Work Plan

Making the project real

This is how we structure the work of the project

Smart supply chain development: from an underexploited biomass to a standardized
starting material

M1-M36

WP1 goals are the following:

  • To develop and homogenise methods of analysis to quantify the Suitability Parameters (SP).
  • To understand how cultivation conditions and pre-treatments can modulate SP values.
  • To develop methodologies, sensor solutions and data acquisition protocols for rapid in-field determination of biomass quality characteristics.
  • To create chemometric models linking spectroscopic data with the functional biomass characteristics.
  • To develop a Biomass Suitability Index for an optimal downstream conversion.

Multi valorisation route: from a standardised starting material to added value fractions and bioproducts

M3-M36

WP2 will develop the Smart Dynamic Multi-Valorisation-Route Biorefinery through an approximation of the multi-valorisation route design. It will combine innovative green extraction technologies and more traditional techniques with the purpose of obtaining extracts and purified fractions. A Smart Optimization Tool (SOT4.0) will be developed.

Post-extraction technologies: From extracted fractions to high added value tailor made bioproducts

M1-M36

This WP includes post-extraction technologies essentially focused on three aspects:

  1. Enzymatic biotransformation; 
  2. Molecularly Imprinted Polymers;
  3. and Nanoparticle formulations.

Towards market applications

M6-M36

The WP will focus on carrying out the required research of applications of the bioproducts obtained in WP2 and WP3 in the target markets: food, feed, performance chemicals, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceutical industry.

OLEAF4VALUE impact assessment, regulatory & consumer considerations

M6-M36

Wp5 will be dedicated to the assessment of global sustainability (LCA, S-LCA, LCC), as well as to study the socio-economic repercussions, consumer health and safety while making a deep analysis of social perception towards the market uptake of the developed solutions. Regulatory assessment and monitoring will also be included in this WP since the beginning of the project.

Paving the way towards market launching

M1-M36

WP6 will develop the exploitation strategy, including market analysis and competitive watch, business case development (business model canvas methodology), IPR and data management, FTO follow-up, primary producers and stakeholder engagement and standardization.

Dissemination and communication

M1-M36

This WP will dedicate special efforts to maximize the impact of the project by defining a strategic dissemination and communication plan that stimulate the acceptance of the project concept.

WP8 Project management

M1-M36

This WP defines the role of the coordinator during the project execution.

Research groups within the O4V project

University of Florence (UNIFI)

  • Prof. Maria Camilla Bergonzi

  • Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Technique and Legislation, Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, Italy

  • Prof.ssa Maria Camilla Bergonzi (Partner of the project and PI of UNIFI unit) will apply micro/nano encapsulation technologies to improve bioavailability and technological performance of olive bioactive compounds and extracts. In particular, the formulation of micro/nanoemulsions, polymeric micelles, solid dispersions and co-ground products represent the proposed strategies.

    The influence of optimized formulations on solubility and permeability of olive bioactive bioproducts will be evaluated using an artificial membrane permeability (PAMPA) assay and Caco-2 cells. 

  • ORCID ID Profile

  • Research Gate Profile

  • UNIFI Profile

Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB)

  • Prof. Rolando Dias

  • Professor at Instituto Politécnico de Bragança

  • Prof. Rolando Dias is in charge of the supervision of all technical activities of IPB in the framework of the OLEAF4VALUE project, including molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) designing, synthesis and testing. Application of the MIPs for the purification of olive leaf extracts, process development and prototype implementation. Extraction of bioactive compounds in olive leaf including with supercritical CO2.

  • rdias@ipb.pt

  • IPB Profile

  • Prof. Joana Amaral

  • Professor at Instituto Politécnico de Bragança

  • Prof. Joana Amaral is in charge of olive leaf extraction and compounds identification through LC-MS, HPLC-DAD, GC-MS. Hydrodistillation and essential oil extraction, non-polar fraction in olive leaf.

  • jamaral@ipb.pt

  • IPB Profile

  • Prof. Maria João Pereira

  • Professor at Instituto Politécnico de Bragança

  • Prof. Maria João Pereira is in charge of the development of a web application to optimize a control application in the framework of the continuous sorption/desorption process based on MIP technology to target bioactive compounds contained in olive leaf. Creation and connection to a database to save the information captured automatically from the engine or manually from the operator.

  • mjoao@ipb.pt

  • IPB Profile

  • Prof. Getúlio Igrejas

  • Professor at Instituto Politécnico de Bragança

  • Prof. Getúlio Igrejas is in charge of the physical assembly and development of a control system to run a continuous sorption/desorption process based on MIP technology to target bioactive compounds contained in olive leaf. This set-up is designed to work at the gram scale with an automatic sorption/desorption system.

