Gina Valentino

Thesis:

Cellular impact of oral lipid formulations designed for the treatment of chronic liver pathologies

Abstract:

Chronic liver diseases cover a spectrum of pathologies headed by a process that involves a progressive destruction and regeneration of liver functional parts leading to fibrosis and then cirrhosis. Oral dosage forms can help to increase patient compliance significantly improving the course of such chronic disorders and lipid-based oral medications have been shown to be suitable candidates. The aim of this project is to develop and characterize novel oral lipid-based formulations for chronic liver pathologies by means of validated and optimized in vitro models. In order to select the most efficient excipients for novel phospholipid-based antifibrotic therapies, the role of single lipids is investigated by the screening of lipid components and several techniques to assist quantitative and qualitative analysis of their effect are performed.

Lipoid GmbH is gratefully acknowledged for the endowment to this project and to the University of Jena.