Life Science Grants

Young Scientist Research Grant 2025 Recipients

Michael Saad, Tufts University, USA

From sea to cell: Building the future of sustainable fish cultivation

The environmental toll of overfishing, climate change and marine pollution is accelerating, placing urgent pressure on the global food supply. Michael Saad, a PhD student at Tufts University, addresses this challenge by advancing sustainable alternatives to conventional seafood through cell-cultivated fish. By isolating stem cells from species such as Atlantic mackerel, bluefin tuna and channel catfish, and studying their differentiation into muscle and fat, his research aims to create fish fillets entirely in vitro. He will extract RNA from various cell states, synthesize cDNA and carry out real-time qPCR to analyze gene expression. The study will develop custom gene panels, compare interspecies expression profiles and build foundational datasets with support from the Good Food Institute. This research contributes to more sustainable aquaculture through applied cellular biology.

Paolo Salvucci, Università degli Studi di Padova, Italy

Decoding tomato–microbiome symbiosis to shape sustainable agriculture

Paolo Salvucci is a PhD student at Università degli Studi di Padova, exploring the untapped potential of plant–microbe interactions to support sustainable farming. His project will characterize the foliar microbiome of 53 Italian tomato landraces grown under open-field conditions, generating high-resolution data on endophytic microbial diversity across diverse genotypes. By combining metabarcoding with digital PCR, Paolo will detect both dominant and low-abundance bacterial and fungal taxa. This research will link host genotype to microbial community structure, producing one of the most detailed profiles of tomato foliar microbiomes to date. The findings aim to support precision phenotyping and may contribute to breeding strategies that take microbiome associations into account.

Paolo Salvucci, Università degli Studi di Padova, Italy

Nunzia Santini, University of Naples Federico II, Italy

A new biomarker for early diagnosis and therapy monitoring in urological cancers

Nunzia Santini is an MSc student at the University of Naples Federico II, working to transform how bladder cancer is detected and monitored. Her research investigates a promising new biomarker – circulating cellular-free alpha satellite DNA – for its potential to improve early, non-invasive diagnosis. Using digital PCR, Nunzia will validate the biomarker in plasma samples and develop a method for detecting it in urine. She will also assess its relevance in other urological cancers, such as kidney and prostate, and explore its role in tracking treatment response. This project represents one of the first applications of this biomarker in liquid biopsy for bladder cancer, offering a safer, more sensitive alternative to current methods and supporting earlier intervention and improved patient care.

Nunzia Santini, University of Naples Federico II, Italy

Chiara Bonaldo, University of Bristol, United Kingdom

Investigating tumor–microbiota interactions in breast cancer progression and therapy resistance

Chiara Bonaldo is a PhD student at the University of Bristol, investigating how tumor-resident microbiota contributes to breast cancer progression and treatment resistance. Her research explores the role of Staphylococcus aureus, a common intratumor species, in modulating chemotherapeutic response and the tumor immune environment. Using co-culture and 3D tumor models, Chiara will compare infected and bacteria-free breast cancer cells to study gene expression changes related to stress response, cytoskeletal remodeling, chemoresistance and immune signaling. She will extend this work in vivo using mouse models and validate her findings in a panel of human breast tumor specimens. By integrating microbiology, oncology and immunology, her project offers a novel path to uncovering microbial contributions to tumor biology and identifying potential therapeutic targets in breast cancer.

Chiara Bonaldo, University of Bristol, UK

Wyona Schütte, Flanders Marine Institute, Belgium

Profiling marine microbiomes to trace TNT pollution in the North Sea

Wyona Schütte is a PhD student at the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), investigating how microbial communities in marine sediments relate to TNT contamination in the North Sea. Millions of tons of World War-era munitions lie corroding on the seafloor, slowly leaking toxic and carcinogenic chemicals like 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) into surrounding ecosystems. Despite their potential to disrupt marine life and enter the food chain, these underwater hazards remain largely unmonitored. Wyona’s research uses 16S rRNA nanopore sequencing to analyze sediment samples from munition dump sites and shipwrecks, aiming to identify bacterial taxa that signal the presence of dissolved explosives. Early results suggest enrichment of potential TNT-degrading microbes such as Flavobacteriaceae. With metatranscriptomics and digital PCR, she will further define these links to support the development of accessible molecular tools for marine pollution detection.

Wyona Schütte, Flanders Marine Institute, Belgium