Microbiologist with a Ph. D. in Molecular and Celular Biology

Curriculum

Vitae

Ariel Fernando Massera

Personal

Address: Chacabuco 1035 st, (Zip: 2300), Rafaela (Santa Fe) Argentina

information

Mobile: +54-349*-********

E-mail: ************@*******.***

Nationality: Argentine

Date of birth: December 10, 1979

Experienced Microbiology Research Associate with a Ph. D. in Biology focused in

Profile

Molecular and Cell Biology. My expertise is the selection and characterization of

yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces marxianus) and lactic acid

bacteria for different industrial and agricultural process (winemaking, biomass

production and forage conservation). I realize the scaling up of the best

microorganisms from the laboratory (5 L bench-top Biostat A plus bioreactor) to

the pilot scale where a bioreactor (80 and 1000 L) is used.

- Project design. - Quality control of dry

Skills

- Research project implementation. microorganisms used as starters.

- Teamwork. - Microorganism’s isolation (lactic

- Bench-top bioreactor operation (batch acid bacteria, yeasts, anaerobic

and fed-batch). microorganisms).

- MFCS fermenter control software - Management enzymatic kits – UV

operation (Sartorius). method to control and improve

- Scaling up to bioreactor 80 and 1000 fermentation processes.

L. - Maintenance of culture collection.

- Experience with downstream - DNA extraction and identification

operations (centrifugation) by PCR technique.

- Culture media design.

Adapting technology for simultaneous inoculation of lactic acid bacteria and

Accomplishment

yeasts for red wines fermentation.

Pilot scale (80 L) evaluation of native yeast strains for red wine fermentation at

low temperature.

Optimization of the yeast biomass production using a bioreactor (Biostat A plus 5

L) with a culture medium based on the cheese industry waste. Scaling up to 1000

L bioreactor.

Construction of a yeast strain collection capable of biomass production using

cheese whey as a culture medium for reducing environmental pollution.

Articles publication in the field of applied microbiology.

Research Scientist 12/2009 to current

Professional

Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Rafaela (Santa Fe). Argentina

experience

Agropecuaria

- Project design for:

Selection and characterization of yeast for biomass production using cheese

whey as substrate.

Evaluation of lactic acid bacteria used as starter cultures (inoculant) to obtain

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alfalfa silage.

- Characterization at laboratory scale of yeasts isolated from cheese whey.

- Optimization of the culture conditions to obtain yeast biomass from cheese

whey in a Biostat A plus bioreactor (5 L) with the MFCS fermenter control

software. Scaling up to 1000 L bioreactor.

- Isolation of anaerobic bacteria from cow's uterine samples.

- Training of human resources:

2 Undergraduate students.

1 Graduate student

1 Master student.

Ph. D. student 02/2004 to 11/2009

Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Luján de Cuyo (Mendoza).

Agropecuaria Argentina

Worked with Lallemand Inc. specialist Dr. Sibylle Krieger to adapt simultaneous

inoculation of Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts for red wine fermentation. This

technology was transferred to the industry.

Evaluated a novel technology in Argentina until pilot scale: Selection and

characterization of native Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains for red wine

fermentation at low temperature.

Collaborative work with the group of Dr. Martínez from Centro de Estudios en

Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos (CECTA), Universidad de Santiago de Chile

(USACH), Santiago, Chile.

Microbiologist 06/2003 to 01/2004

Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Luján de Cuyo (Mendoza).

Agropecuaria Argentina

Perform analysis and interpret microbiological testing of grapes, musts and wines

as a service for cellars.

Quality control of industrial dried microorganisms used as starters.

Yeast and lactic acid bacteria identification.

Maintain the microorganism collection of reference and native strains.

Keeping clean and organized the laboratory environment.

Ph. D. in Biology focused in

Education and

Molecular and Cell Biology Grad year: 2010

training

Topic: Food microbiology

Universidad Nacional de Cuyo Mendoza (Mendoza). Argentina

- Ph. D. Thesis: "Selection and characterization of native microorganisms to

optimize specific fermentative process and/or the increase of the

organoleptic profile of red wine".

- Postdoctoral courses (17). The most relevant courses:

Intellectual Property in Biotechnology.

Biotechnology of microorganisms from wine.

Development of new yeasts for wine industry.

Lactic acid bacteria: biotechnology applications.

PCR and its applications.

Genotyping and DNA sequencing with automated capillary sequencers - Data

Analysis and Sequencing Analysis with Genemapper programs - applications in

biotechnology projects.

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Multivariate analysis applied to life sciences.

- Other training courses:

Microbial cultures: basic principles, scaling and technological applications.

Yeast as a suitable system for the expression of recombinant proteins.

