Design, development and characterization of DHA-based emulsion for Nutrilipidomics strategies

The industrial PhD project presented here is part of the R&D strategies of the Lipinutragen company. The innovation brought by the company concerns nutrilipidomics, i.e. the correlation between the lipid composition (in fatty acids) of the cell membrane and lipid-based nutraceuticals, especially starting from the well-known dependence of the lipid composition on the intake of essential fats, omega- 6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Among the results obtained from the membrane lipidomic profiles, the case of autistic subjects is here highlighted, showing the significant deficiency of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The activity during the PhD was devoted to the nutrilipidomic approach. Part of the activities were devoted to scientific research in lipidomics: a) the study of lipidomic profiles in the frame of two collaboration projects: one with the group of Dr. I. Tueros at AZTI, Bilbao, regading obese population, and the other one regarding seed germination with the changes of the fatty acid profiles with the group of prof. A. Balestrazzi of the University of Parma; b) the liposome preparation for protection and lifetime prolongation of the peptide somatostatin, which was an important premise to the formulation of the DHA-containing microemulsion. The activities was also focused on the development of DHA-containing nutraceutical formulations in the form of emulsion, overcoming the difficulty of the capsule ingestion, to be administered orally. The work pointed to study the combination of active ingredients, based on the previous know-how regarding the bioavailability for the cell membrane incorporation. The ingredients of the formulation were studied and tested in vitro for the bioavailability of DHA to be incorporated in the cell membranes of different types of cultured cells. Part of this study is covered by non-disclosure agreement since it belongs to the know-how of Lipinutragen.

Physiological and biochemical adaptation to salinity in wild halophytes suitable for Mediterranean agriculture

Due to the accelerating processes of soil salinization and shortage of fresh water, the practice of saline agriculture is gaining momentum in many areas of the world. However, there are some concerns that using saline water for irrigation may be non-environmentally sustainable, with potential to cause irreversible soil degradation. In addition, there is a lack of information on the morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes that can occur in plants when irrigated with saline water. In light of the above, the major aim of this work was to investigate the effects of a range of water salinity levels and irrigation regimes on the performances of salt tolerant species promising as future crop plants for saline agriculture. The following objectives were addressed: To determine the effects of different water regimes (leaching irrigation vs. no leaching irrigation) with water at increasing salinity concentrations on the growth, ion accumulation and water relations of Sorghum bicolor plants grown under saline soil conditions. To describe the germination response of Salicornia europaea seeds across a wide range of water salinity levels through six reliable indices for screening salinity tolerance at the seed germination stage. To explore the different physiological responses of six wild halophytes commonly found in the Mediterranean area (Artemisia absinthium, Artemisia vulgaris, Atriplex halimus, Chenopodium album, Salsola komarovii, and Sanguisorba minor), and rank their tolerance after exposure to growing levels of water salinity. To identify the main adaptation mechanisms that distinguish C3 from C4 halophytes when exposed to increasing salinity in the growth media, through a comparative study between the C3 species Atriplex hortensis and the C4 species Atriplex halimus. To identify the main adaptation mechanisms that distinguish annual from perennial halophytes when exposed to severe conditions of salinity and drought, through a comparative analysis between two annual Salicornia spp. and the perennial Sarcocornia fruticosa.