Our Teams

Research teams (in alphabetical order):
Research groups	Lines of Interest & Research
Advanced Computational Chemistry (Biophysics & Bioinformatics) Headed by:  Adriana ISVORAN	3-D printing of bioplastics Applications of computational chemistry methods in determining the structure, properties and reactivity of small to middle size molecules, Bioinformatics/Computational analysis of protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions Computational chemistry for methods development and chemical property prediction Computational biochemistry for  establishing the ADMNE-Tox properties of molecules with potential therapeutic action Development of new, progressive methods for highly accurate calculations of molecules Molecular mechanics studies of polymer aggregation Protein and membrane dynamics
Advanced Materials with Tailored Properties Headed by: Constantin BOLCU	Adhesion and adhesives (medicine, aeronautics, footwear) Advanced scientific research on chitin/chitosan BioMimetic materials Development and characterization of hybrid organic-inorganic materials for applications in coatings, nanoparticle encapsulation and interface modification Environmental functional materials Structure of the polymers of small molecules The degradation and stabilization of polymers The synthesis and the structural characterization of the polyurethanes
Aerobiology, Bioindicators & Invasive Species Headed by: Nicoleta IANOVICI	Aerobiology: pollen and fungal spores role in triggering allergic diseases Chemical communication in plants Ecological and evolutionary genetics of natural plant populations Effects of environmental stressors on genome function and expression Emerging environmental contaminants Environmental plant physiology Evolution and ecology of plant and fungal communities Molecular pathogen-host interaction Molecular plant development Organic dust exposure and lung disease Plant anatomy in biomonitoring urban habitat Plant evolutionary and physiological applications to invasive species, plants-at-risk and agricultural species Plant Reproduction in a changing climate Pollen Allergy
Analytical Biochemistry & Chromatographic Separations Headed by: Vasile OSTAFE	Advanced scientific research on chitin/chitosan, including studies on its structure, biomaterials, biotechnology as well as applications Combining advanced analytical chemistry, signal processing, and statistical modeling into chemical fingerprinting and metabolomics Determination and control of organic pollutants in environmental samples (water, air, soils,….) and biological samples, using new extraction techniques combined with the latest generation or chromatographic techniques Developing protocols for analysis of complex mixtures of compounds (chemical fingerprinting) Development of alternative methods for collection of environmental samples, extractions, cleanup techniques, and identification of previously unknown contaminants in various environmental compartments.
Freshwater Invertebrates Ecology, Biogeography, Mechanisms of Invasions Headed by: Lucian PÂRVULESCU	Aquatic macroinvertebrate ecology Crayfish plague Ecology and biogeography of native crayfish species Life history of sympatric freshwater amphipods Mechanism of the spiny-cheek crayfish invasion Database of the endemic invertebrate species Resistance to low oxygen concentration of the aquatic invertebrate species and its molecular mechanisms
Ecotoxicology Headed by: Vasile OSTAFE	Developing and evaluating methods to assess the potential risks of organic chemicals to humans and the environment Developing metabolic biotransformation and biodegradation rate estimation methods Developing screening-level chemical fate and food web models for agricultural products Environmental toxicology and human health Fate transport and food web bioaccumulation modeling Human exposure to xenobiotics and health assessment Phase I and phase II drug metabolizing enzymes
Environmental electrochemistry Headed by: Laura PITULICE	Chitin/chitosan derivatives for corrosion protection and waste water treatments Coal material (adsorbents, structural). Corrosion: A Case of Environmental Electrochemistry Electrochemistry (coagulation, oxidation, reduction, Fenton, disinfection) for water and wastewater treatment Hybrid and heterogeneous catalysts. Photocatalytic process for the removal of organic compounds
Environmental Microbiology & Soil Quality Headed by: Nicoleta FILIMON	Analyzing the impacts of deterioration of “crusted” surfaces by vehicle traffic on the transport of soils by wind erosion Biological testing methods Bioremediation Determining the behaviour of organic contaminants (e.g. pesticides), metals & nutrients in soils and soil/plant systems Determining the effects of organic contaminants (e.g. antibiotics in manure or sewage sludge) on microbial communities and microbially-mediated nutrient cycling in soils Developing microbiological systems that capture or develop renewable resources and also prevent or clean up environmental pollution Enzymatic hydrolysis of chitin and chitosan Evolution and ecology of plant and fungal communities Mixed microbial communities Modeling chemical fate in biosolids-amended soil Pioneering studies on bacterial metabolism/decontamination of pesticide wastes in continuous culture and in soils Population genetics and genomics of plant pathogenic fungi; fungal mating systems and host specialization Studies the phylogenetic diversity, metabolic capabilities, and ecological roles of microorganisms in a variety of environments with specific emphasis on anaerobic habitats and soil
Environmental Monitoring and Analysis Technology / Water & Air Quality Headed by: Dana DASCĂLU	Air pollution prevention and control technologies Atmospheric environment pollution prevention theory and technology. Chitin/chitosan derivatives for corrosion protection and waste water treatments Environmental assessment, planning and management. Environmental ecology engineering. Environmental impact assessment, Measurement of emissions from stationary and mobile sources Observing the impact of temperature on the removal of nutrients and contaminants from domestic and industrial wastewater using conventional and advanced oxidation treatment systems Researching the photochemical decomposition of dissolved organic carbon in aquatic systems Sustainable economy and cleaner production Wastewater treatment and BOD sensing systems Water pollution prevention technology and water reuse.
