BIPESCO Team Innsbruck

Barbara Pernfuß

Education

2006–2010: Regular employment (50 %) in the "Office of Gender Equality and Gender Studies" University of Innsbruck (Division "Gender Equality and Antidiscrimination) and employment (50 %) in the frame of "BIPESCO II" (registration of biocontrol agents in cooperation with industrial partners).

2004–2006: Employment in the scope of "Biological Pest Control II" (product development and registration of biocontrol agents in collaboration with industry).

2001–2004: Deputy of the Teamleader in the EU-project "Risk Assessment of fungal biological control agents" (QLK1-CT-2001-01391).

1999–2002: Employment in the scope of the national project (Austrian science fund – FWF) "Biological abatement of Scarabaeidae" and employment in the EU-project (FAIR6-CT98-4105) "Biocontrol of Important Soil Dwelling Pests by Improving the Efficacy of Insect Pathogenic Fungi".

1996–1999: Full time position in the EU-Project (BRITE) "Removal and Recovery of Heavy Metals from Waste Water by Sand Filters Inoculated with Metal Biosorbing or Bioprecipitating Bacteria".

1997: Graduation (Dr. rer. nat.).

1992–1996: FWF-EU-Project (BRITE) "Modelling of Genetic, Biochemical, Cellular and Microenvironmental Parameters Determining Bacterial Sorption and Mineralisation Processes for Recuperation of Heavy- or Precious-Metals".

1993–1994: Interdisciplinary UN ECE (United Nations Economic Comission for Europe) Project "International Cooperative Programme on Integrated Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects"; Processing of the subject "Monitoring of Ectomycorrhizae" (service contract).

1991–1995: Ph.D. thesis: "Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals with bacteria" at the Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck.

1993–2010: Volunteering in the "Working Team for Gender Equality and Antidiscrimination" of the University of Innsbruck: Councelling of discriminated and harassed persons; Expert monitoring of hiring procedures for personnel (scientific and administrative) of the university; Expert monitoring and councelling concerning proceedings for the appointment to professor positions.

1990–1992: National Project (Austrian science fund – FWF) "Biosorption of heavy metals" (research grant).

1987–1991: Research grant in the frame of the project "Forest Reclamation – Examination of Mycorrhizae on Forest Trees" (governance-federal cooperation Austria-Vorarlberg).

1986–1990: Research grant in the project "Biohydrometallurgy".

1989: Graduation (Mag. rer. nat.).

1986–1987: Master thesis "Leaching of copper, silver and lead from the sludge of a copper mill with Thiobacillus thiooxidans" at the Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck.
1981: Start of the diploma studies "Biology" Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck.

Research interests

Basic research concerning several issues of biological control with microorganisms: isolation, stabilisation and characterisation of entomopathogenic fungi; Morphology and physiology of these fungi; Development of new toxicity tools to control their bioactive metabolites; Production and formulation of entomopathogenic fungi; Application and international registration of biological control agents (e.g. fungi).
Monitoring of Ectomycorrhizae: mainly quality (morphology and mycorrizal status) as well as quantity of the fine root systems (forest trees). Functional morphology of ectomycorrhizae.
Basic research in bioleaching, biosorption and bioaccumulation (bacteria) and industrial application of biohydrometallurgical tools.

Teaching

Wide experience in teaching basic and applied microbiology: conduction of practical courses in "(Classical) Genetics of Microorganisms" and "Montoring of ectomycorrizae – applied research on forest ecosystems"; Collaboration and self-contained supervision of diploma - and Ph.D.-thesis concerning the topics: biohydrometallurgy, biological control of insect pests and ectomycorrhizae. Conduction of seminar courses "History of biology – with special consideration of gender aspects". Regular lectures for administration officers concerning the "Legal basis of gender equality and antidiscrimination”.