Where we are
The building, in pure Art Nouveau style, is located on the Straits of Messina, in the shadow of the Montorsoli Lantern. Thanks to this position, it dominates the waters of the Straits and the Port. The building consists of a central body with three floors, which houses offices and studios, and two wings, with the laboratories. The ISP building in Messina is shared with the Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies (CNR-IRBIM) and there is also a park of about 10,000 square meters, where there is the main auditorium in a building that was originally the Royal National Shooting range.
 
How to find us
- By train: if you come from the peninsula, get off at the Villa San Giovanni rail station, then board the BlueJet fast ship heading towards Messina Porto Storico. Otherwise if you come from a Sicilian town, get off at Messina Centrale rail station. Once you arrive in Messina, call our office to arrange transfer by car to the Institute.
- By plane: Catania Fontanarossa is the closest airport. From the airport, take the SAIS-Autolinee bus to Messina Central Station. Once you arrive in Messina, call our office to arrange the transfer by car to the Institute.
- By car: the institute can be reached by car and there is on-site temporary parking available. If you come from the peninsula, once you reach Villa San Giovanni you can board the Caronte ship (runs every 40 minutes) and then, once in Messina, continue by car to the Institute. If, on the other hand, you come from a Sicilian town, take the A18 Messina-Catania, exit at Messina Centro and continue towards the institute following the directions here.

Short description
The research activities carried out in the BiogeM laboratory at the Messina headquarters are aimed at studying the marine and terrestrial biological processes that modulate and influence the chemical characteristics of the polar environment and the related cycles of matter and energy, also in relation to climate change.
Particular attention is paid to the evaluation of the role of microorganisms in the global carbon cycle and in the biogeochemical cycles of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus) of marine and lacustrine environments, through the study of both productive and degradative processes.
Among these, the activities involved in the decomposition of organic polymers, through microbial enzymatic activities, and the mineralization processes through microbial respiration.
The biogeochemical processes mediated by the microbial component are also being studied in the framework of the cryosphere, in order to understand the ecological significance of microbes in the permafrost, and their ability to maintain an active metabolism in extreme living conditions.
Together with the microbial processes linked to the biological pump and organic matter decomposition, a series of indirect biogeochemical parameters related to phytoplankton and bacterial biomass (Chlorophyll, ATP, lipopolysaccharides-LPS) are also determined.

Matrices of interest
The analyzed matrices are mostly ascribable to the hydrosphere (marine, river and lake waters, brines), soil, sediments, biofilm, cryosphere (permafrost, snow, sea and continental ice, intrapermafrost brines) and aquatic organisms.

Study techniques
At the BiogeM laboratory, measurements are carried out to determine the following parameters:
- Primary phytoplankton production;
- Microbial respiratory activity (consumed O₂; produced CO₂) (by ETS assay);
- Microbial enzymatic activities (leucin aminopeptidase, beta-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase) (through fluorogenic substrates);
- Heterotrophic bacterial production;
- Content of total and size-fractionated (pico-, nano- and micro-phytoplanktonic) chlorophyll-a, pheopigments;
- microbial ATP in pico-, nano and microplankton fractions;
- Quantitative analysis of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) by the LAL chromogenic test.

Instrumentation
Spectrofluorimeter, Luminometer, Fluorometer, Spectrophotometer equipped with 96-well plate fluorescence reader, incubator, autoclave, balance, homogenizer, filtration systems, refrigerated centrifuge.
For information: Dr. Gabriella Caruso – gabriella.caruso AT cnr.it

Brief description
Experimental activities carried out at the EcoBiM LAB in Messina are addressed to the ecology and biotechnology of microorganisms, particularly prokaryotes, inhabiting both marine and continental polar habitats. The diversity of microorganisms, their response to environmental stress conditions (deriving from natural or anthropogenic forcing, such as climate change and chemical contamination), the astrobiological implications of life in extreme environments, and their evolution and adaptation in polar environments are among the ecological aspects investigated. EcoBiM researchers are also interested in the evaluation of the metabolic capabilities and biotechnological potentialities of cold-adapted microorganisms, by searching for biomolecules exploitable in industrial applications and bacteria able to degrade organic pollutants at low temperatures.

