Chandra Bellasio, PhD Student
Contact:
- Email: Chandra.Bellasio@plantsci.cam.ac.uk
- Tel: 01223 (3)30218
Summary
Avademic experience: 5+ years of research in physiology, four publications in peer reviewed journals and one book chapter.
Extra academic experience: 5+ years in media communication, sales, design, management, administration, small business entrepreneurship.
Brief background
2010 to present: PhD Student in Plant Sciences.
2011 Certificate in Technology Entrepreneurship, Santa Clara University, California. 6 months of MBA program funded by a Fulbright exchange program.
2008-2009 Research fellowship at University of Florence. Stress physiology of mediterranean and ornamental trees.
2008 Project researcher at University of Milan, Enthomology.
2006 Project researcher at University of Milan, Agronomy.
1999-2005 BS+Ms In agricultural Science and Technology (Agricultural engineering), with a specialization in crop production and a thesis project (18 months) on Maize stress physiology.
1995-1999 Diploma of chemist foreman.
Details can be found here.
Research project:
C4 plants have a highly effective carbon concentrating mechanism that pumps CO2 from mesophyll to bundle sheath cells. There is an inherent limitation of this syndrome: a portion of the CO2 concentrated leaks back. Moreover, the metabolic partitioning between the two types of cells implies a great deal of trafficking. The study of energetics informs on how energy is partitioned between photosystems and gives indications on the metabolic state of the leaf. Measurements of energy partitioning between mesophyll and bundle sheath, modelling of metabolite fluxes and novel biochemical data will allow developing a model that describes photosynthesis in the actual metabolic state of the leaf. The information acquired can be further scaled up to the field level to quantify how metabolic constraints limit productivity at a higher scale.
Supervisors
Howard Griffiths
Erik Murchie, University of Nottingham
Funding
EU FP7 Marie curie ITN Harvest grant number 238017
Publications
Fini A., Pollastri S., Bellasio C., Ferrini F. Water relations and leaf gas exchange in Jatropha curcas, a drought-avoider water-saving species 89, 21-29
Examines the response mechanisms and the strategies adopted to cope with drought stress in Jatropha curcas L.
Bellasio C., Olejníčková J., Šebela D., Tesař R., Nedbal L. (2012) Computer Reconstruction of Plant Growth and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Emission in Three Spatial Dimensions Sensors 12, 1052-1071
First reported study that applies coded light to studying plant growth and fluorescence responses.
Fini A., Frangi P., Amoroso G., Piatti R., Faoro M., Bellasio C., Ferrini F. (2011) Growth and physiology of tree species inoculated with mycorrhizas in urban environment Mycorrhiza 21, 703-719, DOI: 10.1007/s00572-011-0370-6
Evaluates the effects of selected mycorrhiza obtained in the urban environment on growth, leaf gas exchange, and drought tolerance of containerized plants growing in the nursery.
Struve D., Ferrini F., Bellasio C., Fini A. (2010) Propagation of Quercus cerris, Q. petraea, and Q. pubescens Seedlings by Stem Cuttings Hortscience / American society of Horticultural science 45, 11, 1729-1733
Explores the rooting potential of semihardwood stem cuttings taken from young stock plants.
Agnelli A., Bellasio C., Boschi C., Colangelo G., Ferrini F., Fini A., Lafortezza F., Mishra S., Nicese F., Pellegrini S., Sanesi G. (2010) Impiego del compost di qualità nel verde urbano (book chapter) Confservizi Cispel Toscana, 2010
Il presente documento presenta uno studio delle opportunità di utilizzo degli ammendanti compostati nel settore del verde pubblico.