  • igrejas@ipb.pt

  • IPB Profile

  • Catarina Gomes

  • PhD student at Instituto Politécnico de Bragança

  • Catarina Gomes is in charge of designing, synthesis and testing of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). Application of the MIPs for the purification of olive leaf extracts. Hybrid natural-synthetic MIPs.

  • cpgomes@ipb.pt

  • IPB Profile

  • Ayssata Almeida

  • Researcher at Instituto Politécnico de Bragança

  • Ayssata Almeida is in charge of the synthesis and testing of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). Application of the MIPs for the purification of olive leaf extracts, namely to target secoiridoids, flavonoids and lignans. Extraction of bioactive compounds in olive leaf including with supercritical CO2. HPLC-DAD analysis.

  • ayssata@ipb.pt

  • Claudia Martins

  • Researcher at Instituto Politécnico de Bragança

  • Claudia Martins is in charge of the synthesis and testing of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). Application of the MIPs for the purification of olive leaf extracts, namely to target triterpenic acids. Extraction of bioactive compounds in olive leaf including with supercritical CO2. Hydrodistillation and essential oil extraction, non-polar fraction in olive leaf. HPLC-DAD and GC-MS analysis.

  • claudia.martins@ipb.pt

InnoRenew CoE.

  • Anna Sandak

  • Researcher group leader at InnoRenew CoE.
  • Anna was involved in the project proposal preparation. She is now co-supervising Ph.D. student Albert Kravos and supporting his research activities. She is also revising project deliverables and is involved in the preparation of scientific contributions related to the O4V project.

  • Research Gate Profile

  • LinkedIn Profile

  • Jakub Sandak
  • Research group leader – Advanced Manufacturing at InnoRenew CoE.
  • Kuba is coordinating WP1 and therefore involved in preparation of the sensor solution for early-stage biomass suitability assessment. He is also working on implementation of SAMBIO concept and Oleaf4Value encyclopaedia. He is co-supervising Albert Kravos in his Ph.D. studies and supporting his research activities.

  • Research Gate Profile

  • Google Scholar Profile

  • Albert Kravos
  • Assistant Researcher at InnoRenew CoE.
  • Albert’s role in the OLEAF4VALUE project is to gather and analyse data about the spectral signature of olive laves and evaluate this biomass availability. This data is complementary with the reference values obtained in the wet laboratory chemical analysis of the leaves and allows me to create chemometric models that can predict some quality aspects of the olive leaves. On the other hand, the olive leaf biomass availability research is geared towards the identification of the available quantity of leaves in the local small scale olive farming of the Slovene coastal region.

  • Research Gate Profile

  • LinkedIn Profile

  • Balázs Dávid

  • Researcher at InnoRenew CoE.

  • Balázs (together with Miklos) is developing mathematical basis and software for implementation of SAMBIO for Oleaf4Value supply chain optimization.

  • Research Gate Profile

  • Google Scholar Profile

  • Miklós Krés

  • Researcher group leader – Information processing at InnoRenew CoE.

  • Miklós (together with Balázs) is developing mathematical basis and software for implementation of SAMBIO for Oleaf4Value supply chain optimization.

  • Research Gate Profile

  • LinkedIn Profile

  • René Alexander Herrera Díaz

  • Postdoctoral researcher at InnoRenew CoE.

  • Rene is collaborating with the chemical analysis of the leaves, providing support in the laboratory, reviewing specific deliverables, and attending meetings.

  • Research Gate Profile

  • LinkedIn Profile

Martin-Luther-King University-Halle

  • Wim Wätjen

  • Research group leader at Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

  • Wim is the coordinator for the research project “Bioactivity of olive leaf extracts in the model organism C. elegans”. Together with Christian Büchter he supervises several master students involved in the project.

  • LinkedIn Profile

  • Christian Büchter

  • Postdoctoral researcher at Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

  • Christian coordinates the lab experiments to analyse protective effects of olive leaf extracts on C. elegans. He co-supervises several master students involved in the project and is responsible for the development of specific methods for OLEAF4VALUE.

  • Maximilian Gross

  • Technician at Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg

  • Max performs many of the C. elegans experiments for the OLEAF4VALUE project and is the primary lab-supervisor of all persons involved in the project. He is responsible for the maintenance of the nematode cultures and the lab equipment.

Our project partners

OLEAF4VALUE counts with 16 project partners from 9 EU countries