BESTMEDGRAPE is coordinated by the University of Cagliari (UNICA). Gianluigi Bacchetta is the project coordinator; he manages, coordinates and supervises all the project activities, meetings, resources and information, also fostering the participation of all partners. The coordinator is supported by the project manager Maria Laura Foddis and the project assistant Nicola Nieddu, who are in charge of the implementation, monitoring and closure of all the project activities.

The Communication Manager Francesca Meloni is in charge of the creation and dissemination of multimedia communications and activities aimed at engaging the stakeholders. The Financial Manager Emanuele Cabras manages the financial resources of the Lead Beneficiary and supervises the financial activities of the other partners.

Regarding communication and financial aspects, the project benefits from the collaboration of the internal staff of UNICA: the press officer Sergio Nuvoli and the administrative team directed by Stefania Lecca.

The scientific aspects of the project are carried out by four teams coordinated by Maria Manconi, who is in charge of the research and scientific activities of the project with the support and collaboration of Maria Letizia Manca and Carla Caddeo, respectively members of the Steering and Scientific Committee of the project.

The first group, coordinated by Gianluigi Bacchetta, operates within the Sardinian Germplasm Bank (BG-SAR), a structure part of the Hortus Botanicus KaralitanusService Center (HBK), that deals with the characterization, study and conservation of grapevine germplasm. The team is in charge of the technology transfer on the characterization of autochthonous grape cultivars with the aim to favor their conservation and suitable exploitation. For more info and updates, read the news

The second and third teams belong to the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DISVA). The Unit of Pharmaceutical Technology for Phytonanoformulations, coordinated by Maria Manconi, will develop nutraceutical and cosmeceutical nanoformulates using winemaking waste and eco-sustainable production processes. The Food Analytical Chemistry Unit, coordinated by Carlo I.G. Tuberoso, will characterize the pomace extracts by quantifying the total content of the polyphenolic compounds and determining the main compounds belonging to the classes of benzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols and anthocyanins.

The fourth research team, the Neuropharma Unit, is coordinated by Micaela Morelli, belongs to the Department of Biomedical Sciences (DiSB). The activities of this team will consist in testing the in vivo efficacy of the nanoformulations produced by the team led by M. Manconi. They will also address the technology transfer of knowledge on health-promoting properties of grape and potential therapeutic applications, especially concerning the prevention/management of neurodegenerative diseases.

As for business creation, it will be managed by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CREA), coordinated by Maria Chiara Di Guardo. It promotes the culture of entrepreneurship and interdisciplinarity and the development of innovative business projects through contamination between the various scientific-disciplinary sectors; CREA team will take care of the selection of 30 potential Italian entrepreneurs and will support them by organizing and delivering the Business Creation in order to integrate managerial and scientific knowledge, to develop problem solving and management skills and to exploit market opportunities.

Finally, the project is supported by an e-learning platform, which is the hub by which knowledge and interactions will travel across laboratories and entrepreneurs, developed and administrated by Gabriella Sferra.