Team – PlantBit

PlantBit Team

Filippo Vurro is a post-doctoral researcher at IMEM CNR Parma. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology, a master’s degree in Chemistry, and a PhD in Materials Science from the University of Parma. With a multidisciplinary background, his research mainly focuses on the preparation and development of in-vivo electrochemical biosensors for plants. He also analyzes and interprets data using multivariate statistical methods and machine learning.

As part of the entrepreneurial project, he is responsible for developing the sensitive part of the system to make the sensor selective for certain molecules and ions. He also oversee the operational management of every sector of the project. In the company’s organizational chart, he is CEO of PlantBit.

Nicola Coppedè is a researcher at IMEM-CNR Parma since 2012. He graduated in Physics from the University of Pisa in 2001 and received his PhD in Physics from the University of Trento in 2006. His main activities are the development of integrated sensors based on materials for organic electronics and bioelectronics. He has developed specific manufacturing and integration technologies for organic electrochemical transistors on tissue for wearable applications, for in vivo integration of biosensors in biocompatible fibers for plant monitoring, and for integrated pressure sensors in soft polymer materials and composites. He has developed prototypes and has been involved in the industrialization of wearable biosensors and pressure sensors for market-oriented purposes. He is the author of over 95 scientific publications in international journals, the author of 6 international patents and 3 Italian patents, has participated in over 50 national and international congresses, and has an h-index of 20.

He is the President of PlantBit

Manuele Bettelli is a post-doctoral researcher at IMEM CNR and has been working as a material science researcher since 2014. He holds a master’s degree in Physics with honors and a PhD in Materials Science. He is currently an assigned researcher at IMEM CNR and is involved in two main areas of research: I) Development of sensors for the detection of X-rays and gamma rays made of CdZnTe; II) Development of organic sensors for in vivo monitoring of plants based on PEDOT:PSS, where he is responsible for data analysis, design, and development of sensor reading electronics.

He is the scientific coordinator of several research projects and has past and current collaborations with numerous companies and research institutions. He is a co-author of 38 scientific publications in international journals (H-index 12). He has developed the entire readout electronics part of the sensor.

In the startup he is Vice-President, he hold the position of CTO and is responsible for developing new readout electronics and optimizing the sensor.

Michela Janni – Researcher at IMEM CNR Parma – Agronomist and plant physiology. She graduated in agricultural science and technology at the University of Tuscia in Viterbo. After obtaining a PhD in plant biotechnology, she became a CNR researcher in 2011. For years, she has been dealing with issues related to agriculture and climate change. Engaged in the field of agricultural genetics, in recent years her research activity has focused on the application of technology for plant phenotyping. For CNR, she is the scientific responsible for a European project on plant phenotyping. At IMEM, she participates and coordinates research activities that focus on the application of Bioristor as a tool for in vivo phenotyping and precision agriculture. She is responsible for numerous regional and national research projects that use Bioristor as a tool for climate change. As a researcher and woman, in society she serve as Plant Specialist, close to farmers and the agricultural reality, with the aim of optimizing the meeting between technology and the well-being of plants and farmers.