Planta Med 2019; 85(18): 1572
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-3400404
Main Congress Poster
Poster Session 2
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

MediHealth – an interdisciplinary and international research and innovation staff exchange project to identify novel natural products for healthy ageing

B Waltenberger
1   Institute of Pharmacy / Pharmacognosy and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck,, Innrain 80-82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
,
N Adamopoulos
2   Department of New Business Development, Galenica SA,, Eleftherias street 4, 14564 Kiffisia, Greece
,
N Allouche
3   Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Natural Substances Section, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, University of Sfax,, Road of Soukra Km 3.5, P.O. Box 1171, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia
,
B Fiebich
4   Department of Research and Development, VivaCell Biotechnology GmbH,, Ferdinand Porsche Straße 5, 79211 Denzlingen, Germany
,
M Halabalaki
5   Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens,, Panepistimiopolis Zografou 15771 Athens, Greece
,
P Jansen-Dürr
6   Institute of Biomedical Aging Research and CMBI, University of Innsbruck,, Rennweg 10, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
,
V Kesternich
7   Department of Chemistry, Catholic University of the North,, Casilla 1280, Antofagasta, Chile
,
L Pieters
8   Natural Products and Food Research and Analysis (NatuRA), Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp,, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
,
S Schönbichler
9   Department of Analytical Research, Bionorica research GmbH,, Mitterweg 24, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
,
LA Skaltsounis
5   Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens,, Panepistimiopolis Zografou 15771 Athens, Greece
,
H Tran
10   Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy,, 41 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, 700000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
,
IP Trougakos
11   Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens,, 15784, Athens, Greece
,
A Viljoen
12   Center for Natural Products in Drug Development, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology,, 175 Nelson Mandela Drive, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
,
J-L Wolfender
13   Phytochemistry and Bioactive Natural Products and Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, EPGL, University of Geneva – University of Lausanne,, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
,
C Wolfrum
14   Department of Health Science and Technology, Laboratory of Translational Nutrition Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zürich, Schorenstrasse 16, 8603 Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
,
N Xynos
15   Department of Research and Development, Rousselet Centrifugation SA,, Avenue Rhin et Danube 45, 07100 Annonay, France
,
H Stuppner
1   Institute of Pharmacy / Pharmacognosy and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck,, Innrain 80-82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
20 December 2019 (online)

 
 

The percentage of elderly people in Europe is rapidly increasing [1]. As a result, also the prevalence of age-related diseases will significantly increase. The major aim of the MediHealth project is to introduce a novel approach for the discovery of novel bioactive natural products of food plants from the Mediterranean diet and other global sources to promote healthy ageing. To achieve this aim, a series of plants from the Mediterranean diet and food plants from Africa, Asia, and South America has been carefully selected and subjected to in silico, in vitro (advanced cell-based assays), in vivo (flies and mice models) and metabolism analysis. Advanced analytical techniques complement the pharmacological evaluation process for the efficient isolation and identification of bioactive plant constituents. Furthermore, pharmacological profiling of bioactive natural products as well as identification and synthesis of their metabolites are carried out. Finally, process optimization studies are performed to proceed to the development of innovative nutraceuticals, dietary supplements or herbal medicinal products [2].

The project is based on a well-balanced exchange of researchers between 5 universities and 4 companies from European countries as well as 4 universities from non-European countries. It is developed on the needs and interests of both sectors exploiting the existing complementary expertise. Moreover, knowledge is transferred by training of seconded researchers in environments with different research orientation where complimentary skills are required. MediHealth aspires to comprise a successful model promoting researchers’ competences and long-lasting collaborations between Industry and Academia generating innovation potential at international levels.


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Acknowledgements

This work is funded by the Commission of the European Community (Marie Curie Actions – Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE), project no. 691158).

  • References

  • 1 Demography report 2015. Publications Office of the European Union. Luxembourg: 2015
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Waltenberger B, Halabalaki M, Schwaiger S, Adamopoulos N, Allouche N, Fiebich BL. et al. Novel natural products for healthy ageing from the Mediterranean diet and food plants of other global sources - the MediHealth project. Molecules 2018; 23: 1097
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar

  • References

  • 1 Demography report 2015. Publications Office of the European Union. Luxembourg: 2015
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Waltenberger B, Halabalaki M, Schwaiger S, Adamopoulos N, Allouche N, Fiebich BL. et al. Novel natural products for healthy ageing from the Mediterranean diet and food plants of other global sources - the MediHealth project. Molecules 2018; 23: 1097
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar