Prof. Jeannette Lucejko from the University of Pisa has been working with Polish partners for years. Most of the research carried out with them concerns wooden heritage objects or the remains of ceramic vessels. In the case of archaeological wood, they aim to identify the degree of degradation of wooden objects and, in a further step, to select a conservation method. This is mainly wood from archaeological sites dating from the 7th century BC to the Middle Ages located in Poland.
The conservation and protection of fragile and non-renewable archaeological finds, especially in-situ conservation, is recognised as very important in the 2001 UNESCO Convention, which states that the in-situ storage of archaeological remains in natural environments plays an important role in the protection of cultural heritage. The in-situ conservation of archaeological remains requires regular monitoring of the condition of the buried material, as well as limiting and/or reducing the impact and risks caused by burial conditions. This research is carried out in cooperation with the Archaeological Museum in Biskupin.
Among her numerous projects are also studies of the remains present in ceramics of various types and ages, from which knowledge can be drawn on nutrition and table rituals, as well as the religious rituals of ancient peoples, or the trade exchanges of past civilisations, and more generally organic materials obtained in connection with archaeological finds, such as natural resins, waxes, proteinaceous materials and bituminous lipids and gums, etc. This cooperation in turn is carried out jointly with the Institute of Archaeology of the University of Wrocław.
She is also carrying out Polish-Italian research programmes aimed at increasing the efficiency of lignocellulosic biomass use in biotechnology or wood technology. This research includes monitoring the genetic changes occurring in plants used for biomass. This is a topic that prof. Jeannette Lucejko is developing in cooperation with research groups from the Institute of Plant Genetics PAS and the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry PAS and the Poznań University of Life Sciences.
As prof. Lucejko emphasises, 'the collaboration is driven by a deep and mutually trusting desire to jointly create new and interesting scientific solutions for both sides of the partnership'.

Details: prof. Jeannette Jacqueline Lucejko; Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale Universita di Pisa