Anaerobic Bacterial Infections. Microbiological diagnosis.

Microbiologist Grad year: 2003

Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto Río Cuarto (Córdoba). Argentina

Required and optional courses to obtain the Microbiologist degree. Link:

http://www.unrc.edu.ar/unrc/carreras/ProgAsig2.php?n=7oIAhfAeguVc4IZi6XMX

Arza1gETxzhpuSNeOnuau7I%3D#asignaturas

Undergraduate scholarships for advanced students (2001 and 2002) to research:

"Expression of enterotoxins in regulatory mutants of Staphylococcus aureus".

High School Diploma: Administration Grad year: 1997

Instituto de Segunda Enseñanza Devoto (Córdoba). Argentina

José María Paz

Special courses:

- Accounting.

- Business Administration.

Academic achievement award for participation in the National Biology Olympiad

in 1996 and 1997.

Training courses of Microsoft Office software, including Outlook, Word, Excel and

Additional

PowerPoint.

information

English course:

Languages

- Level Intermediate (2006 and 2007): Speaking reading and writing.

- Job Training Course for Adults "Reading-Writing Assistant in English-Level I"

(2001).

- Job Training Course for Adults "Assistant in Written Translation" (2000).

Journal Articles

Publications

- “Selection of indigenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains to ferment red

musts at low temperature”. Massera A., Assof M., Sturm M. E., Sari S., Jofré

V., Cordero-Otero R., Combina M. Annals of Microbiology 62 (1): 367-380

(2012).

- “Genomic and phenotypic comparison between similar wine yeast strains

of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from different origins”. Salinas F., Mandakovi

D., Urzua U., Massera A., Miras S., Combina M., Ganga A., Martínez C. Journal

of Applied Microbiology 108 (5): 1850-1858 (2010).

- “Simultaneous inoculation with yeast and bacteria on Malbec (Vitis

vinifera) musts: effects on fermentation performance, sensory and sanitary

attributes of wines”. Massera A., Soria A., Catania C., Krieger S., Combina M.

Food Technology and Biotechnology 47 (2): 192-201 (2009).

- “Identificación de levaduras en jugo concentrado de uva en Argentina”.

Combina M., Daguerre C., Massera A., Mercado L., Sturm M. E., Ganga A.,

Martínez C. Enología 3 (VI): 1-10 (Mayo-Junio 2009).

- “Caracterización enológica y selección de levaduras para fermentar

mostos tintos a bajas temperaturas”. Massera A., Mercado L., Sturm M. E.,

Combina M. Enología 1 (V): 32-38 (Marzo-Abril 2008).

- “Yeast identification in grape juice concentrates from Argentina”. Combina

M., Daguerre C., Massera A., Mercado L., Sturm M. E., Ganga A., Martinez C.

Letters in Applied Microbiology 46 (2): 192–197 (2008).

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- “Inoculación temprana de bacterias lácticas pre-aclimatadas en mostos

Malbec”. Sturm, M., Massera, A., Casassa, F., Krieger, S., Catania, C., Combina,

M. Enología 6 (IV): 14-21 (Enero-Febrero 2008).

Website:

Project "Ecosuero con valor agregado" http://www.ecosuero.com.ar

http://inta.gob.ar/personas/massera.ariel

Links

http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ariel_Massera/publications

- Public speaking:

Presentations

Selection and characterization of yeast in order to optimize the fermentation at

low temperature.

II Jornadas Patagónicas de Biología de Levaduras.

September 2009. Neuquén, Argentina.

New biotechnological strategies applied in the production of red wines.

7º Edición Semana del Microbiólogo.

December 2008. Río Cuarto, Argentina.

- 36 Public presentations (Abstract in Congress Acts). The most relevants:

“Evaluation of bacteriological inoculants used in the conservation of alfalfa

silage”. 35º Congreso Argentino de Producción Animal. October 2012. Córdoba,

Argentina.

“Native yeast selection to improve red wine aroma by fermentation at low

temperature”. 27th International Specialized Symposium of Yeast (ISSY).

Yeasts for health and biotechnologies. August 2009. Paris, France.

“Genomic and phenotypic comparison between similar wine yeast strains

of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from different origins”. 27th International

Specialized Symposium of Yeast (ISSY). Yeasts for health and biotechnologies.

August 2009. Paris, France.

“Early inoculation with Oenococcus oeni. Influence on the development of

alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in Malbec wines”. X Congreso

Latinoamericano de Viticultura y Enología. November 2005. Bento Gonçalves,

Brazil.

“Origin and distribution of Saccharomyces cerevisiae associated with the

spontaneous fermentation of Malbec wines of Argentina”. XX Congreso

Nacional de Microbiología. September 2005. Cáceres, Spain.

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