2018Agro2

On-line application form

Supervisor mail:
lousanchez@unizar.es

Title of the research project:

Effect of the technological treatments on the activity of mill proteins and fractions in the intestinal function: potential for their application on functional foods (LACTOFUN)

Description of the research project:

Foods contain components that have health-beneficial effects, the intestine being the first target.

Among beneficial food components, proteins and peptides, and especially those from milk, have great interest because diverse functions have been identified for them, such as inmunomodulative, antihipertensive, antimicrobial and osteogenic. The aim of this project is to study the activity of milk fractions and proteins as inhibitors of bacterial and virus adhesion and proliferation, on epithelial intestinal cells. The effect of preservation treatments, such as thermal treatments and non-thermal treatments like high pressure, will be evaluated on those fractions and proteins. Several minor bioactive milk proteins, not very well known, can be recovered from milk and dairy by-products, revalorizing them. The goal of this project will be to evaluate the potential use of milk bioactive proteins as functional ingredients, not only in in vitro models but also in in vivo models, which is a crucial progress respect to the state of the art, and to establish the optimal conditions for obtaining them to fully preserve their properties.

The objectives of this research project will be:

1. Isolation and characterization of milk fractions (whey, buttermilk and milk fat globule membraneenriched fraction) and isolated bioactive proteins (lactoferrin, lactadherin, mucins) derived from cow milk, and evaluation of their activity on the cell line Caco-2, used as an intestinal model (growth, oxidative stress, receptor expression).
2. Effect of technological treatments on the composition of raw isolated milk fractions (whey, buttermilk and milk fat globule membrane-enriched fraction) and on their activity, as previously  indicated. The technological treatments applied will be thermal treatments, high pressure and homogenization
3. Evaluation of the activity of milk fractions and proteins as isolated and after technological treatments, on the cell line Caco-2 against infection by Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, responsible for foodborne infections derived from dairy products.
4. Evaluation of the activity of milk fractions and proteins as isolated and after technological treatments on the cell line Caco-2 after infection by rotavirus responsible for diarrhea in infants.
5. Effect of milk fractions and proteins found to be the most active in Caco-2 cells, in murine models of intestinal disbiosis and inflammation, by determining intestinal motility, microbiota and expression of intestinal receptors and cytokines (1).

The project will be supported by the dairy companies, Villacorona and Industrias Lácteas Asturianas, where the student will learn the industrial processes to obtain the dairy products and how the byproducts are generated. The student will be able to collect dairy samples at the companies. The student will also maintain several meetings with Laboratorios Ordesa, together with the PhD supervisor, to discuss with them the results obtained in the project and to evaluate their application in order to improve the composition of infant formula and special products.

This project fits very well with the objectives of the Action Plan of Campus Iberus in the Agrolimentary and nutrition sector, as the expected results would be very relevant for the identification of industrial by-products with high added value and for the development of functional products.

(1) These procedures have been approved by the Ethics Committee for Animal Experimentation of the University of Zaragoza (Ref. PI40/17) according to EU Directive (2010/63), as reflected in the enclosed documents.

PHD Programme:

Doctorate in Food Quality, Safety and Technology

University of Zaragoza

Supervisor short biography:

She is Professor of Food Technology at the Veterinary School in the University of Zaragoza, where she has been teaching and researching for 29 years. Her research activity has focused on the study of bioactive milk proteins and the development of immunochemical methods for food quality control.

She has participated in 27 research projects, 26 contracts with companies and presented more than 90 communications in conferences. She is the author of 98 scientific publications in high impact international journals and 5 book chapters. In addition, she has participated in the development of 6 patents in the field of immunochemical methods, all transferred to industry and some have resulted in several commercial kits. She has directed 12 Doctoral

Theses. Currently, she holds the positions of Coordinator of the Master's Degree and Doctorate in Quality, Safety and Technology of Food, both at the University of Zaragoza. She leads the Consortium Nutríberus “Bioactive compounds derived from basic foods and their action on the microbiota and intestinal physiopathology”.

Gross annual salary:

22.000-26.000 €

The employment contract in each recruiting institution will apply internal rules so final retribution might slightly differ.

Working hours:
37,5 hours a week

Dedication:
Full time