Mapping the Uncharted Human Metabolism for Novel Food Bioactives

11 doctoral candidates

Nov 2025 – Oct 2029

BioTransform is a multidisciplinary doctoral network (DN) aiming to investigate the role of health promoting constituents found in food products (food bioactives – FB), focusing on their metabolism. Even though the role of the gut microbiome is nowadays considered imperative in health homeostasis  and disease prevention, the available information regarding gut microbiome-driven FB biotransformations after food intake remains scarce and highly unexplored even regarding common food products. Thus, the goal of BioTransform is to combine state-of-the-art methods, technologies and approaches in a complementary and integrated way to reveal the role of metabolism in the digestive tract, and the impact of FB and their metabolites (biotransformation products) on health and disease. To this end, human pilot studies, in vitro and in silico metabolism simulation methods, gut microbiome sequencing, metabolite profiling and metabolomics will be employed. The BioTransform objectives will be accomplished through 11 complementary doctoral projects from 9 education and research entities, additionally including the participation of 6 associated partners from the private sector and one from academia.  

Our cohort of doctoral candidates (DC) will jointly deliver answers to important pending questions about the role of plant-derived FB and their metabolites in human health, focusing on gut microbiome-driven metabolism. The basic principle is that the metabolites, rather than their precursors – the genuine secondary plant constituents – are the real bioactives circulating in the blood stream and reaching the target organs, contributing significantly to the beneficial health effects of FB. Therefore, the core of BioTransform innovation is to extensively explore the metabolism of FB, to identify their metabolites and finally to evaluate their pharmacological profile. As a proof of concept, the bioactives of two commonly consumed food products applied as standardised supplements – olive products (Olea europaea L.) as a model for southern European (Mediterranean) dietary patterns and European blueberry (bilberry, Vaccinium myrtillus L.) for central and European dietary patterns – will be investigated. Both products have established activities against metabolism-related pathologies, but the active entities and their effects remain largely unknown.

News

BioTransform Doctoral Candidate Recruitment Closed

The recruitment process for the 11 doctoral candidate (DC) positions within the BioTransform project has now been successfully completed. Following strong interest from across Europe and beyond, the first DCs...

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BioTransform doctoral candidate positions open

BioTransform will recruit 11 enthusiastic, talented and driven doctoral candidates (DCs), highly motivated to become interdisciplinary and competent researchers and professionals in the area of health and food science. All...

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Launch of BioTransform: Mapping the Uncharted Human Metabolism for Novel Food Bioactives

A new EU-funded project, BioTransform, has officially launched. Funded under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, BioTransform will train 11 doctoral candidates to investigate how health-promoting constituents in food – known as...

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