The objective of the Genetic Engineering of Model Plant Systems and Crops Platform is to develop an integrated system for the production of transgenic model plants (Arabidopsis, Petunia, Tobacco, MicroTomato) and crop plants that are of agronomical interest (rice, tomato) for the purpose of testing gene functions and for the development of improved crop plants, functional foods, nutraceuticals and novel products. Nutraceuticals include traditional foods, isolated nutrients, plants, dietary supplements (vitamins), genetically engineered foods, herbs and processed foods.
R&D activities and technological services
-
identification of metabolites (such as flavonoids and anthocyanins) for nutraceutical or pharmacological applications;
-
production of genetically engineered plants or new crop varieties with defined quantity and type of such metabolites;
-
generation of innovative vectors for the conditional expression of genes in plants, through the development of inducible, cell- and tissue-specific plant promoters;
-
production of genetically engineered plants to be used for the production of therapeutic recombinant proteins and pharmacological compounds (biopharming);
-
design of improved foods (functional foods) with the appropriate levels of the desired metabolites for delivery of healthy and natural compounds for nutraceutical purposes;
-
production of genetically engineered plants or new crop varieties as source of rationale and scientifically formulated mixtures of metabolites to be used as dietary supplements having a demonstrated physiological benefit or providing protection against a specific disease.
