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UMIL was founded is 1922 and belongs to the 25 top EU Univ. in Life Sciences. Two departments will participate to the project: DISMA and DSF. DISMA was the first academic department devoted to research in Food Chemistry and Biochemistry founded in Italy. The food analysis and mass spectrometry group, supervised by Prof. Anna Arnoldi, is specialised in the development of methods for food quality certification (mostly based on mass spectrometry) and functional foods. A. Arnoldi is associate professor in Food Chemistry, has a 28-year experience in food research and is author of 120 scientific papers. She was coordinator of national projects and two EU ones CT96-1080 and QLK1-2002-2235 and participated to evaluation panels in FP5. The scientific staff includes 2 technicians, 2-3 research fellows/PhD students and 3-4 undergraduate students. The main facilities are a GC/MS Shimadzu GCQ5000, a HPLC-ESI-MS/MS Agilent XL100 integrated with Spectrum Mill, an informatic platform for proteomics, HPLC apparatuses for small molecules and proteins, 600 MHz and 300 MHz NMR instruments. UMIL-DISMA will co-ordinate the UMIL unity.
DSF is the largest Italian pharmacological academic department. The Laboratory of Atherosclerosis Research, directed by Prof. Cesare R. Sirtori, is mainly devoted to experimental pharmacology, using both in vitro and in vivo models of atherosclerosis. Cesare R. Sirtori is ordinary professor of Clinical Pharmacology, has a 37-year experience in pharmacological research, and is author of > 500 scientific papers. The Laboratory staff includes 5 researchers, 3-4 PhD students and 3-4 undergraduate students. The main instrumentation and facilities are animal quarters, cell culture and molecular biology laboratories, ultracentrifuges, spectrophotometers, chromatographic and electrophoresis equipments, facilities for radioactivity handling and advanced computing. DSF hosts also the “Centre for Study of Hyperlipidemia and Atherosclerosis Grossi Paoletti” directed by Prof. Sirtori where the clinical studies will take place.
Role in RTD
- Assessment of the integrity and quality of the food ingredients and study of the interactions with other food components
- Assessment of the hypocholesterolemic activity of new food ingredients by animal studies
- Assessment of the possible synergies of different food ingredients by animal studies
- Clinical studies on patients with moderate hypercholesterolemia
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