The health potential of nutraceuticals and food supplements is triggering interest but the challenges to achieving sustainability are daunting as they need to balance nutritional requirements, costs, and environmental impact. Therefore, it appears urgent to develop innovative and sustainable strategies for producing and validate dietary components able to ensure affordable, eco-friendly and healthy food supplements. The project focuses on the production of bioactive natural compounds by innovative sustainable Italian vertical agriculture and the preclinical investigation of their beneficial effects, mainly against the development of neurogenic inflammation, which is known to play a crucial role in the onset of numerous neurodegenerative diseases (including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases), migraines and cerebrovascular diseases. The main objectives are: (i) contribute to the design of formulations based on bioactive natural compounds produced through innovative vertical farming techniques with low environmental impact(ii) provide rigorous preclinical in-vitro and in-vivo findings on their potential beneficial effects in counteracting the inflammatory response, mainly neuroinflammation, leading to the development of chronic diseases(iii) identify the main molecular targets underlying the documented effects and the specific biomarkers of the state of bio-vulnerability and resistance to neuroinflammation processes

The candidate should have a degree in Medicine & Surgery, Pharmacy/Industrial Pharmacy, Biology, Medical Biotechnology or Neuroscience. The ideal candidate should be skilled in the fields of cellular and molecular biology and preclinical pharmacology. Technical competences should include in vivo and/or in vitro procedures, immunocytochemistry, biomolecular analysis and microscopy. Additionally, team working, problem-solving ability, computer skills and basic statistical knowledge will be appreciated.

The research activity will take place mainly at the Department of Neuroscience (Univ. Turin, IT) within the Research Unit of Neuro-Immunopharmacology coordinated by Prof. M. Collino. Our main expertise is the study of the effects of pharmacological and/or nutritional approaches to target key mediators involved in the dysregulated central and peripheral inflammation, evoked by insults (e.g. ischemia, sepsis) and lifestyle (e.g. diet, stress). These activities are supported by national and European grants, and consultancies for private companies. The proposed research includes also internship in a company specialising in the production of botanicals for nutritional and pharmaceutical use