FRANCO BIASIOLI

Research activity

He currently investigates the application of direct injection mass spectrometry for volatile compounds detection in food science and technology and agronomy: rapid product characterization, on-line process monitoring, correlation of food flavour compounds profile with sensory analysis and genomics, and nose-space measurements. Recently he is investigates the interplay of direct injection mass spectrometry and time resolved sensory methods to explore oral processing and its link with sensory perception and consumer preference. His activity further comprises statistical analysis and data mining methods applied to spectrometric and sensory data. He co-authored more than 200 papers on ISI journals.

I am qualified as a full professor in analytical chemistry and hold a laurea and a PhD in Physics. After my initial training in theoretical physics I moved to computational and experimental physics and data analysis and later on to mass spectrometry and analytical chemistry. To date I have led a successful career as an expert in direct injection mass spectrometry, co-authoring more than 200 papers in ISI journals (H-index = 36) and as co-founder of an innovative start-up company (3slab s.r.l) which has currently been running for almost 5 years.

My career has been built around integrating mass spectrometry, on one side, with fundamental and technical developments and, on the other, with advanced data analysis and data mining. I initially began with projects related to ion and electron/positron optics, mass spectrometry and spectroscopy. In particular, I was involved in photo-fragmentation and photo-ionisation studies on molecular beams, tandem mass spectrometric investigations of surface induced fragmentation of molecules and clusters and spectroscopic measurement of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) emitted by plants.

In 2000 I joined the Istituto Agrario di S. Michele all‘Adige-Italy (now Fondazione Edmund Mach, FEM). In my role at FEM I worked to develop Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry (only proposed in 1998) from a rather immature technology to make it the key element of a fully automated high-throughput facility for the analysis of volatile organic compounds. This technology enabled the rapid and high-sensitivity analysis of VOCs with improved specificity and sensitivity. The key to the success of this facility has been my ability to marry, in the stimulating applicative context of FEM, my understanding of mass spectrometry with my expertise in data analysis.

This research has led to an improved understanding of flavour and flavour-texture interactions across a wide range of agricultural and food products, from apples to cereal bars, from coffee to dairy products. I have built local, national and international collaborations that have enabled me to extend my research area both in fundamental issues as well in many different applicative fields as i) monitoring of fermentation processes in beer, bread and yogurt, ii) breath analysis, iii) waste management and biofuel production and iv) linking food volatilome with genomic to assist breeding programs. Multinational companies have recognised my expertise and usefulness of my research and have commissioned me undertake research projects on their behalf.