researcher, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
Chiara Amitrano is a dedicated Researcher in Environmental and Applied Botany at the Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II” (UNINA-DiA), Italy. Her work focuses on understanding plant morpho-anatomical and physiological adaptations to environmental stresses in natural, polluted, and controlled environments. She integrates eco-physiological approaches with advanced plant hydraulic studies to enhance sustainable agriculture and space farming systems. As a lecturer, she teaches courses on plant adaptations to environmental stress and contributes actively to international research collaborations and scientific dissemination.
Professional Profile
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🎓 Education
Dr. Amitrano earned her Ph.D. in Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry Systems and Food Security (2018–2021) at UNINA, in collaboration with The University of Arizona and Kayser Italia, with a thesis on plant water flow characterization in controlled environments. She completed her Master’s degree in Biological Sciences (2014–2016, cum laude) and Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences (2010–2014) from the same institution. Additionally, she holds a professional qualification as a Chartered Biologist obtained in 2017.
💼 Experience
Chiara’s experience spans postdoctoral research at UNINA, where she contributed to projects on sustainable viticulture and space farming funded by ASI (Italian Space Agency). She also completed internships at Kayser Italia Srl, working on prototypes for space plant cultivation. Internationally, she served as a Visiting Researcher at IPK (Germany) and CEAC (University of Arizona, USA) and as a Teaching Fellow at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Currently, she is a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at California State University, Los Angeles.
🔬 Research Interests
Her research interests include eco-physiology, plant hydraulics, and morpho-functional adaptations under abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and radiation. 🌿 She explores controlled environment agriculture, sustainable food production, and space biology to ensure future food security. Her work combines traditional botany with cutting-edge plant phenotyping and smart sensor technology for precision agriculture.
🏅 Awards
Dr. Amitrano is a recipient of multiple prestigious awards, including the Best Young Researcher Under 35 Award (2024), the International Award for Best PhD Thesis (2023), and the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Award (2025). She received the ISHS Young Minds Award (2021) and the Seals of Excellence from the European Commission for her innovative research proposals. Her contributions to space agriculture earned her recognition at international conferences and competitions.
📚 Top Noted Publications
1️⃣ Balzano A., Amitrano C., De Micco V. (2025). Does Pre-Acclimation Enhance the Tolerance of Quercus ilex and Arbutus unedo Seedlings to Drought? Plants, 14(3), 388.
Cited by 8 articles
2️⃣ De Francesco S., Amitrano C., De Micco V. (2025). Combined Effects of Microgravity and Chronic Low-Dose Gamma Radiation on Brassica rapa Microgreens. Plants, 14(1), 64.
Cited by 5 articles
3️⃣ Amitrano C., De Micco V. (2024). Morphological and Photosynthetic Pigment Screening of Four Microgreens Species Exposed to Heavy Ions. Plants, 13(24), 3541.
Cited by 4 articles
4️⃣ De Micco V., Amitrano C., Leys N. (2023). Plant and microbial science and technology as cornerstones to Bioregenerative Life Support Systems in space. npj Microgravity, 9(1), 69.
Cited by 15 articles
5️⃣ Amitrano C., De Pascale S. (2023). Defining growth requirements of microgreens in space cultivation via biomass production, morpho-anatomical and nutritional traits analysis. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14.
Cited by 12 articles
Conclusion
Based on her exceptional academic credentials, impactful research in controlled environments and space biology, strong publication record, and international recognition, Dr. Chiara Amitrano is highly suitable for the Research for Young Scientist Award. Her career trajectory reflects a combination of scientific excellence, innovation, and global collaboration, making her a strong candidate who exemplifies the qualities this award aims to recognize.