Mycotoxins: Natural compounds present in food produce toxicological effects. An overview of in vitro studies

Date: 

Thursday, November 14, 2019, 12:00pm to 1:00pm

Location: 

RCC Conference Room, 26 Trowbridge St., Cambridge MA.

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by molds and fungi that may contaminate all stages of the food chain. They are mainly produced by fungi of genera Fusarium, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Alternaria. Inhalation or ingestion of mycotoxins can be poisonous and hazardous to humans and animals and the toxicological syndromes can range from acute mortality to slow growth, reduced reproductive efficiency and also impaired immunity, so decreased resistance to infectious diseases.

mycotoxin

Mycotoxins released into their living environment affect either foods or agricultural crops, particularly cereals and oilseeds, which are consumed by animals and humans. Contamination by molds and fungi can occur during growth, storage or even later on in processed food and feed.

In this seminar the toxicological effects of several physiological target sites of mycotoxins on different mammalian cell lines will be presented.

Speaker: Ana Juan-García, Visiting Researcher Harvard University Department of Molecular and Cell Biology.

Sponsors: RCC; Harvard University Department of Molecular and Cell Biology.