Francesca Pagnanelli

Francesca Pagnanelli is a Full Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Rome La Sapienza, specializing in the theory of chemical process development. She leads the Interuniversity Research Center HIGH TECH RECYCLING and co-founded Eco-Recycling for technology transfer. Her research focuses on sustainable processes for waste valorization, including hydrometallurgical recycling of high-tech waste, bioproduction of chemicals via microalgae, and green solvent applications. She has pioneered projects like LIFEBIOAs (European LIFE+ funded) and LIFEDRONE, emphasizing circular economy principles.

Her work integrates experimental and modeling approaches to optimize chemical, physical, and biological processes. Key areas include metal recovery from wastewater, electrode material synthesis from spent batteries, and bio-based plastic production from microalgae starch. She has authored 158 Scopus-indexed publications and holds 5 European/international patents.

Francesca advises research lines on bioelectrochemical systems, green solvents, and sustainable battery recycling. Her lab (No. CI10) collaborates on pilot-scale recycling demonstrations, aiming to bridge industrial applications and academic research. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned, though her contributions to recycling innovation are widely recognized.