Research Projects

Abstract

The Project addresses the most urgent problems of foodborne illnesses where Campylobacter are the leading global cause of gastroenteritis they express the increasing antimicrobial resistance in the food supply chain.  The Project data will be original and will explain the importance of spoilage biofilm formation on microplastics, and the role of these microplasastic survival, persistence and virulence of the foodborne pathogen Campylobacter. Another objective is to develop analytical methodologies for iso and characterisation of microplastics from the poultry digestive tract and the end-products, which will allow us to highlight their transmission pathway through food production processes.

The proposed Project will be realized by cooperation of Slovenian researchers (ARRS as a leading agency) from four organisations in partners with Belgian partner (FWO as partner agency). The group from University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty (ULBF) led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Anja Klančnik will coordinate the project as a world‐leading Campylobacter, Pseudomonas and biofilm research group. The group from Ghent University (UGent) will be led by world‐leading researcher Prof. Dr. Andreja R in the field of microplastics, molecular biology, gut microbiome. Microplastics analysis will be supported by the group of Institute for Water of Republic of Slovenia (IVRS) and group leader Dr. Manca Kovač Viršek. The group from Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS), led by Dr. Jerica Sabotič, with support the microscopy and FISH. The group from Institute of Metal Materials and Technologies (IMT) will be led by Dr. Tadej Kokalj, with expertise in microfluidics.

Researchers

• link to Sicris

The phases of the project and their realization

DS1: Transfer of microplastics

Lead Group: ULBF

Participating groups: UGent, IVRS, IJS

N 1.1. Evaluation of microplastics present (UGent, IVRS)

N 1.2. Direct transmission route using a cell line model (UGent)

N 1.3. Direct transmission route using mucin model (ULBF, IJS)

N 1.4. Direct route of transmission using chicken skin (ULBF)

N 1.5. Indirect route of transmission by water (IVRS)

Implementation in months of project duration: from 1 to 21 months

DS2: Microplastics as a vector for the transmission of Campylobacter bacteria

Lead Group: ULBF

Participating groups: IVRS, IJS, IMT

N 2.1. Biofilm of food apoilage bacteria inhabiting microplastics (ULBF)

N 2.2. Biofilms settled on microplastics and additional inclusion of Campylobacter (ULBF, IJS, IMT)

N 2.2. Biofilms settled on microplastics and additional inclusion of Campylobacter (ULBF, IJS, IMT)

Implementation in months of project duration: from 7 to 36 months

DS3: Microplastics as vectors of resistance transfer and Campylobacter virulence

Leading group: UGent

Participating groups: ULBF

N 3.1. Bacterial resistance (ULBF)

N 3.2. Gene transfer for resistance (ULBF)

N 3.3. Virulence of persistent Campylobacter (UGent)

N 3.4: Innovative biofilm reduction strategies (UGent, ULBF)

Implementation in months of project duration: from 2 to 36 months

DS4: Presence of microplastics

Leading group: IVRS

Participating groups: ULBF

N 4.1. Sampling (IVRS, ULBF)

N 4.2. Isolation of microplastics (IVRS)

N 4.3. Characterization of microplastics (IVRS)

Implementation in months of project duration: from 10 to 36 months

DS5: Project management and coordination

Lead Group: ULBF

Participating groups: UGent, IVRS, IJS, IMT

N 5.1. Integration of results

N 5.2. Organizational structure

N 5.3. Project plan

N 5.4. Project progress

N 5.5. Results management

Implementation in months of project duration: from 1 to 36 months

Citations for bibliographic records

• link to Sicris