Universitat Rovira i Virgili

Montse Pinent

ORCID

ResearchGate

She is Associate Professor of the URV. Graduated in biochemistry (1996-2000) and doctor by the URV (2000-2005), both titles with extraordinary prize of end of studies of this university. She completed her doctorate with a competitive scholarship from the Generalitat de Catalunya. She performed two stages abroad, 2 months in the Rowett Research Institute, Scotland, and 3 months in the Graz University of Technology. Later she obtained a postdoctoral fellowship also from the Generalitat de Catalunya, for her stay of 2 years (2005-2007) at Graz University of Technology, Austria. From 2007 she returns as a teacher to the URV, obtaining first a place as a lecturer (assistant doctor), until the competition for her current position (September 2014).

In the field of teaching, she has taught at all levels of university education.

In the field of university management she has coordinated doctoral programs at the URV (2009-2014). Currently and since October 2014 is Responsible for the Degree of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the URV.

Since 2000, her research has focused on the study of the bioactivity of proanthocyanidins, a group of flavonoids widely distributed in nature and in foods derived, and with great interest for human health, given their beneficial effects described. The work has focused from the beginning on its possible beneficial role against pathologies associated with the metabolic syndrome, studying its effects at physiological level in animal models of this pathology, and studying the mechanisms of action. Its role in adipose tissue has been described first, where it exerts insulinomimetic effect. Subsequently, the work focused on the pancreas as key organ secreting insulin, describing the effects of proanthocyanidins on the modulation level of the hormone secretion, modulation of apoptosis and proliferation in this tissue, and antilipogenic effects on the pancreas. The last line of work focuses on the interaction of proanthocyanidins on the enteroendocrine system, mainly in relation to glucose homeostasis. An interaction of proanthocyanidins with the enteroendocrine system on the production of incretin GLP-1 has been shown to inhibit the enzyme responsible for its deactivation; both in healthy animals and in animals with pathology. It has also been shown that such interaction with the enteroendocrine system promotes satiety, being therefore of high interest for the production of functional feed.

In parallel, she has worked on other projects involving the study of other bioactive compounds in the aforementioned functions (a new patent has just been submitted), as well as collaboration with companies for specific studies.

All the work has been published in more than 40 indexed articles, most of the first quartile, and in more than half being first or last author, or corresponding author, including 5 reviews, as well as has been collaborated in 5 book chapters. She has two patents.