Biological Sciences

Research in the biological field concerns three main areas: environmental, agri-food and biomolecular-biomedical.

There are also some transversal issues, to the development of which researchers belonging to scientific areas other than biological also contribute: chemistry, mathematics and computer science.

The research activities, both basic and applied, in the biological field are relevant to the scientific disciplinary sectors to which the researchers of the Department belong.

Environmental Research

The research carried out in the environmental field is characterized by a high degree of interdisciplinarity; it concerns the ecological risk, the rehabilitation and remediation of land and water with biological / chemical / physical methods and the study of the health consequences related to exposure to toxic-harmful substances present in the environment.

An important goal of DISIT is the development of innovative technologies that can be used for environmental management, protection and remediation.

The research lines active in the environmental field concern: the interactions between host and symbiont in mycorrhizal symbiosis, with attention to the qualitative and quantitative effects induced in the plant; the effects of heavy metals and metalloids on plants used as model systems; the phytoremediation of contaminated sites with some case studies the analysis of the microbial communities of polluted and agricultural soils under different management using molecular techniques; the study of bacteria / mycorrhizal fungi / plants interactions; the selection of nitrogen-fixing rhizobia; the development and use of biomarkers at the molecular, cellular and tissue level on edaphic and aquatic organisms; the development and use of biomonitoring and ecological risk analysis techniques.

Side panels A research line is active on renewable energies, in particular on the degradation of lignocellulose for the production of biofuels and bio-based products.

In addition, within the biochemistry of plant systems, the mechanisms of adaptation and tolerance to abiotic stresses such as salinity, white and ultraviolet light are studied, using genetic-molecular, proteomic and biochemical techniques.

These research studies are accompanied by zoological and ecological analyzes of fluvial and edaphic communities and the study of avifauna at the molecular, organismic and population level.

The interactions of this research sector concern the chemical area (phytoremediation, reclamation) and treatment of water contaminated by hydrocarbon mixtures: selectivity of adsorption on micro and mesoporous materials from model systems representative of groundwater and production. The research group in Molecular systems biology and global change ecology deals with the functioning of microoraganisms, cells, individuals and ecosystems through their decomposition and recomposition into subsystems consisting of hierarchical orders of information, in particular the genome and the proteome. This approach known as systems biology allows us to study, predict and model the adaptations and in general the effects of environmental changes including next-generation environmental pollutants including engineered nanomaterials. A particular line of research concerns the study of allochthonous species with high invasive potential such as the freshwater bivalves Lymnoperna fortunei, Dreissena polymorpha and Corbicula fluminea through the deciphering of their genome and their adhesive proteome.

The Regional Agency for Environmental Protection (ARPA Piemonte) shares with the Department about 3,000 square meters of laboratories equipped for research in the environmental field.

Agrifood Research

Some research, aimed at supporting sustainable agriculture and largely financed by the Piedmont Region (POR-FER), concerns the isolation and physiological and molecular characterization of beneficial soil microorganisms, usable as bio-fertilizers, the study the effects of these microorganisms on plants of agricultural interest and the characterization of the nutritional and sensory characteristics of the products (currently studied: strawberry, tomato, bean, corn). An important line of research is focused on the fight against Flavescence Dorée in the vine, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and the Institute of Plant Virology of Turin.

In the field of food safety, thanks also to the contribution of the Piedmont Region and the banking foundations, we proceeded to characterise typical products of the area, such as the round hazelnut of the Langhe, cheeses, nougat, honey and their traceability and traceability as a guarantee for the consumer. A biochemical study is underway on the antioxidant activity of the area's red wines. Furthermore, a chemical / toxicological research of by-products and metabolites generated by the degradation of pesticides and food additives has been active for some time.

A line of study concerning the proteomics of foods, in particular of milk proteins, is active in collaboration with the Department of Maternal and Infantile SC Neonatology of the Alessandria Hospital.

Biomolecular Biomedical Research

The fields of research in this area are divided into different areas. Microbiological research relating to the study of resistance to antifungals in fungi and yeasts of clinical interest and the search for new naturally derived compounds that can assist antibiotic therapies, is carried out in collaboration with the Microbiology laboratory of the SS. Antonio & Biagio and Cesare Arrigo of Alessandria and the Institute of Microbiology of the San Martino Hospital of Genoa.

In the field of cellular physiology: investigation of the intestinal microbiota and its possible modifications in type 2 diabetic patients; investigations on the role of ion currents, intracellular calcium mobilization systems and signal transduction pathways related to them, in physiological and pathological conditions or under the action of natural compounds, especially polyphenols, in order to develop new prevention protocols and therapy. Research in cellular biochemistry: functional characterization of a non-histone protein associated with chromatin, HMGB1 (High Mobility Group Box 1) which has a dual function depending on the state in which the cell is: localized in the nucleus and favors interaction of some transcription factors with DNA, in inflammatory conditions it is secreted in the extracellular space and exercises the functions of a pro-inflammatory cytokine, in collaboration with DiMES of the University of Genoa; cellular mechanisms of wound repair and mechanisms of action of healing agents, signal transduction, role of calcium and phosphorylation cascades.

The computational biology unit deals with the development of analysis systems for data deriving from methods defined as "high throughput" such as microarrays or massive sequencing (NGS). The main interest is the development of automatic analysis systems with particular reference to the usability of the results and ease of use. The research lines are aimed at applications on environmental, ecological and clinical projects through collaborations with groups active in the Department or with hospitals.

Osteoporosis and hypertension are among the main diseases affecting the general population. The group's research is concerned with evaluating how the bisphosphonate / antihypertensive drug combination affects the evolution of bone density and the risk of fractures.

These researches are undertaken in collaboration with prestigious national and international research laboratories.