TEROVA GENCIANA

The scientific activity is carried out in the fields of nutrigenomics, metagenomics, and animal welfare, with particular focus on teleost fish models. The research is dedicated to developing innovative nutritional strategies for sustainable aquaculture, through the replacement of traditional marine resources used in feeds, such as fishmeal and fish oil, with alternative protein and lipid sources of terrestrial origin, either natural or obtained through biotechnological processes. In this context, innovative ingredients are investigated, including plant proteins, insect-derived proteins produced within circular economy systems, autolyzed yeast proteins (single cell proteins), and microbial oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids, evaluating their effects on protein metabolism, growth performance, immune response, and health status of model and commercially relevant fish species. The expertise includes the use of physiological and molecular platforms to analyze nutritional and functional responses of the organism, as well as advanced high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing techniques for the study of the intestinal microbiota. The overall objective is to understand the interactions between diet, microbiota, and fish physiology, and to develop biotechnological and nutritional approaches aimed at modulating intestinal microbial communities, ultimately improving productive performance, animal welfare, sustainability of farming systems, and the quality of products intended for human consumption.