Assessment of bacterial nanocellulose on Caenorhabditis elegans

Amanda Muñoz Juan, Nanoparticles and Nanocomposites (NN) group, ICMAB-CSIC

Date: Tuesday, 16 Jan 2024
Time: 11:00 AM
Venue: Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB, CSIC) - Sala d'Actes Carles Miravitlles

Abstract:

The modern era has reshaped our diets rising the obesity-related health issues. Dietary fibers (DF), undigestible polysaccharides by humans, are explored to mitigate these problems. Among the DF, cellulose is the most abundant polysaccharide. It is usually obtained from plants, but new sources have been explored. We focused on evaluating Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) produced by a gram-negative bacteria. BNC is chemically identical to plant cellulose but with distinctive properties. Despite proven biosafety and associated benefits, its full potential in the food industry remains untapped. This thesis evaluates bacterial nanocellulose fibers (BNCf) in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, shedding light on its biological interactions at the organism, tissue, and cellular levels, with implications for understanding and maximizing its benefits. We identified the reduction of lipid markers and positive effects in the immunological response upon ingestion.

Supervisor:

• Anna Laromaine, ICMAB-CSIC

PhD Committee:

• President: Judith Rollinger, University of Vienna
• Secretary: Julián Cerón Madrigal, Fundació Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBEL)
• Vocal: Rosalía Rodríguez Rodríguez, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC)

University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)
PhD Programme: Biotechnology