diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/applicationsupportlayer/social/ApplicationNotificationsManager.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/applicationsupportlayer/social/ApplicationNotificationsManager.java
index 8975d33..7042c0a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/applicationsupportlayer/social/ApplicationNotificationsManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/applicationsupportlayer/social/ApplicationNotificationsManager.java
@@ -1,12 +1,17 @@
 package org.gcube.applicationsupportlayer.social;
 
+import java.io.File;
+import java.io.FileInputStream;
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.UUID;
 
 import org.gcube.application.framework.core.session.ASLSession;
 import org.gcube.applicationsupportlayer.social.mailing.EmailPlugin;
+import org.gcube.portal.custom.communitymanager.OrganizationsUtil;
 import org.gcube.portal.databook.shared.ApplicationProfile;
 import org.gcube.portal.databook.shared.Notification;
 import org.gcube.portal.databook.shared.NotificationChannelType;
@@ -34,12 +39,19 @@ import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 public class ApplicationNotificationsManager extends SocialPortalBridge implements NotificationsManager {
 	private static final Logger _log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(ApplicationNotificationsManager.class);
 	
+	private static final String SENDER_EMAIL = "notificationSenderEmail";
+	private static final String GATEWAY_NAME = "portalinstancename";
+	
+	private String portalName;
+	private String senderEmail;
 	/**
 	 * Use this constructor if you do not need notifications to point back to your applications
 	 * @param aslSession the ASLSession instance
 	 */
 	public ApplicationNotificationsManager(ASLSession session) {
 		super(session);
+		portalName = getPortalInstanceName();
+		senderEmail = getNotificationSenderEmail();
 		_log.warn("Asked for Simple Notification (without redirect to creator)");
 	}
 	/**
@@ -53,6 +65,8 @@ public class ApplicationNotificationsManager extends SocialPortalBridge implemen
 	 */
 	public ApplicationNotificationsManager(ASLSession session, String portletClassName) {
 		super(session, portletClassName);
+		portalName = getPortalInstanceName();
+		senderEmail = getNotificationSenderEmail();
 	}
 	/**
 	 * actually save the notification to the store
@@ -80,7 +94,7 @@ public class ApplicationNotificationsManager extends SocialPortalBridge implemen
 				_log.error("Error While trying to save Notification");
 		}
 		if (channels.contains(NotificationChannelType.EMAIL))
-			EmailPlugin.sendNotification(notification2Save, aslSession.getGroupName());
+			EmailPlugin.sendNotification(notification2Save, aslSession.getGroupName(), portalName, senderEmail);
 
 		if (channels.isEmpty()) {
 			_log.info("Notification was not needed as "+ notification2Save.getUserid()  +" decided not to be notified for " + notification2Save.getType());
@@ -753,4 +767,55 @@ public class ApplicationNotificationsManager extends SocialPortalBridge implemen
 
 		return saveNotification(not);
 	}	
+	
+	/**
+	 * read the portal instance name from a property file and returns it
+	 */
+	private static String getPortalInstanceName() {
+		//get the portles to look for from the property file
+		Properties props = new Properties();
+		String toReturn = "";
+
+		try {
+			String propertyfile = OrganizationsUtil.getTomcatFolder()+"conf/gcube-data.properties";			
+			File propsFile = new File(propertyfile);
+			FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(propsFile);
+			props.load( fis);
+			toReturn = props.getProperty(GATEWAY_NAME);
+		}
+		//catch exception in case properties file does not exist
+		catch(IOException e) {
+			toReturn = "D4science Gateway";
+			_log.error("gcube-data.properties file not found under $CATALINA_HOME/conf dir, returning default Portal Name " + toReturn);
+			return toReturn;
+		}
+		_log.debug("Returning Gateway Name: " + toReturn );
+		return toReturn;
+	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * read the sender email for notifications name from a property file and returns it
+	 */
+	private static String getNotificationSenderEmail() {
+		//get the portles to look for from the property file
+		Properties props = new Properties();
+		String toReturn = "";
+
+		try {
+			String propertyfile = OrganizationsUtil.getTomcatFolder()+"conf/gcube-data.properties";			
+			File propsFile = new File(propertyfile);
+			FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(propsFile);
+			props.load( fis);
+			toReturn = props.getProperty(SENDER_EMAIL);
+		}
+		//catch exception in case properties file does not exist
+		catch(IOException e) {
+			toReturn = "do-not-reply@d4science.org";
+			_log.error("gcube-data.properties file not found under $CATALINA_HOME/conf dir, returning default Email" + toReturn);
+			return toReturn;
+		}
+		_log.debug("Returning SENDER_EMAIL: " + toReturn );
+		return toReturn;
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/applicationsupportlayer/social/mailing/EmailPlugin.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/applicationsupportlayer/social/mailing/EmailPlugin.java
index 0d134d1..5d3ffd9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/applicationsupportlayer/social/mailing/EmailPlugin.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/applicationsupportlayer/social/mailing/EmailPlugin.java
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 package org.gcube.applicationsupportlayer.social.mailing;
 
+import java.io.File;
+import java.io.FileInputStream;
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.Properties;
 
@@ -28,7 +31,7 @@ import com.liferay.portal.util.PortalUtil;
 public class EmailPlugin {
 
 	private static final Logger _log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(EmailPlugin.class);
-
+	
 	private static String getHTMLEmail(Notification notification2Save, String userFirstName, String portalURL, String email) {
 
 		String removedMarkup = notification2Save.getDescription().replaceAll("&", "&");
@@ -75,7 +78,7 @@ public class EmailPlugin {
 		return completeActonLinkByNotificationType(notification2Save, actionLink, portalURL);
 	}
 
-	public static void sendNotification(Notification notification2Save, String vreName) {
+	public static void sendNotification(Notification notification2Save, String vreName, String portalName, String senderEmail) {
 
 		UserModel user = null;
 		String portalUrl = null;
@@ -98,7 +101,7 @@ public class EmailPlugin {
 
 		try {
 			// EMAIL SENDER
-			Address from = new InternetAddress("no-reply@d4science.org");
+			Address from = new InternetAddress(senderEmail, portalName);
 		    mimeMessage.setHeader("Content-Type", "text/html; charset=UTF-8");
 			mimeMessage.setFrom(from);
 			Address address = new InternetAddress(email);
@@ -269,6 +272,7 @@ public class EmailPlugin {
 		
 		return actionLink.toString();
 	}
+		
 }