Lorenza Conterno

I studied Biology at the University of Turin, followed by a PhD in Biology and Fungal Biotechnology, also in Turin.

I‘ve been working at Laimburg Research Centre since 2017 and am the head of the „Fermentation and Distillation“ working group as well as the head of the „Food Technology“ research area. This research area is concerned with the application of modern processing techniques in food production with a focus on the region of South Tyrol. The „Fermentation and Distillation“ working group investigates how these two processes can be used to introduce new products and processing techniques.

For me, one special highlight of 2020 was the publication of a study in an international journal on a beverage made from fermented honey. This shows that studies on local niche products, too, can generate international interest. In 2021, the hiring of a researcher from India in the framework of the CIRBEER project was of special importance as it represents a step towards the greater internationalization of Laimburg Research Centre. Furthermore, it marked the beginning of our research activities in the area of circular economy.

I am particularly proud of the fact that the number of contract research projects and other research projects in cooperation with commercial enterprises in our research area has risen. For me, this is evidence of the trust which local companies place in Laimburg Research Centre‘s applied research activities in the food sector. I am also proud that many young researchers are interested in our research area and want to gain experience in the area of applied research.

I am especially pleased that my work at Laimburg Research Centre offers me the chance to work in teams with interdisciplinary research groups and that we receive so much support from the administration, support, and communication teams. In my opinion, this is all the formula for success enabling us to work in a dynamic field and promoting unconventional thinking. That‘s because this is of fundamental importance for the innovation process and also for the careful of natural resources.