Matrices of interest
The analyzed matrices are mostly attributable to the hydrosphere (marine, river and lake waters, brines) and cryosphere (permafrost, snow, sea-ice and continental ice, intrapermafrost brines), but soils and sediments are also considered. The study of the interactions between microorganisms and biotic (for example, pelagic and benthic organisms) and abiotic (such as microbial communities colonizing polymeric materials, indicated with the term plastisphere) is of particular interest.

Applied experimental approaches
For the microbiological characterization of extreme environments, similarly to the analytical procedures commonly applied for the study of temperate areas, we use both culture-dependent and -independent (i.e. biomolecular and biochemical) approaches, including:
 - isolation and maintenance in pure culture of bacterial strains;
 - phenotypic (physiological, biochemical and morphological characteristics) and genotypic (analysis of the 16S rRNA sequences and search for functional genes) characterization of cultivable bacteria;
 - screening of bacteria for the production for useful biomolecules (including antibiotics, exopolysaccharides, biosurfactants);
 - evaluation of the metabolic capacities of the microbial communities through miniaturized assays;
 - characterization of the microbial communities by the hybridization in situ with oligonucleotide probes (CARD-FISH);
 - extraction of environmental DNA and RNA for metagenomics and metatrascriptomics studies;
 - preparation of microcosms enriched with organic and inorganic contaminants, and degradation tests.

Instrumentation
The EcoBiM LAB is equipped with basic instrumentation for environmental and applied microbiology (laminar flow cabinet, autoclave, incubators and thermostated baths, centrifuges, filtration systems, sonicators, spectrophotometers, fluorometers) and molecular biology equipment (thermocycler and equipment for electrophoresis).
For details: Dr. Angelina Lo Giudice - angelina.logiudice AT cnr.it

Brief description
Microplastics are considered emerging pollutants and they are present in different environmental compartments (e.g. seawater, soil, atmosphere, etc.). In 2019 the European Chemical Agency has clearly defined microplastics and their sizes: “a material composed of solid polymer-containing particles, to which additives or other substances may have been added, with particle dimensions ranging from 1 nm to 5 mm and with fiber lengths ranging from 3 nm to 15 mm and length to diameter ratio of >3. ECHA has also firmly stated the need of polymer identification when analyzing microplastics. Microplastics can be primary and secondary, according to their sources; sources of primary microplastics are discharges from household washing machines, road dust, tire wear and cosmetics. Particles and fibers of plastics can be vector of other pollutants and pathogens. An accurate quantification and characterization of microplastics allow evaluating the environmental risk assessment and designing future actions of environmental management and recovery.

Instrument
Micro-FTIR Nicolet™ iN™10 Infrared Microscope Thermo Scientific, it couples optic microscopy with IR spectroscopy. Two different detectors are present: DTG (Deuturate Triglycine sulfate) detector enables room temperature analysis, and MCT (Mercury Cadmium Telluride ) detector works with liquid nitrogen and allows the analysis of samples down to 10 µm. Samples can be analyzed on transmittance mode, reflectance mode and ATR mode.

Matrix and type of measurement
Non-destructive analysis of microplastics in different environmental samples (seawater, sediments, soil, permafrost, aerosol, snow, raw and treated water, discharges from household washing machines, etc.) and in different biota (crustaceans, mollusks, fish, etc.). Micro-FTIR allows quantification and simultaneous polymer identification of plastic particles and fibers and of additives, plasticizers. and other synthetic and natural fibers. It can be employed for analysis of microplastics, but also for analysis of microfossils, artistic handiworks, etc.
Contact person: Dr. Fabiana Corami - fabiana.corami AT cnr.it - CNR-ISP Venice headquarters