BrainMap

Mr. Catalin Marian

Dr.

Professor - UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE " VICTOR BABEŞ " TIMISOARA

Researcher | Teaching staff | Scientific reviewer | Manager

Curriculum Vitae (12/02/2024)

Expertise & keywords

Transfered microRNAs as biomarkers for evaluating the impact of genetically modified organisms on the end consumer Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA 2013 - call
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-0443 2014 - 2017

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE " VICTOR BABEŞ " TIMISOARA

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE " VICTOR BABEŞ " TIMISOARA (RO); SC ICA RESEARCH&DEVELOPMENT SRL( ICA R&D) (RO); UNIVERSITATEA DE STIINTE AGRICOLE SI MEDICINA VETERINARA A BANATULUI DIN TIMISOARA (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE " VICTOR BABEŞ " TIMISOARA (RO)

Project website: http://pcca0443.webs.com/

Abstract:

Food based on genetically modified organisms tends to become increasingly dominant in modern society. Despite the evident advantages of these genetically modified foods, they are insufficiently characterized regarding the impact on human health due to the lack of long term longitudinal studies and studies on the possible interaction between the transferred genetic material from plants and the host genome and transcriptome.

For a long time it was considered that DNA and RNA from food could not resist the protection mechanisms of the body and they were degraded during digestion. However, recent data have shown that both types of nucleic acids can overcome these protection barriers, being transferred into the consumer’s organism. In this respect, a special attention was paid to microRNAs due to their regulatory action on gene expression.

The proposed project aims to analyze in a qualitative and quantitative manner the microRNAs transfer from genetically modified and non modified types of soy and corn to mammals (mice) and its possible effect on the host gene expression patterns in various target tissues. The project uses a murine model including males, females and pregnant females.

In order to achieve the goals of the proposed project, a consortium was set up comprising a University of Agricultural and Food Science, a Medical University and a private company with strong research focuses on food sciences. A multidisciplinary team of researchers was constituted as part of the consortium structure, including specialists in the field of genetically modified organisms and food biosafety, experts in biochemistry, molecular biology and molecular embryology specialized in the analysis of biomarkers of gene expression, together with specialists in the field of food traceability and impact on the consumer.

Apart from the scientific contribution regarding the transfer of genetic material from plant to mammals through food, the proposed project also aims to develop a methodology for selecting and evaluating the impact of plant microRNAs that can be transferred to the consumer, by comparatively analyzing genetically modified and native (unmodified) plants.

The transfer of research results from practice to the private partner consists in the design of a patentable biomarker panel of microRNAs that could be used in biosafety expertise and the possible impact of plant based foodstuffs on the consumer. Consequently, based on food plant microRNAs expression profile and their possible effect on the consumer organism, one could evaluate the presence of these plants or byproducts in food, and perform a comparative evaluation at target the gene expression level between the impact of a genetically modified plant and its non-genetically modified correspondent.

Prostate cancer specific miRNAs: evaluation as biomarkers in biological fluids and their role in the carcinogenic process Call name: Exploratory Research Projects - PCE-2012 call
PN-II-ID-PCE-2012-4-0279 2013 - 2016

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE " VICTOR BABEŞ " TIMISOARA

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE " VICTOR BABEŞ " TIMISOARA (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE " VICTOR BABEŞ " TIMISOARA (RO)

Project website: http://idei279.webs.com

Abstract:

Recently, it has been shown that miRNAs can be reliably detected in biological fluids including serum and urine of cancer patients. Therefore we propose a study having as overarching hypothesis that there is a panel of prostate cancer specific miRNAs differentially expressed between normal and prostate cancer patients that can be detected in serum and urine, are involved in various carcinogenic processes, thus being useful as biomarkers for detection and potential therapeutic targets.

The primary objective of the proposed study is to identify prostate cancer specific miRNAs in biological fluids that can accurately distinguish cancer from normal subjects. The second objective is to validate the circulating and urinary miRNAs as biomarkers in a prostate cancer case-control study and to investigate their association with clinical and pathological characteristics. The third objective is to perform an in vitro analysis of selected miRNAs in prostate cancer cell lines in order to elucidate some of their roles in the carcinogenic process and identify them as potential therapeutic targets.

To our knowledge, this is the first study proposing to comprehensively assess miRNAs in all compartments of biological fluids (exosomes, free, and cellular sediments), and if confirmed by future prospective studies, and these miRNAs will prove to be good biomarkers for prostate cancer, they will have an enormous impact on the prostate cancer detection, screening and ultimately standard of care.

FILE DESCRIPTION	DOCUMENT
List of research grants as project coordinator or partner team leader
Significant R&D projects for enterprises, as project manager
R&D activities in enterprises
Peer-review activity for international programs/projects