1. Prof. Andreas Voloudakis TIME: 11.00 – ROOM: Aula Maggiore
Dottorato di Ricerca in Agricoltura, Ambiente e Bioenergia
Exogenous application of double stranded RNA for management of plant viral diseases
Prof. Andreas Voloudakis
DATE: September 28th
TIME: – ROOM: Aula Maggiore
Via Celoria 2, Milano
Host: Prof. Carlo Pozzi
Abstract: Due to the rapidly growing global population, food production and security is the major challenge of agriculture. Plant viruses are obligate parasites that in some instances could cause up to 100% losses in a crop (e.g. maize streak disease). Although difficult to accurately determine the global economic impact plant viruses have on agriculture, it is estimated that US$ 60 billion loss in crop yields worldwide each year is due to plant viral diseases. RNA silencing controls gene expression and is induced by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), allowing the cell to recognize aberrant genetic material in a highly sequence-specific manner ultimately leading to its degradation, thus protecting the cell from subcellular pathogens, such as viruses and transposons. A non-transgenic approach employing RNAi has been used where enzymatically synthesized specific dsRNA molecules, when applied directly onto plant tissue, induce resistance against the cognate virus; as a result dsRNA molecules could be efficacious antiviral agents for crop protection. The different methods for dsRNA production, both in vitro and in vivo, the means of direct application of the dsRNA molecules onto plants and several examples of non-transgenic dsRNA-mediated resistance will be discussed. 
Curriculum Vitae: Andreas Voloudakis is an Assistant Professor in the Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry (Department of Crop Science, Univ. of Athens). He obtained his graduate degrees in Plant Pathology (MSc, University of Georgia, USA, and PhD from University of California, Riverside, USA) and performed a 3-year post doctorate work at The Scripps Research Institute, USA. His research focuses on the external application of dsRNA molecules onto plants (designated as “RNA-based vaccination”). He teaches two undergraduate courses and contributes lectures in five graduate courses. He has significant experience in coordinating national and international projects and has hosted young researchers from Cyprus, Mexico and India. He has coordinated three & participated in seven national projects; he coordinated two & participated in one international (EU) projects. He has been invited to act as a reviewer for national and European applications.