Personnel and Consultants / Organization

Within the group's framework, there are over 25 employees, between personnel and collaborators. The major part of these either have degrees or are specialized technicians.

 

  Alessandro Turello (chemical engineer),

CEO and Co-Founder. 

Born in 1954, and graduated cum laude in Chemical Engineering from the University of Trieste (Italy), in 1980.

Everything began in the ‘90s, when the European Community proposed to eliminate antibiotics from animal feed.  In their place, engineer Turello thought about introducing probiotics.  And for this purpose, in 1992 he founded the company LABORATORI TURVAL as a biotechnological sector of the group Biochemio srl., with whom he perfected and patented one of the most innovative and effective probiotics for human and zoo-technological use present on the international
market: the lactic yeast Kluyveromyces fragilis marxianus B0399 (turval B0399 ) (Kluyver B0399).
Engineer Alessandro Turello, head of scientific research group, began receiving consensus both in the veterinary and medical sectors of the Italian and international markets (in particular-- the US, Canada, Egypt, Argentina, Uruguay, Ireland, England, Thailand, Taiwan.)
Now the active ingredient has obtained important approvals from the FDA (USA), the CFIA (Canada) , the European Community and others.
The research done on probiotics by Turval Laboratories was also approved by the Ministry of Defense and by the scientific commission of the Scientific and Technological Park of the University of Udine.
The probiotic Turval is utilized by the Red Cross and the Italian Military.
Turval Laboratories are committed to causes of solidarity:  they have supported  ChildCare WorldWide (CCWW) ONLUS  in the project of training pediatricians and nurses in the specific pathologies of South Africa.

(Alessandro Turello, versione italiana)

 

 

  Paolo Valles (grad. biologist), Co-Founder

Born in 1942, and graduated in Biology from the University of Trieste (Italy), in 1968. For the next two decades, he was entitled R&D Responsible managing Patent Office and Biotechnological Productions of CRC Spa (Chemistry Research Company). Since 1982 he was managing the project: "Biological Modulators", regarding the enhancement of the probiotic lactic fermentation by yeasts to be used in the animal health. At that time he started to introduce the term "probiotic lactic yeast" (which would later become brand name for Turval's probiotic). Since 1988 he began working as as a consultant for various companies. By 1992 he joined Turval Labs.as a co-founder, where he finalized the old BM project, together with the rest of the research team, followed by development of new biotechnology production techniques (patented) and new applications. Today he is Technical Director of Livestock Feed Supplement Division and Shareholder.


  

  

  Ana Backovic (Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, PhD),
Born in 1983, and graduated with Master Degree in “Molecular Biology and Biotechnology”, University of Belgrade (Serbia) in 2007. Soon after, she was selected for Doctorate Program in “Molecular Biology”, by Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, where she obtained the Doctorate Degree in 2011. She continued her scientific career as a Post-Doctorate researcher in Molecular Medicine in International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology - ICGEB Trieste. Ana entered Turval labs in 2014, as a freelancer, coordinating research project between Turval Laboratories and Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad (Serbia): “Technology Transfer and Development of New Technologies in Probiotic Dairy Products”. Her responsibilities covered all phases, from protocol design, process optimisation on small scale, implementation in production scale, final reporting and publication writing, participation on symposiums and, finally, scientific support to commercialisation. A year after (2015) Dr Backovic became an integral part of Turval labs with the hybrid managerial role, comprising: New Product Development and Launch (managing all project stages) and International Business Development (Lead for Balkan Region & Eastern Europe – Animal Health, Nutraceutical & Pharmaceutical sector). As R&D Project Manager, her focus is on developing new applications of K.m B0399® within Dairy, Functional Food and Beverage Ind., Sports Nutrition. To complement her practical experience in Business Development, in 2017 she obtained an international Master in business administration Degree (MBA II) from Università Telematica e-Campus, Milano.

Some of the most remarkable achievements since in Turval: i) development of Balkan Market zone, ii) development & launch of the new generation probiotic yogurt, “Jogofir”, nominated "The Champion of Quality" among international competitors, within the year of launch on the Serbian market, iii) development  of  the first probiotic chocolate containing K.marxianus B0399®”.

 

 

. Francesca Cecchini (Food Technologist, PhD)

 

Born in 1979, and graduated in Food Science Technology, University of Udine (Italy), in 2007. Soon after, she was selected for Doctorate Program in “Food Science”, by Department of Food Science, University of Udine, where she obtained the Doctorate Degree in 2011. During her PhD she developed part of her research in Israel, both at Laboratory of Biosensors, Biotechnology Engineering, Ben Gurion University, Be’er Sheva, and at Kimron Veterinary Institute, Bet Dagan, where she worked in a Laboratory Biosafety Level 3. She continued her scientific career as a Post-Doctorate researcher in Food Microbiology at the Department of Food Science, University of Udine. In 2013 named Master in Biotechnology of Microorganisms, Genetics of Microrganisms, Selection and Utilization of yeasts for Enological utilization, and Molecular Techniques for Food Microbiology. She partecipated at many national and international conferences as speaker and invited speaker. She has many publications in International Journals. She was cotutor both for master and first degree thesis. She has experience of lab teaching and lectures for microbiology courses. In 2015 was selected for a Post doct position by CREATE, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore where she worked on DNA biosensors and bioluminescence bacteria testing artificial sweeteners. She has deep experience in microbiological analysis and molecular biology, including DNA biosensors. She joined Laboratories Turval late in 2017. She is involved in Quality Control, Regulatory Practices, R&D activities and microbiological analysis. She participates in different projects regarding new applications of Kluyveromyces marxianus B0399®.

 

 

 

 

Organization

  • Chairman and R&D Dept.: Alessandro Turello (chem. eng.)
  • Production Dept. and R&D Dept.: Paolo Valles (doct. biology)
  • R&D Dept.: Ana Backovic (doct. biology)
  • R&D Dept.: Francesca Cecchini (doct. food technology)
  • Product Quality Control: Doct. Cecchini
  • Strain Deposit Control: IGA (Istituto di Genomica Applicata) - Science and Technology Park
  • Strain Deposit Control: TRANSACTIVA - Science and Technology Park