.
Nardi, A., Mincarelli, L. F., Benedetti, M., Fattorini, D., d'Errico, G., & Regoli, F. (2017). Indirect effects of climate changes on cadmium bioavailability and biological effects in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Chemosphere, 169, 493-502.
F., Chapman, E. C., Rotchell, J. M., Turner, A. P., & Wollenberg Valero, K. C. (2022). Sex and gametogenesis stage are strong drivers of gene expression in Mytilus edulis exposed to environmentally relevant plasticiser levels and pH 7.7. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 1-13.
