Governance

Angela Sessitsch is Head of the Bioresources Unit at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology. She studied biochemistry at the University of Technology in Graz, holds a PhD in Microbiology from the Wageningen University, the Netherlands, and is habilitated at the Vienna University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences. She has pioneered plant-associated microbiomes and is interested in understanding the interactions between plants, microbiomes and the environment as well as to develop applications. Her team explores the diversity and functioning of plant and food system microbiota by applying a range of molecular approaches, interaction modes between plants and model bacteria, colonization behaviour of endophytes as well as various application technologies for biocontrol and crop enhancement applications. Together with her group A. Sessitsch published more than 250 peer-reviewed publications, she belongs to the Highly Cited Researchers and is co-inventor of several patents. She is Board member of the Austrian Association of Molecular Life Sciences and Biotechnology and Leader of the Working Group “Plants and Microbiomes” of the European Plant Sciences Organisation (EPSO).

Luca Cocolin, full professor of food microbiology, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Italy. He is the author of more than 350 publications that relate to the microbiology of food, most of them (ca. 300) in international journals. Coordinator of the National PhD in Food System.Executive Board Member of the International Committee on Food Microbiology and Hygiene (ICFMH) part of the International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS). Member of the Leadership Team of the European Technology Platform Food for Life. Scientific responsible and master contact for the University of Torino in the EIT Food. Editor in Chief of International Journal of Food Microbiology.

Andreas Moser is founder and owner of the company rtd services OG, supporting and consulting in the field of innovation, cooperation and inspiration. He holds a masters degree from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria, as well as masters degrees in European Law and Business, as well as in business administration “Pharma and Biotech Management” from the University of Continuing Education Krems, Austria. He has more than 20 years of experience and expertise in developing, managing, disseminating and exploiting European research and innovation projects, mainly from the EU Framework Programmes. He is also active in developing and implementing interactive, hands-on travelling exhibitions in cooperation with science centers and family museums and schools on a European and regional basis.