CURRICULUM VITAE (February 2023)

SOFIA COSENTINO

DEGREES

1986 Ph.D. in Biological Sciences (110/110 cum laude), University of Cagliari.

1988-1992 Advanced course in Microbiology and Virology at the School of Medicine of the University of Cagliari.

VISITING FELLOWISHIP

1990-1992 Postdoctoral associate at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, New York University Medical Center, USA

November 1990 Visiting Researcher at the Laboratory of Molecular Carcinogenesis, NIEHS, Research Triangle Park, USA

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

1993-2001 Assistant Professor at the University of Cagliari

2001-2019 Associate Professor of Hygiene at the University of Cagliari

2019- to date Full Professor of Hygiene at the University of Cagliari

SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES

Member of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health (S.It.I.) Member of the National Working Group "Food hygiene", within the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health.

TEACHING ACTIVITY

Since 1993 to date, Prof. Cosentino has lectured at the University of Cagliari in different courses (Hygiene, Environmental Hygiene, Food Hygiene, Laboratory of Applied Hygiene).

Since AA 2001-2002, she has been teaching at several specializations schools of the Faculty of Medicine (General Mycology, Mycological Diagnostics, Food Hygiene).

A.A.2014-2015 and 2017-2018 lecturer in the PhD in Molecular and Translational Medicine of the University of Cagliari.

2019: Lecturer in the Summer School "Longevity, lifestyle and nutrition: the role of education", University of Cagliari, Seminar "Functional Foods and health: Probiotics in health promotion and prevention".

2021:  Lecturer in the Summer School "Sustainable Development Academy", University of Potsdam, Study Group "Novel foods and sustainability".

Supervisor of 110 experimental thesis o in the master’s degree courses in Biological Sciences, Experimental and Applied Biology, Food Science and Nutrition; Supervisor of 90 experimental thesis in the three-year degree courses in Experimental Biology, Applied Bioecology, Biology, Industrial Biotechnologies; Supervisor of 10 experimental thesis in Schools of Specialization in Microbiology and Virology, Food Science and Hygiene and Preventive Medicine.

Appointed by the MIUR member of the commission for Biologist examinations for the sessions relating to the years 2002, 2003, 2009, 2016 and President for the session relating to the years 2012 and 2020.

INSTITUTIONAL APPOINTMENTS

1995-present: Member of the Board of the School of Specialization in Microbiology and Virology, University of Cagliari

1995-present: Member of the Board of the School of Specialization in Nutritional Science, University of Cagliari

2003-2009: Director of the II Level University Master in Hygiene and Food Safety, University of Cagliari

2007-present: Member of the Board of the School of Specialization in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Cagliari

2011-2018: Coordinator of the Degree Course in Food Sciences and Nutrition, University of Cagliari

2013 Member of the Academic Board of the PhD in Biomedical, Nutritional and Metabolic Sciences, University of Cagliari

2014-2019: Member of the Academic Board of the PhD in Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Cagliari

2016-present: Scientific Head of the Applied Hygiene Unit of the Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari

2018-present: Member of the Board of the Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari

2018-2021: Vice President of the Council of the Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, University of Cagliari

2018-present: President of the Joint Student Teacher Commission of the Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, University of Cagliari

2018-present: Representative of the University of Cagliari at the Network of Universities for Sustainable Development, Food Working Group

2019-present: Member of the Internationalization Commission of the Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, University of Cagliari

2019-present: Member of UnicaPress Editorial Scientific Committee, University of Cagliari

2019-present: Director of the School of Specialization in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Cagliari

SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY

71 papers published on journal indexed on Scopus (ID: 7005109857)

H index 25 - 2588 citations (Scopus, february 2023)

7 book chapters

24 papers published on peer-reviewed national research journals

more than 140 abstracts in conference books

ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0467-1325

Main research interest

Research activities in the field of 'Food Hygiene”, with special reference to the microbial monitoring of manufacturing process in different food plants; the prevention of bacterial and fungal contamination in the food industry, with special reference to dairy products; the study of the microbiota of foods, particularly dairy products, using conventional and molecular methods; the study of the probiotic properties of autochthonous microbial strains (lactic acid bacteria, yeasts); the selection of strains with health promoting and / or biopreservatives activities; the study and preservation of the microbial biodiversity of  foods.

