Maria Elena Russo
Senior Researcher
mariaelena.russo(at)stems.cnr.it
+39 0817682969
P.le Tecchio 80 - 80125 - Napoli - (NA)
- Research Activities
- Biographical Notes
- Laboratories/Service
In the field of biochemical engineering, her research interests are focused on enzymatic and microbial processes for lignocellulosic biomass biorefinery and CO2 capture and utilization. Main current research activities are aimed at the development of enzymatic biocatalysts for CO2 capture and utilization, as well as at the optimization of enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulose into fermentable sugars. Her expertise includes characterization of homogeneous and heterogeneous biochemical reactions kinetics, enzymes immobilization, bioreactors and bioprocess design and optimization.
Maria Elena Russo got PhD in Industrial Biotechnology in January 2008 at the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II with a dissertation entitled ‘Intensification of bioconversion processes: design and development of reactors with high biocatalyst loading’. She got the Master Degree cum laude in Chemical Engineering in July 2003 at the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II.
As post-degree working experiences in 2003, she spent four months as research manager at Manetti&Roberts S.p.A. production plant in Calenzano –Firenze (Italy), then in 2004 four months as Production Planner at ERG Raffinerie Mediterranee S.p.A. in Genova (Italy).
She got post-doc research contracts at the Department of Chemical Engineering of the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II from 2008 to 2012. Since October 2012, she is tenured Researcher at STEMS-CNR (formerly Ist. di Ricerche sulla Combustione). Since 2013, she serves as Adjunct Professor at the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II for the teaching course ‘Biotechnological Processes’ in the Master Degree program in Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology. In March 2017 she got the Italian national professorship ‘Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale’ (D.D. n. 1532-29/07/2016) alle funzioni di professore di II fascia settore scientifico disciplinare ING/IND25’
She is member of the working group of managers of STEMS-CNR institutional profiles for social communications.
She is author of 64 publication in peer reviewed international scientific journals (HIndex 21 scource Scopus October 2022) and several contribution to international conferences in the field of Biochemical Engineering. She is co-author of an Italian Patent entitled ‘Impianto con reattori a biofilm per la produzione di butanolo” Nr. RM2015A000185.
Since June 2022 she is member of the editorial board of ‘’Biochemical Engineering Journal’ Elsevier.
- Active Projects
- Closed Projects
Responsabile scientifico per l’unità IRC-CNR nel progetto Smart Generation "Sistemi e tecnologie sostenibili per la generazione di energia" PON03 PE00157
Responsabile scientifico per l’unità IRC-CNR nel progetto Waste2Fuels ‘Sustainable production of next generation biofuels from waste streams’ Grant Agreement n°654623 H2020 LCE-11-2015 ‘Developing next generation technologies for biofuels and sustainable alternative fuels’
Membro dello staff dell’unità STEMS-CNR nel progetto BIOFEEDSTOCK “Sviluppo di Piattaforme Tecnologiche Integrate per la Valorizzazione di Biomasse Residuali” - Programma Nazionale per la Ricerca 2015-2020, Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca.