Development and validation of combined methodologies to characterize ‘multi-target directed ligands’ for decreasing the risk of neurodegeneration:
1) development of combined analytical methodologies (mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography, circular dichroism and surface plasmon resonance) for the in vitro target characterization and elucidation of the mechanism of ligand-target interaction.
2) Isolation and structural characterization of new compounds of natural origin (plants, foods extracts) and in vitro evaluation of their neuroprotective effect such as conformational changes of Aß peptide, tau protein hyper-phosphorylation and inhibition of enzymes involved in amyloid plaque and neuroifibrillary tangles formation.