DISPONIBILITà DI TESI DI LAUREA

The obtainment of gamma-glutamyl derivatives with flavor-enhancing and/or nutraceutical properties in sufficiently large amount for practical applicat ...

The obtainment of gamma-glutamyl derivatives with flavor-enhancing and/or nutraceutical properties in sufficiently large amount for practical applications is currently hampered by the troublesome and low-yielding procedures connected with isolation from natural sources and the non-economic chemical synthesis. An enzymatic approach based on the use of gamma-glutamyltransferases is attractive, but still plagued by several drawbacks. The project is aimed at the study of the transpeptidation reaction catalyzed by bacterial gamma-glutamyltransferases and mutants thereof, in order to circumvent the limitations currently affecting the biocatalysts.

The function of mitochondria is central in energy metabolism and most aspect of aerobic cell biology. The apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) is a highly  ...

The function of mitochondria is central in energy metabolism and most aspect of aerobic cell biology. The apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) is a highly conserved eukaryotic mitochondrial protein that, in addition to be involved in caspase-independent apoptosis, possesses a key role in the biogenesis and maintenance of mitochondria in healthy cells. To fulfill the latter function, AIF steadily interacts with the protein partner CHCHD4 within the intermembrane space of the organelle, where they play a chaperon-type action towards cytoplasm-imported polypeptides. In particular, the AIF-CHCHD4 complex catalyzes the redox dependent formation of disulfide bridges in the target protein, most of which are respiratory complex subunits, by specifically oxidizing some of their Cys side chains. We found that CHCHD4 dramatically affects the structure and reactivity of AIF. Aim of the present thesis project is to ascertain how CHCHD4 binding allosterically modulates the affinity of AIF for its other ligands, including NAD+/H and its redox catalytic activity. The strategy of the study will include the production of the two mammalian proteins in recombinant form, their purification by high performance chromatography, and the in vitro study of their interaction by several different biochemical techniques, including spectrophotometry, analytical chromatography, thermal shift analysis, micro scale thermophoresis, protein crystallography.

Valutazione in vitro degli effetti della vasorina su colture cellulari di muscolatura liscia aortica: un possibile legame tra malattia renale cronica  ...

Valutazione in vitro degli effetti della vasorina su colture cellulari di muscolatura liscia aortica: un possibile legame tra malattia renale cronica e propensione all’insorgenza di malattie cardiovascolari.

Dear students,

We are looking for a highly motivated student that would like to do the thesis in a project about expression analysis of cytokinins an ...

Dear students,

We are looking for a highly motivated student that would like to do the thesis in a project about expression analysis of cytokinins and the involvement of these hormones in sexual reproduction in plants.

We have a dynamic and international atmosphere in the lab, with many researchers from different countries and collaborators abroad.

If you want to be trained in plant science experiments, developmental biology and molecular biology tools please contact me.

The duration of internship will be around 4 months lab work and 2 months writing thesis max.

Available on request at juan.ezquer@unimi.it

Disponibile su richiesta a juan.ezquer@unimi.it

Available on request at juan.ezquer@unimi.it

Disponibile su richiesta a juan.ezquer@unimi.it

Global warming has a direct impact on agriculture: in general, low water availability and supra-optimal temperatures negatively affect the plant repro ...

Global warming has a direct impact on agriculture: in general, low water availability and supra-optimal temperatures negatively affect the plant reproductive processes and therefore hamper the normal fruit or seeds development, thus limiting both crop yields and quality of fruit/grain production. 

Our lab has identified candidate genes that could control the response to drought stress in rice (Chaperones, TFs,  LEA proteins group (Late Embryogenesis Abundant protein), among others). These players play a role in protecting plants from abiotic stress damage by protecting protein structure and binding metals under osmotic and oxidative stresses. 

Using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing combined with morphological and physiological characterization of selected lines in rice,  the student will learn advanced concepts in plant developmental biology with a focus on understanding at the molecular, cellular and developmental level, the mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance in rice.  

The thesis hereby proposed is supported by a network of research institutes and universities in the frame of the ERANET “CropsForChange” research project and involves the collaboration and interaction with a  trans-continental consortium.

Available on request at juan.ezquer@unimi.it

Disponibile su richiesta a juan.ezquer@unimi.it

Occurrence of chalkiness in rice is a nutritional effect important for the seed industry. It is generally attributed to genetic and environmental fa ...

Occurrence of chalkiness in rice is a nutritional effect important for the seed industry. It is generally attributed to genetic and environmental factors, especially drought and high temperatures.

A better understanding of those achievements is essential to develop new rice varieties with a reduced chalky grain percentage. Therefore, we propose a comparative and developmental characterization of different rice traditional cultivars to identify potential genetic resources leading to high seed quality parameters in rice.  Grain quality parameters will be measured with advanced microscopy techniques as well as carbohydrate content analysis and potentially quantification of other metabolites of interest. 

We are interested in the identification of genetic players controlling low chalkiness endosperm, which is important in adaptable rice varieties as a pragmatic approach to mitigate climate change.