Evolutionary Biology and Ecology & Plant Pathology Headed by:Adrian SINITEAN	Applied Biodiversity of Aquatic Systems Chemical communication in plants Development of integrated scientific analysis and understanding of ecological processes within watersheds Evolution and ecology of plant reproduction Examining the interaction of environmental stressors (e.g. extreme temperatures, UV light, carbon dioxide, ozone) on vegetation & algal communities Mapping and biodiversity studies Plant Evolutionary Genetics Signal transduction mechanisms in plant cells The impacts of climate change, urban development and ecotoxicology on the ecological function of lakes and rivers Uses of Algae as Energy source, Fertilizer, Food and Pollution control
Green Organic Chemistry & Chemical Fate Headed by: Gabriela PREDA	Active biocatalysts by immobilization using sol-gel technology Adsorption in environmental remediation Bioremediation of waters polluted with heavy metals using Spyrogyra and Cladophora Chemical transformations in the process of drug discovery (medicinal chemistry) Drug release systems based on silica and biopolymers molecules that bind to proteins and that help us to decipher the function of specific proteins in complex cellular processes or to measure the action of proteins in real time (chemical biology). Polysaccharides in heavy metal removal Potentiometric analytical methods Removal of metal ions using alginates Structural organization and biological activity of chitin nanofibrils Synthesis of pharmaceuticals, chemical green. Understanding of chemical behavior in the environment; locally, regionally, nationally and globally, by acquiring and analyzing chemical physical properties and developing, validating and disseminating holistic mass balance models of chemical fate Use of organic synthesis to make bio-molecules that allow biochemical and biophysical studies of important cellular processes
Inorganic Advanced Materials and Environment Headed by: Otilia BIZEREA	Application of mono- and bimetallic nanoparticles for the degradation of organic pollutants Composite materials Environment (removal of pollutants, purification) Environmental pollution prevention Materials for the production and storage of energy
Molecular Biochemistry Headed by: Diana VLĂDOIU & Gheorghița MENGHIU	Accelerated evolution techniques to obtain proteins with predefined properties Action of oxidative enzymes in biomass conversion (e.g., chitinase, chitosanase, cellobiose dehydrogenase–polysaccharide monooxygenase system, pyranose oxidases and dehydrogenases, etc.) Advanced metabolomics Biocatalysis, molecular modeling, structural biology and diagnostics Carbohydrate-active enzyme discovery from plant and microbial species via genomics, metagenomics and bioinformatics as target enzymes for biochemical characterization Cell-free in-vitro production of sugar polymers for biomaterial design and therapeutics, and discovery of thermostable glycoside hydrolases for industrial applications Developments of new applications for chitin and its derivatives Effects of environmental stressors on genome function and expression Engineering and optimization of enzymes for industrial-scale production of chemicals Engineering transcription & metabolic networks Environmental genomics, Enzymatic hydrolysis of chitin and chitosan Enzyme-based strategies aiming for selective and efficient routes towards functional bio-based polymers Innovative enzyme solutions for efficient biomass utilization – environmentally friendly technologies for the production of biofuels, chemicals, and materials from biomass resources Mimic Nature and alter the catalytic machinery so that new chemical reactions can be performed in new enzymes’ active site Selective enzyme catalysis to obtain desired products
Functional Nanostructured Materials Headed by: Viorica PATRULEA	Bioplastics made from chitin, cellulose and other plant-based polysaccharide materials Chitin and chitosan chemical structure and their formation mechanism Chitin and chitosan derivatives for drug discovery and development Chitin and chitosan use as adsorbent of toxic contaminating metals Chitin based nanostructures Chitosan and its derivatives for wound healing: in vivo and in vitro studies Development of the encapsulation techniques to get the “tailor made” formulations with the desired release of active compounds for each specific target. Novel forms of chitosan like microcrystalline, gel and fibres and application of such forms in medicine, hygiene and agriculture Thermogelling polymer starting from chitin / chitosan for biomedical applications
Natural Compounds, Biodiversity and Drug Discovery Headed by: Mariana ALBUESCU	Biological activities (in vitro and in vivo) of natural products Biological, biochemical and pharmacological assays, medicinal chemistry and drug design Bioprospecting Romanian flora with a view towards identifying  hits on a broad spectrum of biological activities (antiparasitic, antibacterial, anticancer); selecting promising hits, leading to organic synthesis and structure-activity relationship studies; using structure and ligand-based drug design approaches to guide hit-to-lead optimization Isolation and structural determination of new drugs from natural products Isolation, purification and structural elucidation of natural products (terpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids) Studies of pharmacodynamics and metabolism of natural products in human (anti-cancer/virus, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, and anti-obesity activities as well as drugs for cardiovascular system and central nervous system)
Renewable Energy Sources Headed by: Beatrice VLAD-OROS	New biomaterials, biochemicals and bioproducts developed to produce nano-matrices which deliver bioactive components for edible, cosmetic, agricultural and industrial uses, and replacement materials and products currently manufactured from petrochemicals. Chitin and chitosan use as adsorbent of toxic contaminating metals Bioplastics made from chitin, cellulose and other plant-based polysaccharide materials Applications of chitosan beads for adsorption of metal ions Ethanol production through biotechnological processes from the waste resulted from processing of the chitin producing organisms
Sustainable Technologies for Environment Remediation Headed by:Dorina MODRA	Behavior and effects of oil and chemical spills Chemical, biological, and physical countermeasures for oil and chemical spills and for cleaning up contaminated sites Remote sensing, field and laboratory techniques for measuring and tracking oil and chemical spills Cleaner production and sustainable development. Solid waste pollution control and recycling – Solid waste management