Barbara Laddomada | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Best Research Article Award

Dr. Barbara Laddomada, PhD, is a senior researcher at CNR-ISPA whose career since 1999 has centered on advancing the nutritional and technological quality of Mediterranean foods through integrated approaches in food science, plant genetics, and bioactive compound research. Her work focuses on understanding and improving the genetic basis of health-promoting components in crops, with particular emphasis on wheat, pulses, and other staples of the Mediterranean diet. She has developed extensive expertise in food science and technology, the traceability of Mediterranean food supply chains—including extra-virgin olive oil, wheat, and pulses—and the characterization of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Her research also contributes to the valorisation of plant biodiversity and the sustainable use of food by-products. Laddomada plays an active international role as a member of the Wheat Initiative’s Expert Working Groups on improving wheat quality for processing and health, as well as on durum wheat genomics and breeding. With an academic foundation in agricultural sciences and a doctoral degree in plant genetics, she has conducted influential research experiences, including dissecting the genetic basis of yield and quality traits in durum wheat under FAO sponsorship and serving as a visiting scientist at Kansas State University, where she contributed to projects on protein content and plant health. She currently leads major national and international research projects, including the PRIMA MEDWHEALTH initiative aimed at enhancing the functional and health value of wheat-based foods, and additional collaborative projects funded by European and national agencies targeting grain loss reduction, sustainable wheat cultivation, and agro-food chain innovation. In addition to her scientific leadership, she contributes to research evaluation as a reviewer for national funding bodies and supports scholarly communication as an editor for the journal Foods and a reviewer for numerous peer-reviewed journals in food science, food chemistry, and food technology.