The main goals of this thesis are focused towards the identification of genetic mechanisms that regulate tomato fruit quality traits under abiotic (wa ...

The main goals of this thesis are focused towards the identification of genetic mechanisms that regulate tomato fruit quality traits under abiotic (water deficit) stress conditions.

Specifically the work will be developed through two lines of research with certain objectives: 1) Identification of candidate genes controlling tomato fruit quality in response to water deficit 2) analysis of growth conditions (natural compost and biostimulants) as environmentally sustainable and economically favorable tools to optimize crop productivity in tomato with a specific focus in fruit and seed quality. 

The student will learn multiple techniques from molecular and cell biology, genomics as well as nutritional and metabolic profiling. 

The student will be involved in an international collaboration with agronomic institutes and research centers from the mediterranean area. 

Effetti del fumo di sigaretta sulla produzione di surfattante da parte dei pneumociti (cellule epiteliali alveolari) di tipo II umani in modello in vi ...

Effetti del fumo di sigaretta sulla produzione di surfattante da parte dei pneumociti (cellule epiteliali alveolari) di tipo II umani in modello in vitro

The plant hormone auxin, regulates a variety of physiological and morphological
processes including gynoecium and fruit development. Auxin signal trans ...

The plant hormone auxin, regulates a variety of physiological and morphological
processes including gynoecium and fruit development. Auxin signal transduction and auxin
signalling are processes largely performed by the transcription factors AUXIN RESPONSE
FACTORS (ARFs) and auxin/indole acetic acid protein family.
Recent studies suggest that a deregulation on auxin signalling can switch the
developmental program of the ovule from sexuality to agamic (asexual) reproduction.
Asexual reproduction is highly desirable in agriculture because it guarantees the
perpetuation of superior genotypes. In Paspalum notatum (a forage crop), miR160 and its
target transcript ARF10 showed consistent differential representation in both reproductive
types (Ortiz et al. 2017, 2019; Podio et al. 2021). Very interestingly, in rice ovules before
fertilization, miR160 was reported to be down regulated while OsARF10, OsARF18 and
OsARF22 were up regulated (Wu et al., 2017). These data strongly suggest a key role of
ARFs and miR160 on the female gametophyte development in different species, with a
potential role on the regulation of asexual reproduction.

Nell’ultima decade, la ricerca sulla valorizzazione della biomassa si è soprattutto focalizzata sulla conversione chimica e/o enzimatica delle frazion ...

Nell’ultima decade, la ricerca sulla valorizzazione della biomassa si è soprattutto focalizzata sulla conversione chimica e/o enzimatica delle frazioni contenenti C, H e O (carboidrati, lignina e trigliceridi) mentre la frazione contenente azoto, e cioè proteine, ha ricevuto finora poca attenzione.
Biomassa ad elevato contenuto proteico è ampiamente disponibile dall'agroindustria e dalla produzione di biocarburanti e vi è una crescente necessità di un suo utilizzo efficiente. D’altra parte, vi è un grande interesse industriale per gli idrolizzati proteici contenenti peptidi bioattivi a causa dell’ampio range di possibili applicazioni: come ingredienti di “alimenti funzionali”, nei cosmetici e nei prodotti “healthcare”, come biostimolanti e fertilizzanti in agricoltura, come “flavour enhancers” nell’industria alimentare, ecc.
Il presente progetto si propone di sviluppare processi enzimatici efficienti, economici e scalabili a livello industriale per la preparazione di idrolizzati proteici a partire da scarti dell’industria agroalimentare.
L’attività di ricerca verrà articolata nelle seguenti fasi:
1. Estrazione delle proteine dalla biomassa
2. Idrolisi enzimatica: Il processo di idrolisi delle proteine verrà sviluppato utilizzando preparazioni enzimatiche commerciali di origine animale (es. pepsina, pancreatina), vegetale (es. papaina, bromelina) e microbica (es. Alcalase e Flavourzyme).
3. Frazionamento e caratterizzazione degli idrolizzati
4. Valutazione delle proprietà biologiche e tecno-funzionali dei bioprodotti. Particolare attenzione verrà riservata alla valutazione delle proprietà biostimolanti degli idrolizzati proteici (in collaborazione con il Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie)

The project aims to test the bioavailability and anti-inflammatory efficacy of curcumin-loaded nanoparticles vs free curcumin using in vitro cell-base ...

The project aims to test the bioavailability and anti-inflammatory efficacy of curcumin-loaded nanoparticles vs free curcumin using in vitro cell-based models used for bioavailability studies. Students will be trained on cell cultures and subsequent analysis of transcript/protein expression by qPCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry.

Gli studenti interessati possono inviare il loro CV (esami e voti di laurea triennale, esami sostenuti nella laurea magistrale in corso) tramite em ...

Gli studenti interessati possono inviare il loro CV (esami e voti di laurea triennale, esami sostenuti nella laurea magistrale in corso) tramite email a katia.petroni@unimi.it per concordare un colloquio