SPEAKERS

Concepción Calvo, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, Spain."Biodegradation and absorption technology for hydrocarbon-polluted water treatment" (Plenary Lecture).
Concepción Calvo is full Professor of Microbiology at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Granada (UGR), where she is member of RNM-270 research group (Environmental Microbiology), and member of the Institute of Water Research of the University of Granada (Spain). She has a Bachelor in Pharmacy (UGR 1977) and PhD in Pharmacy (UGR 1982). She has a postdoctoral stay in the Microbial Ecology Laboratory at the Institute Pasteur, Paris from March 1980 to October 1982.
Her main research expertise is in the field of bioremediation of hydrocarbon polluted sites, the production and characterization of biosurfactant, the study of biostimulation and bioaugmentation treatments or the studies of the viability of bioremediation of contaminated soils and water. Also in the field of waste management, she is studying the dynamic of microbial population in the composting under semipermeable cover of sewage sludge by using next generation sequencing coupled to analyses of microbial enzymatic activity and culturable dependent techniques in a full-scale real composting plant. Further, she is working in the LIFE_WINDRO project in which the consortium is developing a research about a Mechanical transmission system integrated into a wind turbine for Water Desalination and Depuration by reverse osmosis. Author and co-author of over 60 scientific publicationsincluding 51 original papers and 9 review articles or book chapters, in international journals with referee practice.She has been involved in more than 30 public/private R+D+i and transfer of technology projects, European Union, Spanish Ministry of Education and Research, Autonomous Government of Andalusia and 15 projects from private companies (Repsol, CLH, Hera Ambiental, DMC Research, IEP Europe,).
Further memberships: Member of the Environmental Microbiology Research group RNM 270. Member of the Biodeterioration, Biodegradation and Bioremediation specialized group of the Spanish Society of Microbiology. Member of the International Biodeterioration, Biodegradation and Bioremediation Society (IBBS)
Other academic and professional activities: Supervisor/co-supervisor of 10 PhD Theses (Spain, reviewer/pre-reviewer of over Phd theses (Spain); supervisor and reviewer of more than 20 Diploma/Msc/Msc theses.

Maria Reis, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, New University of Lisbon, Portugal. “Prevention of environmental pollution through the conversion of organic wastes into bioplastics” (Plenary Lecture).
Maria Reis is a Full Professor in Biochemical Engineering at FCT-NOVA. Main research interests have been in the area of Environmental/Industrial Bioengineering, with special focus on the development of sustainable bioprocesses for the removal of pollutants from water and wastewater streams and for the exploitation of industrial wastes for the production of biopolymers and bulk chemicals.
Within this research area, published more than 220 papers in scientific journals with peer review and h-index 44. She is the co-author of 18 Book Chapters. Presented more than 200 oral presentations in International conferences. Is co-author of 4 National patents and 6 International patents. Coordinated 20 national and international projects (team leader), out of which 12 European Projects and 6 were co-funded by industrial companies, and participated as team member in 22 research projects. Co-supervised 20 PhD students and is currently co-supervisor of 11 PhD students. Her scientific work has been distinguished with several awards and she was the winner of the Solvay & Hovione Ideas Challenge SHIC’08 Prize- Solvay prize in 2008. Nominated and Elected to the Portuguese Academy of Engineering in 2009 and Elected as IWA Fellow, September 2010. She is Editor of the Water Research (Elsevier).

Angeles Prieto-Fernández, Galician Institute of Agrobiological Research of the Spanish National Research Council, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, Spain (Key note Lecture). “Phytotechnologies for metal rich and contaminated soils: potential role of plant associated bacteria”
Angeles Prieto-Fernández is Tenured Scientist at the Galician Institute of Agrobiological Research of the Spanish National Research Council. She finished her PhD in 1996 in the field of biochemical properties of soil degraded by forest fires. She stayed as postdoctoral researcher in the German Research Centre for Biotechnology (GBF) (Germany) and in the University of Essex (UK) where she worked on bacterial communities of contaminated soils. Nowadays she is integrated in a research group dedicated to improve different phytotechnologies with application in metal rich and contaminated soils. Her research interest are focused on plant associated bacteria showing plant growth promoting properties (PGP) or with activity on metal and contaminant mobility. She is involved in several research projects funded by the Spanish Research Agency and the EU.

Balbina Nogales, Department of Microbiology, University of the Balearic Islands, Spain. “Marine microbial communities facing hydrocarbons: victims, survivors and opportunists" (Keynote Lecture).
Balbina Nogales is Microbiology Lecturer at the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Spain. She holds a PhD in Biological Sciences by the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain) where she investigated antagonistic relationships in anoxygenic sulphur photosynthetic bacteria. This was followed by postdoctoral positions at the German National Biotechnology Institute (GBF, Braunschweig, Germany) and the University of Essex, working in different research projects on community diversity analysis of polluted soils and sediments. After moving to UIB, she focused her research on understanding microbial communities in chronically hydrocarbon-polluted marine environments, and elucidating the role in the degradation of hydrocarbons of certain groups of marine bacteria not recognized as typical degraders. This includes diversity surveys in environmental samples together with genomic, proteomic and physiological studies of marine bacteria metabolizing aromatic compounds.”

Cristina Queda, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Portugal. "The challenges of composting bioresources aiming soil amendment” (Key note Lecture).

Cristina Cunha Queda is assistant professor at the School of Agriculture (ISA) of the University of Lisbon. She graduated in Food Technology Engineering from Technical University of Lisbon, did a master in Science and Food Technology at the Technical University of Lisbon, and in 2000 received the PhD degree from the School of Agriculture of the Technical University of Lisbon.
Since her PhD her main research expertise is in the field of treatment of biodegradable waste by composting and the assessment of compost quality. Main research interests have been in the area of Environmental Engineering, with special focus on the evolution of chemical and microbiological parameters and enzymatic profiles during composting; technological uses of composts; extraction of add-value components from organic wastes and composts, remedial technologies; remediation of heavy metal contaminated soils; enzymatic activities in soils; organic farming.
In parallel to her principal activity, teaching, she has been involved in different tasks at ISA, such as, supervision of graduation, master and PhD students and member of assessment committees of master and PhD degrees, member of the School Council and Pedagogical Council, coordinator of several national and international scientific projects, and head of the Laboratory of Waste Treatment. She was the coordinator of the International Relations Office (IRO) between 2008 and 2018 and was a Vice President of ISA’s Management Board from 2014-2018. She is author and co-author of papers in national and International scientific periodicals and referee of several scientific publications. She is membership of professional bodies: Ordem dos Engenheiros, APESB, GEOTA, ISLE Association, AlumnISA and an integrated member of the research centre LINKING LANDSCAPE, ENVIRONMENT, AGRICULTURE AND FOOD – LEAF.

Federico Aulenta, Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council (CNR), Italy.  “Novel electrobioremediation strategies for cleaning up sediments contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons” (Key note Lecture).
Federico Aulenta is a tenured Scientist at the Water Research Institute (IRSA) of the Italian National Research Council (CNR). He graduated, summa cum laude, in Industrial Chemistry (1999) from Sapienza University and obtained a PhD in Industrial Chemical Processes (2003) from the same University. He was visiting scientist at Cornell University (Ithaca, USA) and at the Joint Research Center of the European Commission (Ispra, Italy).
In 2013, he obtained the national scientific qualification as Associate Professor in Chemical Plants and Technologies.
His main research interests falls within the broad area of industrial and environmental biotechnology for site remediation, wastewater treatment, bioenergy and chemicals production. Research combines concepts and techniques from chemical engineering with those from (bio)chemistry, electrochemistry, and microbiology. On these topics he published over 95 articles in peer-reviewed ISI Journals and International Book chapters which have received over 3240 citations, resulting in an H-index of 30 (Google Scholar® accessed in Decembre 2018). He is part of the Editorial Board of Process Biochemistry (Elsevier); Reviews in Environmental Science and Biotechnology (Springer); Microbial Biotechnology (Wiley); New Biotechnology (Elsevier); Frontiers in Microbiology, Frontiers in Energy Reserach (Nature Publishing Group). From 2013 to 2016 he served in the Board of Directors of the International Society of Microbial Electrochemistry and Technology (ISMET).

Madalena Alves, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Portugal.  “A wide perspective of carbon materials as catalysts for bioremediation of micropollutants and methanogenesis” (Keynote Lecture).
Madalena Alves is full professor at the University of Minho. She graduated in Chemical Engineering from University of Porto, did a master in Biochemical Engineering at IST Lisbon, in 1992 and received the PhD degree in 1998 from the University of Minho. She developed, from scratch, a research line on anaerobic microbiology and biotechnology, with a strong focus on accelerated methane production from hydrophobic compounds including fat oil and grease. The strategies developed include the use of carbon based and composite nanomaterials and microaeration. She received the second Letting Award in 2004, given by three Dutch companies (Paques Bv, Biothane Anaerobic Technologies- now belonging to Veolia, and Royal Haskoning) and she received two important national awards (BES Innovation Award in 2005 and the National Award on Environmental Innovation in 2006). In 2009, she was recipient of an Honorary Doctorate awarded by the Technical University of IASI, Romania. She spent research periods at NUI Galway (Ireland), Wageningen University (The Netherlands), and at J. Craig Venter Institute, in La Jolla California (USA). She published more than 135 papers in International journals (h factor of 38-scopus). She has been involved in several expert committees and review panels from National and International institutions including the European Commission, Wetsus, The Netherlands, The Swiss National Science Foundation or the Helmoltz Association, Germany. She was Academic Director of the Biological Engineering study program at UMinho, between 2005 and 2007 and was Associate Director of the Centre of Biological Engineering between 2010 and 2016.