Prof. Cosentino has served on an international evaluation panel of Bio-Competence Centre of Healthy Dairy Products for the Estonian Research Council (2015).

Prof. Cosentino is included in the REPRISE database of scientific experts.

Prof. Cosentino has been Principal Investigator of several national, regional and local research projects.

PROJECTS

[2000 – Current] Project or research unit coordinator

MURST Executive project of Operational program for the Plan "Agro-food products: dairy sector Cluster C08B". "Enhancement of some typical Sardinian sheep products", 2000-2003

RAS Regional Law 14 November 2000, n ° 21 - Article 11. "Selection and characterization of indigenous microbial germplasm for the enhancement of goat cheese", 2006-2007

POR 2000-2006 Measure 3.13. "A new integrated system for the enumeration and isolation of Clostridium perfringens in food and environmental samples", (Proponent company: Microbiol), 2007-2008

POR 2007-2013 Objective 6.2.2 Action I and Operational Objective 6.2.3 Action A. "Development of an innovative product for the treatment and prevention of fungal skin infections", (Proponent company: Jenesta), 2015

POR FESR Sardinia 2014 - 2020 Axis 1 Action 1.1.3- Research and development project entitled SALQUA, (Proponent company: Su Sirboni), 2018-2020

POR FESR Sardinia 2014 - 2020 Axis 1 Action 1.1.3- Research and development project entitled TALLYFORM, (Proponent Company, TALLAROGA Cooperative) 2018-2020

RAS Regional Law 7 AUGUST 2007, N.7. “Chemometric applications for the evaluation and comparison of the quality of Sardinian sheep cheeses produced with autochthonous microorganisms with health-promoting activity”, 2011

Banco di Sardegna Foundation. "Identification of molecular and microbial markers for the characterization and enhancement of typical regional goat cheeses", 2011

Banco di Sardegna Foundation. “Active Elderly and Health”, Year 2017

RAS Regional Law 194/15. "MicroBiodiverSar Conservation, protection and enhancement of the microbial agrobiodiversity of Sardinia, 2018-2020

RAS Regional Law 19/96. "Longevity, lifestyles and nutrition: the importance of education", 2018-2019

PNRR Mission 4 – “Education and Research” Component 2: from research to business Investment 3.1: “Fund for the realisation of an integrated system of research and innovation infrastructures Action 3.1.1 “Creation of new research infrastructures, strengthening of existing ones and their networking for Scientific Excellence under Horizon Europe. Research project SUS-MIRRI.IT (2022-2025)

Several collaborations with private companies through the activation of conventions, services or co-financed projects of technology transfer in different biotechnological sectors.

Publications indexed on Scopus (2012-2023)

Casula E., Pisano M.B., Serreli G., Zodio S., Melis M.P., Corona G., Costabile A., Cosentino S., Deiana M. Probiotic lactobacilli attenuate oxysterols-induced alteration of intestinal epithelial cell monolayer permeability: Focus on tight junction modulation. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2023, 172, art. No. 113558.

Roberta Agabio, Clelia Madeddu, Paolo Contu, Sofia Cosentino, Monica Deiana, Elena Massa, Alessandra Mereu, Carola Politi, Claudia Sardu, and Julia M. A. Sinclair. Alcohol Consumption Is a Modifiable Risk Factor for Breast Cancer: Are Women Aware of This Relationship? Alcohol and Alcoholism, 2022, 57, 533-539, https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agab042 (first online 21 June 2021)

Genovese C, La Fauci V, Di Pietro A, Trimarchi G, Odone A, Casuccio A, Costantino C, Restivo V, Fantini M, Gori D, Azara A, Deiana G, Castaldi S, Righi E, Palandri L, Panciroli G, Bianco A, Licata F, Cosentino S, Mistretta A, Marranzano M, Ragusa R, Gabutti G, Stefanati A, Prato R, Fortunato F, Martinelli D, Icardi G, Panatto D, Amicizia D, Fabiani L, Moretti A, Di Risio D, Siliquini R, Voglino G, Bert F, Lorini C, Bonaccorsi G, Torre I, Pennino F, Pavia M, Di Giuseppe G, Paolantonio A, Villari P, Marzuillo C, Messina G, Rivieri C, Nante N, Majori S, Tardivo S, Moretti F, D’Amato S, Mazzitelli F, Giunta I, Lo Giudice D, Pantò G, Signorelli C, Squeri R. COVID-19: opinions and behavior of Italian general population during the first epidemic phase. Acta Biomed 2022, Vol. 93(3): e2022262. DOI: https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v93i3.12262

