Moleculas Soberbas, a start-up company which aims to undertake research on deflamine, a protein extracted from lupine seeds which is believed to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, has been given the green light to create a small biscuit factory in Madeira.
For now the group of researchers, in partnership with several other research and health entities, is developing pre-clinical tests that could lead to the use of a crude extract of deflamine to prevent and cure inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer. So far, the results are encouraging and several pre-clinical trials are being prepared together with several institutions in Lisbon.
The deflamina project, developed by researchers from the Higher Institute of Agronomy of the University of Lisbon (ISA-UL), Ana Lima, Joana Mota and Ricardo Boavida Ferreira, won the Born from Knowledge (BfK) Awards, promoted by the National Innovation Agency ( ANI) in the last edition of the Food & Nutrition Awards (FNA).
A little bit of good news in a world full of fear.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