Philippe Corvini, Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Switzerland. “Bacteria feeding on antibiotics - A good or bad news?” (Keynote Lecture).
Philippe François-Xavier Corvini (born 1972) obtained PhD in Biotechnology at ENSAIA (France). He is full professor and head of the Institute for Ecopreneurship at the School of Life Sciences at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW). He obtained habilitation at RWTH Aachen and University of Basel.
He is a specialist of the biodegradation of micropollutants. Significant achievements by Corvini and his team were i) the discovery of ipso-substitution mechanism in the biodegradation pathways of endocrine disrupting alkylphenols like nonylphenol and bisphenol A in Sphingomonas sp. strain TTNP3 ii) the co-existence of sulfonamide resistance genes and sulfonamide catabolic genes in Microbacterium sp. strain BR1. He is co-author of more than 100 papers.
He is/was involved in several European projects as coordinator, manager and partner. He is also adjunct professor at Nanjing University and at the Yancheng Institute of Environmental Technology and Engineering and Doctor Honoris Causa of Iasi University (Romania). He is vice-president of the European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB) and chairs the Environmental Biotechnology section of EFB. He is member of the sub-committee Biotechnology of IUPAC and the board of the International Society of Environmental Biotechnology.

Elisabet Aranda, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, Spain. “Fungal bioremediation of pharmaceutical active compounds” (Keynote Lecture).

Dr. Elisabet Aranda, PhD in Biological Science by the University of Granada. She has held different positions at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in Spain, and at the IHIZ Technical University of Dresden, Germany as well as different stays in laboratories such as the University of Naples Federico II, CNR, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, US, among others.
Currently, she is working at the University of Granada as Tenure Track Research Fellow (Ramon y Cajal), at the Institute of Water Research and at the Faculty of Pharmacy, where she develops her teaching activity.
Her main research expertise is in the field of fungal bioremediation, the investigation of degradation mechanisms of priority micropollutants and emerging contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals compounds, in water and soil systems, and the application of molecular tools such as NGS (Illumina) and proteomic approaches.
She has published 48 papers in SCI journals (Hirsch Index around 16), 6 book chapters and edited 1 book. She has been involved (as IP and/or partner) in more than 16 public/private R+D+i and transfer of technology projects (both at national and Regional level), and in several cooperation projects related to fungal biocatalysts (Orcid number http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5915-2445). Currently she is the principal investigator of a project from the National Government (MINECO) and PI of a private contract with a water company and the UGR (Hidralia, Suez Group). In addition, she is involved as researcher in a LIFE project. She is the inventor of 2 patents related to the obtaining of a growth medium for fungi from agricultural by-products. Among other management positions, she is member of the Commission of Research of the Institute of Water Research (UGR). She is Editor in Frontiers in Microbiology, and she participates in different scientific international evaluation panels (COST, FONCyT, NCN, ANEP). She is member of the board director of the specialized group of BBB, from the Spanish Society of Microbiology (SEM). Among the prizes with which it has been awarded, stands out the “Innova Sustainable” award from the Aquae foundation.

Kenneth Timmis, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany. “The urgent need for microbiology literacy in society” (Open Session)

Kenneth Timmis obtained his PhD in microbiology at Bristol University in 1971, and then was a postdoctoral researcher at Ruhr, Yale and Stanford Universities. He headed research groups at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, the University of Geneva Medical Centre, the National Research Centre for Biotechnology/Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, and the Technical University Braunschweig. He received more than twelve awards and honours, and was the founder and first Chairman of Council, European Environmental Research Organization. He was the founding Editor of the Environmental Microbiology, Microbial Biotechnology and Environmental Microbiology Reports, and he is/was editor or member of the editorial board of other fifteen scientific journals. He was a member of more than forty Commissions and organized sixteen Symposia/Courses.
Kenneth Timmis has devoted his career to analysing and rebuilding the genetic machinery of bacteria, pioneering many of the essential tools of biotechnology that are currently in use. He has developed several bacterial strategies to remove environmental pollutants from contaminated soil and water. In parallel, he has also carried out detailed studies of microbial ecology, especially in relation to contaminated soils, enabling him to design novel biochemical pathways for bioremediation. He has published almost 500 research papers, edited the major scholarly work “Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology", has an H-factor of 95 and his work has more than 30,000 citations. He also actively engages in commercial and societal debates aiming at providing a link to key scientific, commercial, social and policy maker stakeholders.