Pisano MB, Fadda ME, Viale S, Deplano M, Mereu F, Blaži? M, Cosentino S. Inhibitory Effect of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lactococcus lactis Autochtonous Strains against Listeria monocytogenes in a Laboratory Cheese Model. Foods, Volume 11, Issue 5 March-1 2022 Article number 715, https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11050715

Mauro Giovanni Carta, Elisa Pintus, Rosanna Zaccheddu, Omar Callia, Giuliana Conti, Cesar Ivan Aviles Gonzalez, Luigi Minerba, Roberto Demontis, Massimiliano Pau, Eleonora Cocco, Maria Petronilla Penna, Goce Kalcev, Stefano Lorrai, Fernanda Velluzzi, Andrea Loviselli, Marco Monticone, Maria Valeria Massidda, Maria Rita Pinna, Laura Atzori, Alberto Cauli1, Alessandra Scano, Germano Orrù, Antonio Crisafulli, Sofia Cosentino, Sergio Machado, Dario Fortin, Gian Mario Migliaccio, Gabriele Finco, Mario Musu, Giulia Cossu. Social and Behavioral Rhythms is Related to the Perception of Quality of Life in Old Adults. The Open Psychology Journal, 2022, 15 (1) DOI: 10.2174/18743501-v15-e220927-2021-111

Tessarolo F., Nollo G., Benedetti L., Helfer F., Rovati L., Ferrari A., Marchetti G., Reverberi F., Baglio S., Tuccitto N., Stefani S., Stracquadanio S., Caraci F., Terrasi A., Tricomi A., Musumeci M., Miraglia A., Cuttone G., Cosentino S., Vitali LA., Petrelli D., Ciancia S.I., Mingoia M., Castellini P., Simoni S., Montalto L., Baleani A., Chiarotti P., Paone N. Measuring breathability and bacterial filtration efficiency of face masks in the pandemic context: A round robin study with proficiency testing among non-accredited laboratories. Measurement: Journal of the International Measurement Confederation, Volume 18915 February 2022 Article number 110481, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2021.110481

Mauro Giovanni Carta, Giulia Cossu, Elisa Pintus, Rosanna Zaccheddu, Omar Callia, Giuliana Conti, Mirra Pintus, Cesar Ivan Aviles Gonzalez, Maria Valeria Massidda, Gioia Mura, Claudia Sardu, Paolo Contu, Luigi Minerba, Roberto Demontis, Massimiliano Pau, Gabriele Finco, Eleonora Cocco, Maria Pietronilla Penna, Germano Orrù, Goce Kalcev, Federico Cabras, Stefano Lorrai, Andrea Loviselli, Fernanda Velluzzi, Marco Monticone, Enrico Cacace, Mario Musu, Franco Rongioletti, Alberto Cauli, Valeria Ruggiero, Alessandra Scano, Antonio Crisafulli, Sofia Cosentino, Laura Atzori, Elena Massa, Quirico Mela, Dario Fortin, Gianmario Migliaccio, Sergio Machado, Ferdinando Romano and Antonio Preti. Moderate Exercise Improves Cognitive Function in Healthy Elderly People: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Clinical Practice & Epidemiology in Mental Health, 2021, 17, 75-80 DOI: 10.2174/1745017902117010075

Elisabetta Daga, Marilena Budroni, Chiara Multineddu, Sofia Cosentino, Maura Deplano, Paolo Romano and Roberta Comunian. The MicroBioDiverSar Project: Exploring the Microbial Biodiversity in Ex Situ Collections of Sardinia. Sustainability 2021, 13, 8494, https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158494

