A knowledge-exchange on studying the mechanisms of metabolic disorders associated with aging was carried out between CPSBB and the University of Athens

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Liliya Mihaylova from the “Plant Cell Biotechnology” department of  CPSBB visited the capital of Greece for a scientific exchange with researchers from the Faculty of Medicine (Department of Physiology) of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The visit was held at the invitation of Dr. Konstantinos Palikaras, who is a leading researcher in the field of experimental neurophysiology and synaptic mitophagy. He is the leader of a large-scale research project funded by the European Research Council and a mentor to a team of young scientists, postdoctoral fellows and doctoral students with a focus on studying the aging processes of neuronal connections in the model organism Ceanorhabditis elegans.

As a result of an established partnership between the teams of Dr. Palikaras and the scientists led by Prof. Dr. Milen Georgiev from CPSBB and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Assoc. Prof. Liliya Mihaylova was invited to exchange experience in research on age-related metabolic disorders and the role of mitochondrial dynamics in their development. A joint research experiment was conducted to establish the neuroprotective potential and influence on mitochondrial dynamics of pure natural compounds. Assoc. Prof. Mihaylova’s expertise in experimental studies of the biological activity of natural products to influence metabolic disorders was complemented by the professional experience of her colleagues from Greece in relation to the processes of aging and mitophagy in the model organism C. elegans, which is a prerequisite for sustainable development of the partnership and future joint scientific projects.

During the visit, Assoc. Prof. Mihaylova held a lecture to her colleagues on the topic “Integrating Molecular Pharmacology, Metabolomics and Plant Biotechnology for Accelerated Identification of Natural Anti-Obesity Compounds”. The presentation summarized results from two research projects which Assoc. Prof. Mihaylova currently leads, funded by the Scientific Research Fund.

Information about the project “Cross-talk between PI3K/AKT/GSK3 and AMPK/SIRT1 signaling pathways in the development of obesity and metabolic disorders – a molecular-pharmacological approach to study triterpenoids (PAGAS)  (KP-06-Н83/4)”.

Information about the project “Natural NRF2 activators modulating obesity mechanisms: molecular pharmacology-based in vivo study (KP-06-КОСТ-4)”