Funding Successful. This project reached its goal before 31/07/2019.

The project

Seeds are life; they give life to plants that nurture the whole planet and provide a considerable source of food for us humans. The seeds have other hidden sides as well…and we have spotted some tools to unveil the secrets of seeds. Join us to explore the other side of the seed.

“From a small seed a mighty trunk may grow” (Aeschylus) … the seeds providing our daily bread have a huge, and often hidden, potential associated with food, medicines, or cosmetics. We have spotted an awsome molecular key to help us unfold some of these hidden secrets.
This key is called microRNA.
Scientifically speaking, microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules with complex functions in controlling the activity of thousands of genes found in both plants and humans. Otherwise, imagine them as ‘little garden gnomes’ holding the garden key and taking care of gardening in order to grow perfectly beautiful flowers.
In plants, these microRNAs can oversee the plants’ adaptation to their surroundings and even aid them to adapt to harsh conditions.
Recently, the scientific community has made an amaizing discovery by showing that plant microRNAs can influence the activity of human genes. Imagine this as the ‘little garden gnomes’ being able to take care of your body. A new horizon has now been opened, a horizon where plant microRNAs, ingested through diet, became advocates of biomedical research by contributing to the cure of severe diseases like cancer or multiple sclerosis.
In view of these new information, our objectives are to identify microRNAs present in the seeds we eat daily, such as cereals or legumes, and verify their resistance during cooking along with their potential to target human genes.

The choice of species to study (rice, maize, and soybean) is made in view of the available scientific tools (e.g. databases, high- throughput molecular platforms) needed to carry out this investigation. By performing comprehensive and integrative analyses, it will be possible to aquire information on the roles that plant microRNAs might have on in our diet, wealthfare and health.

By comparing the microRNAs present in the crude seed with those preset in cooked food, resistant microRNAs with potential health benefits will be individualized and studied in the context of ‘a novel social network’ between plants and human beings.


Link to our social media:

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Goals

Project goals in terms of the use of collected donations thoughout the crowdfunding campaign

  • Gather a collection of microRNAs present in cereal and legume seeds
  • Select microRNAs resistant to cooking and evaluate their characteristics
  • Identify plant miRNA able to potentially regulate human genes

1° goal: 10.000

Reagents for molecular biology (3.000 €) + High-throughput ‘miRNAome’ analysis (7.000 €)

2° goal: 30.000

1 year scholarship for a student

Sponsor

SA.PI.SE

SA.PI.SE

Apolf Pavia

Apolf Pavia

Birrificio Rurale

Birrificio Rurale

Sottovento

Osteria letteraria

Assosementi

Associazione Italiana Sementi

Video

Media Gallery

Rewards

DONATION OF 20 €

Personalized shopper with our logo.

DONATION OF 50 €

An assorted basket containing 2 packs of jam, a pack of biscuits, a pack
of rice.

DONATION OF 100 €

An assorted basket containing 4 packs of jam, two pack of biscuits, two packs of rice:
Alternatively a free ticket for the concert held by the Fint Floyd band in Pavia (final event of our crowdfunding)

DONATION OF 200€

Acknowledgments in the scientific publication

DONATION OF 500 / 1.000 €

Acknowledgments in the scientific publication produced within the project. An electronic copy of the publication will be provided.
For Companies who will sponsor the crowdfunding, the company logo will appear on the official website and it will be as well present during the several events planned thoughout the crowdfunding.

Team

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Alma Balestrazzi

| Founder

Alma Balestrazzi

| Founder
Associate Professor in Plant Physiology at the Department of Biology and Biotechnology (DBB) - University of Pavia. Complete CV
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Anca Macovei

Anca Macovei

Assistant Professor at the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Biotechnology ‘L. Spallanzani‘, University of Pavia, Italy. Complete CV
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Andrea Pagano

Andrea Pagano

PhD Fellowship from IUSS-Scuola Universitaria Superiore Pavia (www.iusspavia.it), PhD Program in Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology. Complete CV
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Chiara Forti

Chiara Forti

Master Degree in Experimental and Applied Biology, University of Pavia. Complete CV
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Carla Gualtieri

Carla Gualtieri

2017. Master Degree in Experimental and Applied Biology at the University of Pavia, with a score of 110/110 cum laude. Complete CV

Backers

  1. Evento "Il Trio Mosaico per i Semi"
  2. Anonymous
  3. Evento "mercatino di natale" del 16/12 RICCARDI
  4. Evento "Quelli che i semi non dicono ...sfilano!" e Villaggio Esteban
  5. Evento "Quelli che i semi non dicono ...sfilano!" e Villaggio Esteban
  6. Elena Maestri
  7. Alessandro Lodigiani
  8. AssoSementi
  9. Evento "Fint Floyd"
  10. Evento mostra fotografica Cairoli
  11. Workshop Dottor Corda
  12. Anonymous
  13. Evento "Teatro, birrificio, marmellate" 13/05/2018
  14. A cena con i semi
  15. Marina PIerangela Gatti
  16. Evento "A teatro con i semi"
  17. Evento "Raccolta colombe di Pasqua"
  18. Evento del 21 marzo da "Pane e salame"
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  • Donazione minima

  • Shopper personalizzata con il nostro logo

  • Un cesto assortito contenente 2 confezioni di marmellata, una confezione di biscotti, una confezione di riso

  • Un cesto assortito contenente 4 confezioni di marmellata, due confezioni di biscotti, due confezioni di riso. In alternativa: biglietto omaggio concerto a Pavia della band Fint Floyd evento finale

  • Ringraziamenti nella pubblicazione

  • Ringraziamenti nelle pubblicazioni scientifiche prodotte nell’ambito del progetto e invio di una copia elettronica delle pubblicazioni stesse. Per aziende donatrici, il logo comparirà sulla piattaforma e accompagnerà i numerosi eventi organizzati durante la campagna