Neurodegenerative (ND) diseases are debilitating and largely untreatable conditions that affect millions worldwide, including 7+ million Europeans. Although there remains no cure, there is growing evidence of a correlation between diet, gut, and ND diseases but a deeper understanding of what happens to neuroactive compounds once digested and their role in the communication between gut and brain is still missing. In response, NeuroTOm will answer complex questions about human exposure to neuroactive compounds (using tomato as a model food), such as what happens to these chemicals during digestion and their role in the gut-brain axis and ND disease development. It will use advanced mass spectrometry-based techniques to characterise neuroprotective and neuro-disrupting compounds in tomatoes produced organically, conventionally, and processed. An in vitro batch colon model will then be applied to investigate the fate of these compounds in the gut microbiome and identify gut-microbial metabolites. A step towards more realistic conditions will be made by investigating how the presence of neuro-disrupting compounds influences the bioavailability and beneficial effects of neuroprotective compounds in the gut. Selected compounds will also be tested using an innovative in vitro 3D colon (organoid) model to determine the role of neuroprotective/disruptive compounds and their gut microbial metabolites on intestinal epithelium cells. The proposed research is highly interdisciplinary and encompasses analytical and food chemistry, holistic and multi-omics approaches, nutritional biochemistry, biotechnology, and aspects of neuroscience. The goal of NeuroTOm is to extend the knowledge of diet–gut microbiome–host (brain) interactions and will contribute towards preventing or alleviating the burden of ND disease.

Rodent-borne microparasitic infectious diseases (e.g. LCMv), including those transmitted by the rodents’ ectoparasites (e.g. TBE), are of increasing concern for public health. Rodents themselves are also a threat to food security because they damage agricultural crops and food stores. Effective control of these emerging and re-emerging diseases (and the rodent hosts themselves) requires a full understanding of the parasite-host dynamic. This dynamic is likely to be altered where hosts are coinfected with prevalent endemic macroparasite species (e.g. helminths), which change host demography and may interact directly with microparasites via the host’s immune system. Using empirical data from a typical European temperate forest in the Autonomous Province of Trent (PAT), Northern Italy, this project will: i) first assesses which macro- and microparasites interactions exist among the common parasite community in this region (using advanced statistical methods), ii) develop a mathematical modelling framework to assess the long term dynamics of the rodent and parasite community and to simulate the outcome of a range of different parasite and host control strategies and iii) use this model to develop a co-ordinated ‘OneHealth’ plan for both rodent and parasite control in PAT .

The first aim of the project is to prove a general mechanism for plant protection from abiotic stresses (such as temperature and ozone stress) exerted by volatile isoprenoids (VIPs). Recent studies advanced the hypothesis that VIPs may function as effective antioxidants in plants by directly reacting with reactive oxygen species (ROS) that accumulate upon abiotic stress, producing oxidized VIPs. However, this mechanism is yet to be confirmed. During the outgoing phase (Harvard University, Cambridge MA, USA) the objective described above will be addressed via a comprehensive experimental approach that will be carried out on the model plant Arabidopsis (wild-type and isoprene-emitting transgenic Arabidopsis), on a plant species (Quercus rubra) that emits very large quantities of VIPs and on grapevine, a crop of outmost importance in the European economy. During the return phase (FEM, Trento, Italy) the multidisciplinary expertise gained in the outgoing period will be fully employed to study the grapevine germplasm owned by the return institution and new grapevine varieties selected or genetically modified for the emission of specific VIPs, which have recently been developed by a partner research group, in collaboration with the applicant. The final objectives of the project are 1) to prove that VIPs act as effective antioxidant on grapevine leading to an improved ozone stress resistance and 2) to integrate screening for VIP emission in the host institution grapevine breeding program in order to improve stress resistance of new grapevine varieties.

Sound plays a critical role in many species behaviour and their intra and inter specific interactions, thus disruption of animal soundscapes due to anthropogenic noise has led to significant negative impacts on wildlife populations. Although, in terrestrial environments, anthropogenic noise is recognized as a major pollutant, regulations are targeted towards human wellbeing and often not relevant to wild populations. Hence, it is critical to better understand how noise influences and disrupts wildlife ecological niches. This project will take an interdisciplinary approach to investigate the ecoacoustic dimension of human and terrestrial wildlife interactions, focussing on mammals (currently underrepresented in the bioacoustic literature). Specifically, the project will evaluate how anthropogenic noise perturbates wildlife species ecological niches in Alpine ecosystems and what are the mechanism and the consequences of such perturbation on animal behaviour and performance. I will use a large array (>200) of acoustic recorders to measure sound levels variation across anthropic gradients and identify sources of anthropogenic noise (including outdoor sports). First, acoustic data will be integrated with a similar array of camera traps to investigate how noise levels affect the spatio-temporal occurrence of wildlife. Second, I will use biologging data and hormonal stress levels from faecal samples to assess the behavioural and physiological consequences of anthropogenic noise exposure. Finally, I will use a controlled experiment to disentangle the role of auditory and visual cues, and their interaction, in the elicitation of animal behavioural responses to anthropogenic disturbance. I will complement my expertis in bioacoustics with training in camera trapping, biologging and modelling. The knowledge generated in this action will inform and support the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems (UN SDG 15, HE Cluster6 and NextGenerationEU).

Calls to stem biodiversity loss have generally focussed on the plight of charismatic vertebrates (mammals, birds, fish, amphibians) and to some extent, insects (like butterflies). However, although the abundance and diversity of microbial and helminth communities inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract have been demonstrated of critical importance to health in both humans and non-human animals, this microbiodiversity has rarely been considered within a conservation framework. Using recently collected fecal samples from two free-ranging tropical non-human primate species with contrasting ecological parameters, WILDGUT proposes a multi-disciplinary approach to investigate the four-way interplay between habitat changes, host species, and gut micro- and macro-parasites in natural environments. The results will lead to a better understanding of the impact of human activities on microbiodiversity, and whether such changes could have an effect on wildlife health, and ultimately to a species’ conservation status. Thus, the project will explore whether the comparison of gut microbiota and helminth community diversity, functions and interaction between intact and degraded habitats can be used to develop new indices to estimate host health and informing conservation strategies.