BIOINFORMATICS

SARA ENViMOB’s Bioinformatics area offers solutions for the diagnosis of plant diseases and for genomic and metagenomic analysis. Our strength is bioinformatics, which allows us to achieve high resolution and obtain quick responses. The team’s heterogeneous know-how is the key to the customization of services and adaptation to the customer’s needs that characterize us. We can meet the needs of a wide range of customers, from farms interested in diagnosing and containing diseases, monitoring environmental microbes, analyzing the “plant passport” in the import / export process. We STRONGLY believe in a more sustainable and safer agricultural supply chain.

Our products

MONICA

What is MONICA?
MONICA® by SARA ENViMOB is a metagenomic analysis service. Its main purpose is to find out if a sample contains microorganisms that can pose a risk to plant health and therefore to the interests of the customer.

The sectors with the greatest impact are the agricultural supply chain and the import / export of plants. This is because the team behind MONICA® is made up of bioinformatics experts and plant pathologists able to provide a complete interpretation of the results and an in-depth analysis of the risks associated with the microbial composition of the samples of interest.

The rapid and highly detailed analysis of the sample, together with the complexity of the team’s know-how and the wide customization of the service, determine the unique and innovative character of MONICA®. In particular, the speed and resolution of the analysis are guaranteed by the technology underlying the service: the sequencing of the DNA of the microbial community, then analyzed using the homonymous tool developed in-house by our bioinformatics experts and interpreted by international renowned plant pathologists.

Software GitHub repository link: https://github.com/DrQuestion/monica

Our results

  • Faino, L., Scala, V., Albanese, A., Modesti, V., Grottoli, A., Pucci, N., … Loreti, S. (2021). Nanopore sequencing for the detection and identification of Xylella fastidiosa subspecies and sequence types from naturally infected plant material. Plant Pathology, 00, 1– 11. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.13416

  • Grottoli, A., Beccaccioli, M., Zoppis, E., Fratini, R. S., Schifano, E., Santarelli, M. L., … Reverberi, M. (2020). Nanopore Sequencing and Bioinformatics for Rapidly Identifying Cultural Heritage Spoilage Microorganisms. Frontiers in Materials, 7, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmats.2020.00014

Bioinformatics group

Walter Sanseverino – Area leader

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/walter-sanseverino-3576068/
Mail: –

Luigi Faino – Scientific director

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luigifaino/
Mail: luigi.faino@saraenvimob.com

Marzia Beccaccioli – Molecular biologist

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marzia-beccaccioli-356826194/
Mail: marzia.beccaccioli@saraenvimob.com

Alessandro Grottoli – Bioinformatician e molecular biologist

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandro-grottoli-aab56b197/
Mail: alessandro.grottoli@saraenvimob.com

Alessio Albanese – Bioinformatician e computational biologist
MSc graduate in Quantitative and Computational Biology, he pursued his bachelor degree in 2019 in Bioinformatics at the University of Rome “la Sapienza”. Since then he has actively been collaborating with SARA, developing and maintaining MONICA under the guidance of Luigi Faino. He has already participated in several international conferences to promote the use of MONICA for a safer and more sustainable agricultural supply chain.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessioalbanese/
Mail: alessio.albanese@saraenvimob.com

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