Tessarolo F., Nollo G., Maniglio D., Rigoni M., Benedetti L., Helfer F., Corradi I., Rovati L., Ferrari A., Piccini M., Accorsi L., Veronesi E., Cuoghi A., Baglio S., Tuccitto N., Stefani S., Stracquadanio S., Caraci F., Terrasi A., Tricomi A., Musumeci M., Miraglia A., Cuttone G., Cosentino S., Muscas C., Vitali LA., Petrelli D., Angrisani L., Colicchio R., D’Anna A., Iavicoli I., De Falco G., Di Natale F., Di Maio E., Salvatore P., Quaglia F., Mingoia M., Castellini P., Chiarotti P., Simoni S., Montalto L., Baleani A., Paone N. Testing surgical face masks in an emergency context: the experience of Italian Laboratories during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18,1462 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041462

Scano P., Pisano M.B., Murgia A., Cosentino S., Caboni P. GC-MS Metabolomics and Antifungal Characteristics of Autochthonous Lactobacillus Strains. Dairy 2021, 2, 326–335. https://doi.org/10.3390/dairy2030026

Mauro Giovanni Carta, Giulia Cossu, Elisa Pintus, Rosanna Zoccheddu, Omar Callia, Giuliana Conti, Mirra Pintus, Cesar Ivan Aviles Gonzalez, Maria Valeria Massidda, Gioia Mura, Claudia Sardu, Paolo Contu, Luigi Minerba, Roberto Demontis, Massimiliano Pau, Gabriele Finco, Eleonora Cocco, Maria Petronilla Penna, Germano Orrù, Goce Kalcev, Federico Cabras, Stefano Lorrai, Andrea Loviselli, Fernanda Velluzzi, Marco Monticone, Enrico Cacace, Mario Musu, Franco Rongioletti, Alberto Cauli, Valeria Ruggiero, Alessandra Scano, Antonio Crisafulli, Sofia Cosentino, Laura Atzori, Elena Massa, Quirico Mela, Dario Fortin, Gianmario Migliaccio, Antonio Egidio Nardi, Matthias Angermeyerand Antonio Preti. Active elderly and health—can moderate exercise improve health and wellbeing in older adults? Protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials 2021, 22:331, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-021-05278-6

Pisano M.B., Rosa A., Putzu D., Cesare Marincola F., Mossa V., Viale S., Fadda M.E., Cosentino S. Influence of Autochthonous Putative Probiotic Cultures on Microbiota, Lipid Components and Metabolome of Caciotta Cheese, Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, art.  no. 583745 (2020)

Bukvicki D., Siroli L., D’Alessandro M., Cosentino S., Fliss I., Ben Said L., Hassan H., Lanciotti R., Patrignani F. Unravelling the Potential of Lactococcus lactis Strains to Be Used in Cheesemaking Production as Biocontrol Agents, Foods, 9 (12), 1815; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9121815 (2020)

Lachowicz J.I., Dalla Torre G., Cappai R., Randaccio E., Nurchi V.M., Bachor R., Szewczuk Z., Jaremko L., Jaremko M., Pisano M.B., Cosentino S., Orrù G., Ibba A., Mujika J., Lopez X. Metal self-assembly mimosine peptides with enhanced antimicrobial activity: Towards a new generation of multitasking chelating agents, Dalton Transactions, 49, pp 2862-2879 (2020)

Pisano, M.B., Deplano, M., Fadda, M.E., Cosentino, S. Microbiota of Sardinian Goat's Milk and Preliminary Characterization of Prevalent LAB Species for Starter or Adjunct Cultures Development, BioMed Research International, art. no. 6131404 (2019)

Pisano, M.B., Kumar, A., Medda, R., Gatto, G., Pal, R., Fais, A., Era, B., Cosentino, S., Uriarte, E., Santana, L., Pintus, F., Matos, M.J. Antibacterial Activity and Molecular Docking Studies of a Selected Series of Hydroxy-3-arylcoumarins, Molecules, 24 (15) (2019)

Cosentino, S., Viale, S., Deplano, M., Fadda, M.E., Pisano, M.B. Application of autochthonous lactobacillus strains as biopreservatives to control fungal spoilage in caciotta cheese, BioMed Research International, art. no. 3915615 (2018)

