Research Group:
Carlo Virgilio Luigi Costa, Antonella Bertazzo Stefano Comai
Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Building A, Via F. Marzolo, 5, I-35131 Padova (PD)
Tel. n.: 049-827-5354/5377/5331 Fax n.: 049-827-5366,
e-mails: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it stefano.comai@unipd.itThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
The research objective is tryptophan metabolism in physiological and pathological conditions.
In particular, determinations of the concentrations of neurotransmitters, among which serotonin (5-HT) deriving from tryptophan, are considered a valid method to ascertain the function of central nervous system. In fact, some brain tryptophan metabolites are involved in the pathogenesis of behavioural disorders such as alcoholism, violence, suicide and other psychiatric affections such as depression, schizophrenia, bulimia and anorexia.
This research activity is also involved in dismetabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity.
Some research projects regard food chemistry, in particular proteomic and metabolomic changes during food processing.
Parts of the above projects are carried out in collaboration with national and international research groups.