Title: associate professor

Association/Company: Università degli Studi di Firenze

Biography
Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Florence. She is member of the America Association for Cancer Research, of the Italian Society of Toxicology and of the Italian Society of Pharmacology and author of 110 papers on international scientific journals. Her research is mainly focused on the study of environmental risk factors and the prevention and control of carcinogenesis and chronic inflammatory bowel disease through diet. 

Speech session
Microalgae applications

Speech
Microalgae as functional foods for the prevention and treatment of metabolic alterations

Abstract
Obesity is a major heath concern being associated with several chronic and life-threatening diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and metabolic disorders collectively defined as metabolic syndrome. In an experimental model of metabolic syndrome, the microalgae Arthrospira Platensis and T-isochrysis Lutea improved the lipid profile and reduced blood pressure. T. Lutea also showed effects similar to those of the drug fenofibrate, without exhibiting its hepatotoxicity.
These data suggest that A. platensis could be tested as a complementary strategy for the control of metabolic syndrome and related complications and that T. Lutea deserves to be explored for human use.