Research activities - Genomics and Bioinformatics

The Centre gathers together three structures each with a long tradition of genetic and genomic research.

The Fiorenzuola d'Arda office was established on 19-09-1942 by the National Institute of Genetics for Cereal crops as Stazione Fitotecnica Piacentina, initially located in Gariga di Podenzano and moved to Fiorenzuola d'Arda in 1958. In 1968 it became part of the Experimental Institute for Cereal Research and begins the work on barley breeding. In 1990 the current buildings were inaugurated with modern laboratories for molecular genetics and the research activity was expanded to other crops and to molecular genetics and genomics. In the following decades, the research station was enriched with new staff, advanced genomic equipment and new skills allowing the participation to the international initiatives for the sequencing of the wheat genome and the development of a platform for genome editing technology.

The office of Montanaso Lombardo was established with on 18-05-1922 as part of the Experimental Station for Horticulture, in 1962 the research station was expanded with the acquisition of the Sant'Alberto Magno farm and the construction of the current building and greenhouses, in 1967 it became part of the Experimental Institute for Horticulture. The research station has always been involved in horticultural breeding, in vitro cultures, molecular markers and introgression from wild relatives. Many varieties widely grown in Italy and abroad have been selected.

The Rome office was established as a laboratory of the National Institute of Research for Food and Nutrition. Since the end of the ‘80s the research group has carried out studies on transcription factors involved in the development and response to stress and metabolic engineering aimed at enriching bioactive molecules. In 2012 it became part of CREA and in 2017 it was included in the GB research centre.