Fadda, M.E., Mossa, V., Deplano, M., Pisano, M.B., Cosentino, S. In vitro screening of Kluyveromyces strains isolated from Fiore Sardo cheese for potential use as probiotics, LWT - Food Science and Technology, 75, pp. 100-106 (2017) 

Aru, V., Pisano, M.B., Savorani, F., Engelsen, Sø.B., Cosentino, S., Cesare Marincola, F. Metabolomics analysis of shucked mussels' freshness, Food Chemistry, 205, pp. 58-65 (2016)

Pisano, M.B., Scano, P., Murgia, A., Cosentino, S., Caboni, P. Metabolomics and microbiological profile of Italian mozzarella cheese produced with buffalo and cow milk, Food Chemistry, 192, art. no. 17857, pp. 618-624 (2016)

Aru, V., Pisano, M.B., Savorani, F., Engelsen, S.B., Cosentino, S., Cesare Marincola, F. Data on the changes of the mussels' metabolic profile under different cold storage conditions, Data in Brief, 7, pp. 951-957 (2016)

Pisano, M.B., Cosentino, S., Viale, S., Spanò, D., Corona, A., Esposito, F., Tramontano, E., Montoro, P., Tuberoso, C.I.G., Medda, R., Pintus, F. Biological activities of aerial parts extracts of Euphorbia characias, BioMed Research International, art. no. 1538703 (2016)

Pisano, M.B., Fadda, M.E., Melis, R., Ciusa, M.L., Viale, S., Deplano, M., Cosentino, S. Molecular identification of bacteriocins produced by Lactococcus lactis dairy strains and their technological and genotypic characterization, Food Control, 51, pp. 1-8 (2015)

Aru V., Pisano M.B., Scano P., Cosentino S., Cesare Marincola F. Changes in the 1H NMR Metabolic Profile of Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) with Storage at 0° C. Magnetic Resonance in Food Science: Defining Food by Magnetic Resonance, Edited by Francesco Capozzi, Luca Laghi, Peter S. Belton, The Royal Society of Chemistry, UK, p.181-189, 2015.

Pisano, M.B., Viale, S., Conti, S., Fadda, M.E., Deplano, M., Melis, M.P., Deiana, M., Cosentino, S. Preliminary evaluation of probiotic properties of Lactobacillus strains isolated from Sardinian dairy products, BioMed Research International, art. no. 286390 (2014)

Fadda, M.E., Pisano, M.B., Scaccabarozzi, L., Mossa, V., Deplano, M., Moroni, P., Liciardi, M., Cosentino, S. Use of PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for identification of yeast species isolated from bovine intramammary infection, Journal of Dairy Science, 96 (12), pp. 7692-7697 (2013)

Scano, P., Rosa, A., Pisano, M.B., Piras, C., Cosentino, S., Dessi', M.A. Lipid components and water soluble metabolites in salted and dried tuna (Thunnus thynnus L.) roes, Food Chemistry, 138 (4), pp. 2115-2121 (2013)

Piras, C., Marincola, F.C., Savorani, F., Engelsen, S.B., Cosentino, S., Viale, S., Pisano, M.B. A NMR metabolomics study of the ripening process of the Fiore Sardo cheese produced with autochthonous adjunct cultures, Food Chemistry, 141 (3), pp. 2137-2147 (2013)

Cosentino, S., Fadda, M.E., Deplano, M., Melis, R., Pomata, R., Pisano, M.B. Antilisterial activity of nisin-like bacteriocin-producing Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis isolated from traditional Sardinian dairy products, Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, art. no. 376428 (2012)

Pisano, M.B., Patrignani, F., Cosentino, S., Guerzoni, M.E., Franz, C.M.A.P., Holzapfel, W.H. Diversity and functional properties of Lactobacillus plantarum-group strains isolated from Italian cheese products, Dairy Science and Technology, 91 (1), pp. 65-76 (2011)

Cosentino S., Pisano M. B., Fadda M. E., Deplano M., Cancedda E., Spanedda L. Isolation and characterization of lactic acid bacteria from raw goat’s milk for potential use as adjunct cultures. In: Technology and Innovation for a sustainable future: A commodity Science perspective, Roberto Merli (Ed), (ISBN 978-88-8286-269-5), 2012.