BrainMap

Mrs. Dana Copolovici

PhD., Habil.

Professor - UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD

Researcher | Teaching staff | Scientific reviewer | PhD supervisor

Web of Science ResearcherID: https://publons.com/researcher/1270768/dana-maria-copolovici

Curriculum Vitae (13/05/2024)

Expertise & keywords

Cell-penetrating peptides-containing systems as a potential platform for the use in breast and prostate cancer treatment Call name: P 4 - Proiecte de cercetare exploratorie - PCE-2021
PN-III-P4-PCE-2021-0639 2022 - 2024

Role in this project: Project coordinator

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD (RO)

Project website: https://cpps-cancer.uav.ro/

Abstract:

Cancer became a major concern with human morbidity and mortality worldwide, therefore many strategies have been applied to combat the propagation of cancer cells and their elevated growth such as chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Cell-penetrating peptides, CPPs, are useful vectors for the delivery of therapeutic agents such as drugs, siRNA, splice-correcting oligonucleotides, proteins, and plasmids. This project will focus on the design and synthesis of new cell-penetrating peptides obtained by performing chemical modifications of well known antimicrobial peptides. The CPPs will be non-covalently conjugated with different established drugs to obtain stable complexes to study the cellular uptake and pharmacological effects in relevant biological systems. The project aims to develop suitable methods for cell delivery of drugs with high specificity for cell/tissue cancer phenotypes. This project has a strong multidisciplinary character which falls into a special important area of science since it brings together a wide area of expertise including peptide/organic chemistry, molecular biology, cell biology.

Improving the nutritional quality of meat products by applying some innovative technological strategies Call name: P 2 - SP 2.1 - Proiect experimental - demonstrativ
PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2021-3240 2022 - 2024

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD (RO)

Project website: https://gelly-meat.uav.ro/

Abstract:

Today there is a tendency of eliminating trans and saturated fats from foodstuffs, because of the proved relation between their consumption and appearance of some cardiovascular diseases. A current promising fats’ substitution in foods is represented by oleogelation, which represents a new technique of imparting to liquid vegetable oils the functionality of solid fats, resulting a gel-like structure. Nutritionally improved food products which incorporate oleogels contain less amounts of saturated fats and a more important content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. In food applications, oleogelation is one of the most-in-trend strategies for substitution of unhealthy saturated fats, with applicability in bakeries, spreads, confectioneries, and meat products.

Considering all listed aspects regarding the health benefits of using oleogels as fats replacers in food products, we consider that it is a great opportunity and need to obtain novel oleogels, starting from the actual state of knowledge from the field. The challenge to design new oleogels applicable in meat products represents the starting point for current project proposal, while the development of some innovative and healthy reformulated meat products constitutes the final aim. We have proposed to obtain reformulated canned minced meat, by substituting saturated animal fats usually used within classical technology with oleogels pumpkin seed oil-based. This action is salutary, taking into consideration the fact that worldwide there are only few studies regarding the development of a pumpkin seed oil-based oleogel, unstudied in meat products. It is also o chance to expand the consumption of pumpkin seed oil in human diet, due to its nutritive and therapeutical benefits. Feasibility of proposed project will be verified through innovative meat products’ level of acceptance through consumers, as well as through the nutritive and sensorial differences registered as against same meat products traditionally obtained.

The impact of abiotic and biotic stresses on plants due to climate changes Call name: P 4 - Proiecte de Cercetare Exploratorie, 2020
PN-III-P4-ID-PCE-2020-0410 2021 - 2023

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD (RO)

Project website: https://stressedplants.uav.ro/wordpress/

Abstract:

Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere due to human activities. Global CO2 concentration has risen more than ever in the last 20 years, from 385 ppm in 2010 to 416 ppm in June 2020. The working hypothesis of the project is based on the fact that because of climate change (increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration and global temperature), plants subject to other stressors (abiotic and biotic) tend to develop certain defense mechanisms including emission of different volatile organic compounds and modification in the synthetic pathway of other secondary metabolites.

The general objective of the present study is to investigate the influence of abiotic and biotic stresses on plants grow at elevated carbon dioxide in order to include the volatile emission in global models and to determine the modifications in the synthesis of secondary metabolites.

The originality and innovation elements of the present project consist of studies regarding stress-induced (both abiotic and biotic) to plants grown at high carbon dioxide concentration.

Nanoparticles from natural waste materials with potential medical applications Call name: P 1 - SP 1.1 - Proiecte de cercetare Postdoctorală
PN-III-P1-1.1-PD-2019-0607 2020 - 2022

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD (RO)

Project website: http://natwamed.uav.ro

Abstract:

Nanotechnology is the emerging field of science involved in the designing and synthesis of nanosized materials and devices. Green synthesis of nanoparticles is simple, cost-effective, and relatively reproducible and aims to minimize generated waste, compared with chemical and physical methods alternatively used. It is a sustainable process that leads to nanomaterials with unique properties (e.g., antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer activity). Green synthesis based on natural biological precursors, namely phytochemicals, depends on various reaction parameters such as solvent, temperature, pressure, and pH.

