Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra

SUA as a partner in the project of the Biomedical Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (grant recipient) in Bratislava within the Operational Program Integrated Infrastructure, calls for applications for grants to support long-term strategic research - Population Health and Health Technologies, call number OPVaI-VA / DP / 2018 / 1.2.1-08, together with partners, submitted a project entitled Long-term strategic research on prevention, intervention and mechanisms of obesity and its comorbidities (ITMS 313011V 344). Other partners in the project are: AP2 s. r. o., BIOMIN, a. s., MABPRO, a. s., Comenius University in Bratislava, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava.

The project was successful and on 3 November 2020 the Biomedical Center signed the agreement. The project implementation period is September 2019 - February 2023.

Subject of research

The subject of research is the mechanisms of obesity and its accompanying diseases with a focus on metabolic, cardiological and oncological comorbidities, the impact of obesity on the nervous system with emphasis on the regeneration of its damage and mechanisms of hematopoietic malignancies, the mechanisms of obesity with a focus on diabetes, metabolic disorders and immunity and precise nutritional doses for controlled weight reduction and metabolic correction, development of innovative technology for preparation of nutritional supplements in various test combinations and forms, influence of metabolic stresses in tissues on cellular phenotype in the context of obesity oncological comorbidities, as well as development of expert computer system supplements in the individualized metabolic intervention of obesity and comorbidities.

Outputs to practice

Outputs for the practice will be the establishment and pilot operation of the first Center for Obesity Management in the Slovak Republic, accredited by the European Association for Obesity Research (EASO) expert system for experts in the form of a web service for personalized prediction of nutritional supplement combinations based on individualized data and parameters.

Interesting facts of the project

The specifics of the project will be new scientific knowledge, practical applications, innovative products and raising public awareness, especially of young people, about the adverse effects of obesity on health and comorbidities, the benefits of obesity research, interventions and the importance of prevention and prophylaxis of obesity and its concomitant diseases, public-private research and development and innovation cooperation of academic and business entities and improving their competitiveness.

Research activity and topics

SUA in Nitra is responsible for solving an independent research activity called Plant Resources in the Prevention and Intervention of Obesity and focuses on solving three key topics.

Topic 1- Research of natural sources of substances with a potential effect against obesity in connection with their effect on the weight and metabolic parameters of obese individuals. It focuses on the evaluation of the effects of selected plant sources in the prevention and intervention of obesity and supportive treatment of its comorbidities based on qualitative-quantitative analyzes of bioactive substances and the evaluation of the impact of agri-environmental conditions on the variability of constituents in monitored plant sources.

Topic 2 - Verification of the effect of regular consumption of plant resources with a high content of bioactive substances on the regulation of weight, lipid profile and other health parameters in obese probands. Within it, clinical studies will be carried out in order to verify the safety and effectiveness of regular consumption of juice prepared from selected plant sources, respectively, regular consumption of juice prepared from selected plant sources supplemented by the administration of new preparations prepared under activities 4 and / or 6. There will also be a nutritional history, dietary frequency questionnaire and 24-hour nutritional protocols, anthropometric research and biochemical analysis, including determination of lipoprotein LDL subfractions and HDL cholesterol, as well as the evaluation of a clinical study in the context of changes in individual health parameters due to the consumption of foods with bioactive substances.

Topic 3 - Evaluation of genetic predispositions of obesity and action of phytoprotective substances on fat metabolism in monitored probands is focused on determining genetic predisposition of probands for selected SNP polymorphisms of genes associated with fat metabolism regulation, on determination of genetic predisposition of probands for SNP polymorphisms degradation of active phytoprotective substances, to create a SNP panel to study the effect of phytoprotective substances on fat metabolism of tested probands, transcriptomic analysis of phytoprotective metabolic pathway genes for a targeted group of probands, as well as to create a personalized approach to determine predispositions to phytopathic effects.

The research team consists of employees of the Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, the AgroBioTech Research Center and the Rectorate of the SUA in Nitra.

The project manager for SUA is Ing. Lucia Gabríny, PhD., Director of the AgroBioTech Research Center.