On the afternoon of June 23, 2022, in Rome, the launch event of the innovative American spin-off MAGISNAT (https://magisnat.com/), based at Atlanta Tech Park, was held.
This event was attended by leading American and Italian Professors and Researchers, specialized in the study of nutrition and research on natural molecules.
Their collaboration is crucial, as they contribute to reach MAGISNAT’s goals, like: the sponsorship of two Hydroxytyrosol-based dietary supplements, the organization of research projects on polyphenols to be used in different areas, the development of patents (number WO2022079498A1), and the importance of the Mediterranean diet in preventing numerous pathologies.
Among the American figures who animated the conference were: Prof. Stephen T. Connelly, University of California, known for his important studies (Naureen Z, Capodicasa N, Paolacci S, Anpilogov K, Dautaj A, Dhuli K, Camilleri G, Connelly ST, Gasparetto A, Bertelli M. Prevention of the proliferation of oral pathogens due to prolonged mask use based on α-cyclodextrin and hydroxytyrosol mouthwash. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2021 Dec;25(1 Suppl):74-80. doi: 10.26355/eurrev_202112_27336. PMID: 34890037.); Prof. John Paul SanGiovanni, BIO5 Institute & School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness at the University of Arizona, currently working on the role of Mediterranean Diet in dealing with retinal degeneration; Prof. Peng Jin, Emory University of Atlanta, who focused on the importance of natural molecules in FXTAS; and Prof. Karen L. Herbst, Department of Medicine of the University of Arizona, who is devoting herself to the study of lipoedema (Michelini S, Chiurazzi P, Marino V, Dell’Orco D, Manara E, Baglivo M, Fiorentino A, Maltese PE, Pinelli M, Herbst KL, Dautaj A, Bertelli M. Aldo-Keto Reductase 1C1 (AKR1C1) as the First Mutated Gene in a Family with Nonsyndromic Primary Lipedema. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Aug 29;21(17):6264. doi: 10.3390/ijms21176264. PMID: 32872468; PMCID: PMC7503355), highlighting how the Mediterranean diet is among its possible treatments.
On the other hand, among the Italian professors who participated in the event it is essential to name: Prof. Benedetto Falsini; Prof. Amerigo Iaconelli, who is an expert on the Mediterranean Diet; Prof. Sandro Michelini (Dhuli K, Ceccarini MR, Precone V, Maltese PE, Bonetti G, Paolacci S, Dautaj A, Guerri G, Marceddu G, Beccari T, Michelini S, Bertelli M. Improvement of quality of life by intake of hydroxytyrosol in patients with lymphedema and association of lymphedema genes with obesity. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2021 Dec;25(1 Suppl):33-42. doi: 10.26355/eurrev_202112_27331. PMID: 34890032.); and Prof. Pietro Chiurazzi, who is working on the role of olive polyphenols in the context of FXTAS.
The MAGISNAT project came from an idea by Dr Matteo Bertelli, who, after publishing several works with most of the professors currently involved in the project and after the first patents, decided to give life to this entrepreneurship. There are still many more things that MAGISNAT has set out to do, but this was the first step toward important and interesting collaborations between American and Italian research.