In the present project we aim to use as key active agents for metal nanoparticle synthesis (gold nanoparticles, AuNPs, and silver nanoparticles, AgNPs) polyphenols recovered from essential oil post-distillation waste. Polyphenolic compounds are found in almost all the organs of plants and are involved in the development of the plant, in reproduction, plant-plant signalling, and also in defence against environmental stresses (low temperatures, pathogen infection, herbivores attack, and nutrient deficiency). Polyphenols recovered from these plant wastes are a sustainable approach for obtaining plant-based reagent for green synthesis of nanoparticles. Polyphenols can act as both chelating/reducing and capping agents for AuNPs and AgNPs synthesis. The chemical composition of the plant extracts will be determined by UHPLC-MS and spectrophotometry. The obtained AuNPs and AgNPs will be physically and chemically characterized by UV-Vis, SEM, AFM-Raman, X-ray diffraction studies. The antioxidant and antibacterial properties of (i) aqueous plant waste extract, (ii) nanoparticles solution and (iii) purified nanoparticles will be also determined. The new metal nanoparticles may have multifunctional applications such as pharmaceuticals (anticancer, antibacterial), bioimaging, sensing, degradation of water-soluble organic pollutants, wound healing, dermato-cosmetics, etc.

Closing the bioeconomy value chains by manufacturing market demanded innovative bioproducts Call name: P 1 - SP 1.2 - Proiecte complexe realizate in consorții CDI
PN-III-P1-1.2-PCCDI-2017-0569 2018 - 2021

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Chimie si Petrochimie - ICECHIM Bucuresti

Project partners: Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Chimie si Petrochimie - ICECHIM Bucuresti (RO); INSTITUTUL DE CHIMIE MACROMOLECULARA "PETRU PONI" (RO); UNIVERSITATEA "DUNAREA DE JOS" (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU STIINTE BIOLOGICE (RO); UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD (RO)

Project website: http://icechim-rezultate.ro/proiect.php?id=51&lang=ro

Abstract:

Agriculture and food industry in Romania generates large amounts of co/by-products, which are not used and turn into wastes, with negative impacts. The approach of the project PRO-SPER is to develop integrated processes, flexible and interconnected, to transform a number of agro-food by-products in bio-products, with market demand. This approach facilitates the achievement of project goals, complex-coordination and linking of the research organizations that are members of the Consortium, INCDCP-ICMPP, UDJ, ICECHIM, INCDSB and UAV, for improving their institutional performance in the field of nano-and bio-technologies of their application into bioeconomy.

The overall objective of the project PRO-SPER is to increase the impact of research and development activities and innovation of the RDI institutions, by developing and harnessing innovative technological solutions for bio-nano-processing of several by-products from the bioeconomy value chains, for recovering and/or formation of value-added components and their use in order to obtain products with high added value.

Expected results through the implementation of the project (21 new jobs, 23 national patent applications and international patent applications 6 EPO/WIPO; 10 technologies/new products resulting from the project, at a level of technological maturity to enable taking over by the operators, 5 services research and technological research services 10 cheques, 10 experiments cheques services

80 internship of young researchers from and within partner institutions, 50 visits for developing new techniques for working jointly in the Consortium, 30 training internships for new employees, 28scientific papers, 1 joint program CDI, in line with the development plan of institutional partners) have a significant impact on the capacity-building of the partners in the Consortium.

Demonstrative processing plant for an innovative hemp retting. Call name: P 2 - SP 2.1 - Proiect de transfer la operatorul economic
PN-III-P2-2.1-PTE-2016-0217 2016 - 2018

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: ECOMAX S.R.L.

Project partners: ECOMAX S.R.L. (RO); UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD (RO); CALORIS GROUP SA (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA AUREL VLAICU ARAD (RO)

Project website: http://itop.uav.ro/

Abstract:

The project entitled " Demonstrative processing plant for an innovative hemp retting" will develop a technological line for application on an industrial scale of a new concept of technology for hemp retting in small pools by applying a technical innovative solution ( patent Number: RO128837-A0, EP2703527-A1) to obtain high quality fibers.

During the technological processes at pilot industrial scale, beside the retting phase (the main component) will also be tested experimentally the other components of the technology of obtaining superior quality hemp fibers (dry stalks, reuse of wastewaters) and finally all components will be integrated in an automated line.

The novelty acquainted by this research is the use of mixed microorganism inoculum on a substrate of waste fruits and yeast for efficient hydrolysis of the pectins at low temperatures, in the process of hemp retting, the use of a culture of symbiotic yeast and acetic bacteria for removing the pectins from the wastewaters, and use of microwave assisted drying of the stems instead of hot air.

The activities presented in the project will be implemented in partnership and results will bring out: (i) a hemp retting technology applied at industrial scale, (ii) a bio-cleaning method for wastewaters purification industrial applied , and (iii) a prototype processing plant for hemp retting that will give rise to a patent application at the end of the project.

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