"NETTLE: Cross-border cooperation for the valorisation of alpine plants as a source of bioactive compounds" is a project within the framework of Interreg Italia - Austria, which the FH Salzburg is carrying out together with the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano and the University of Udine. The second meeting of the cooperation partners took place from 21-22 October 2024 in Bolzano.
The NETTLE project aims to obtain natural extracts from 30 different alpine plant species (Compositae, Rosaceae and Labiates) with interesting biological activities that are typical of the Austrian-Italian border region. The functional properties of the extracts will be determined and will subsequently be used as a source of bioactive compounds for the development of functional foods with antioxidant effects and cosmetic/medical formulations for the treatment of skin diseases such as acne, neurodermatitis or Epidermolysis bullosa. Salzburg University of Applied Sciences is part of the project with its Biomedical Sciences and Forest Products Technology & Timber Constructions degree programmes.
The 2nd meeting of the project partners has now taken place in Bolzano. It started with a joint dinner at the typical South Tyrolean Törggelen in a very atmospheric setting. The food was delicious and we were all able to get to know each other better during relaxed conversations. A total of 18 people from the three universities attended the meeting, a mix of researchers from Italy, Austria, Iran, Turkey and India. The meeting continued the next day at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. The programme included an update on the sample collection of the 30 plants and the presentation of the interim results of all project partners.The next steps were discussed and financial and communication activities in the project were coordinated. Open questions between the various research teams were discussed at length and monthly online meetings were scheduled in future to better coordinate the individual steps in the various laboratories and strengthen collaboration. At the end there was a guided tour of the really impressive laboratories at the University of Bolzano.
We would like to thank our project partners in Bolzano for their hospitality and look forward to the next face-to-face meeting in spring at the University of Udine!
