Federica Montesanto is a PhD of the University of Bari (Italy), the main aim of her project is studying the taxon Ascidiacea with an integrated taxonomical approach. She was awarded with a STSM at the Section of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of Natural Products of the Department of Pharmacy of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The fundamental goal of this STSM was further contribute to the present knowledge with respect to sampling, screening, and isolation of compounds with biotechnological interest from ascidians.
During this STSM, thanks to prof. E. Ioannou and her amazing team, she learned and had hands-on experience on several techniques such as chromatographic and spectroscopic methodologies for the isolation and characterization of secondary metabolites obtained from ascidian samples.
Furthermore, the collaboration established during this STSM, represents a first step for the exchange of knowledge and also biomaterial between the Department of Biology of the University of Bari and the Section of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of Natural Products (Department of Pharmacy) of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, linking two different fields, the taxonomy of ascidians and their chemistry.
