On December 21 2020, Prof. Bruno Biavati, Professor of Agricultural Microbiology at the Università di Bologna and an Affiliate Professor at the University of Malta, passed away.
Professor Biavati graduated in Agriculture with a thesis in Agricultural Microbiology, under the guidance of Professor Vittorio Scardovi, in 1974, earning a post of Researcher, then Associate Professor in 1992 and Full Professor in 2000. After retiring in November 2015, he was offered a position of Affiliate Professor at the Division of Rural Sciences and Food Systems within the Institute of Earth Systems at the Università ta’ Malta. During these past years, he has been conducting research, delivering lectures and participating in EU and nationally-funded projects.
He was one of the first researchers in Europe to deal with Archaea methanogens, thanks to the experience gained at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute in the U.S. He then devoted himself to the microbiology and physiology of bifidobacteria, describing several new species and was for several years a member of the "Subcommittee on the taxonomy of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and related organisms". He has contributed to the writing of many books on taxonomy and physiology of bifidobacteria. As a tribute to the research activity on this microbial group, in 2012 a new species of bifidobacteria (Bifidobacterium biavatii) was named after him. Prof. Biavati also contributed to research focusing on the beneficial effects of the administration of bifodobacteria and other probiotics to animals and humans. He was one of the first professors at the Università di Bologna to participate in European projects; in the 6th Framework Programme his research group was a partner in two projects. He was president of the Italian Society of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Microbiology, Director of the Institute of Agricultural Microbiology and Deputy Director of the Department of Agroenvironmental Sciences and Technologies.
He delivered several courses at both Universities, including General Agricultural Microbiology, Agro-Environmental Microbiology and others related to different areas of Applied Microbiology. He has always been much loved by students, for his ability to transmit the passion for his work and the insatiable curiosity for research.
Academics and non-academics remember him fondly for his academic activities, skills, availability and consistency with which he forwarded his ideas. He was known to always have the right words for everyone, regardless of the role he held within both universities and beyond.
We mourn his loss but his legacy will live on.
