Damon May - Adaptive Biotechnologies (US):
Inferring donor HLA type and exposure history from the T-cell repertoire
Oluwaseum Peter Bamidele - University of Venda (South-Africa)
Underutilized fruits and vegetables: their health-promoting properties. A case study of sweet basil leaves and roselle calyces
Date: 20/09/2024
Time: 12:00 - 14:00
Location: Campus Middelheim - G.004
Registration: is required and free of charge for researchers affiliated with the University of Antwerp (see below).
Inferring donor HLA type and exposure history from the T-cell repertoire
Underutilized fruits and vegetables: their health-promoting properties A case study of sweet basil leaves and roselle calyces
In the contemporary quest for enhancing dietary diversity and nutrient intake, underutilized fruits and vegetables present as untapped reservoirs of health-promoting compounds. This study delves into an exploratory study of two such underrecognized plant foods: sweet basil leaves and roselle calyces. Consumers expect greater functionality from food and beverage products. Celebrated for various health benefits, polyphenols have been linked to a preventive role for chronic diseases and viral infections and can relieve oxidative stress. A drink with roselle calyces (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and sweet basil leaves (Ocimum basilicum L) may provide therapeutic or preventive effects against chronic and infectious diseases. Damage caused by oxidative stress may be alleviated by the polyphenols found in roselle calyces and sweet basil leaves. The roselle-basil samples at different blend ratios were analysed for pH, total soluble solids, total titratable acidity, vitamin C, lycopene, total phenolic contents, antioxidant properties, and storage stability at different temperatures (4 and 29 °C). The incorporation of sweet basil leaves to roselle calyces slightly decreased the vitamin C and lycopene content of the processed drink. Still, it increased the total carotenoid and antioxidant activities (ABTS and ORAC) of the drink. The radical scavenging properties of the processed drink increased with the addition of the dried sweet basil leaves, and samples kept at a higher temperature of 29 °C showed a rise in antioxidant activities compared to samples stored at 4 °C. The increase in the free radical scavenging power of the drinks shows that the roselle-basil drink may serve as a health drink, and the addition of sweet basil leaves of up to 5% may be suitable to produce a roselle-basil drink.
The Biomina Lunch Talks are an initiative of a number of young researchers in the biomina network and is sponsored by the Flemish Government.
We aim to stimulate the interaction between researchers from different disciplines who encounter bioinformatics and computational biology, and consequently we focus on a broad and multidisciplinary public. With this informal medium we would like to provide a platform where knowledge and experience can be presented and exchanged, across partners from both academia and industry.
In this manner we have had the pleasure to welcome speakers from various institutes such as the University of Antwerp, the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Janssen Pharmaceutica, the Antwerp University Hospital and other.
Last but not least, these sessions can provide a great opportunity for young researchers to acquaint themselves with new ideas and methods in the field of bioinformatics and medical informatics.
Are you interested in giving a talk yourself? Let us know!
