Investigation of molecular mechanisms of adaptation of living organisms to adverse factors and development of ways to increase adaptive potential
Project acronym: Investigation of molecular mechanisms of adaptation of living organisms to adverse factors and development of ways to increase adaptive potential
State registration number: 0115U002304
Project duration: 1 January 2015 – 31 December 2017
Project executor: Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University (Project of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine)
Project goals: To develop scientific approaches for improving of the adaptive potential of living organisms based on studying their physiological and biochemical reactions on the effects of adverse environmental factors.
Specific project objectives are:
- To study the effect of external factors (changes in temperature, oxidants, heavy metal ions, pesticides and other pollutants, type of the nutrition) and aging on the physiological parameters of the functional state (survival, reproductive capacity, mobility, state of the immune system, etc.) and main metabolic pathways in model organisms.
- To study effects of external factors and aging on redox state of the cells and tissues, in particular on the ratio of oxidized and reduced forms of glutathione and nucleotide coenzymes, and on the intensity of free radical damage of proteins and lipids in the cells of model organisms.
- To describe the effects of environmental factors and aging on defense systems against free radicals, in particular, on the content of low molecular weight antioxidants and the activity of antioxidant enzymes.
- To study the operation of the molecular mechanisms involved in increasing of the antioxidant potential.
- To investigate the effects of low intensity stress and potential protective substances on increasing the adaptive capacity of organisms.
- To create a general scheme of the regulation of free radical processes in living organisms and their functional state.
- To propose ways to increase the adaptive capacity of organisms, in particular their antioxidant status, for the prevention and treatment of human pathological conditions and to mitigate the negative effects of aging.
Expected results:
- Creating new scientific knowledge, the result of which may be laws, concepts, theories, new methods, etc.
- Comparison of the expected results with the results of other authors in this issue of research.
- Perspectives for further development of the results of the project.
Contact person and project manager in Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University: Mr. Volodymyr Lushchak, Head of the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology,
e-mail: lushchak@pu.if.ua