University of Udine

University of Udine - Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences - Veterinary Physiology and Physiopathology Unit The research topics of the Veterinary Physiology and Physiopathology Unit concern the study of the interactions between environment, management, nutrition and well-being in relation to reproduction, growth and resilience. The activities of the gonadotropic, somatotropic and hypothalamus-hypophysis-adrenal axes are studied in different animal models and in different biological states (pregnancy, puberty, neonatal period and adulthood). The Unit also deals with clinical investigations in the field of veterinary andrology, obstetrics and gynecology of animals, as well as the methods of study, control and synchronization of reproductive functions and the application of the main reproductive technologies and biotechnologies. In particular, the research concerns:

• study of the effects of potentially stressful environmental changes that have long-term application. On the basis of the collected data we are working on the research of markers useful for improving the evaluation of the allostatic load and the resilience of the organism for an early understanding of the potential of recovery in the presence of particularly demanding biological changes such as delivery and lactation. The study is carried out using matrices that provide for a limited impact at the time of sampling, in order not to alter the state of well-being, but which are at the same time easy to handle, store and send. The end-point is to identify markers of wellness to be validated in the field

• study of the effects of unbalanced diets and corrective diets able to influence the hormonal activity of the endocrine glands and physiological homeostasis

• development and validation of analytical methods using RIA, EIA and AlphaLISA immuno-competitive systems to evaluate the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal, gonadotropic, somatotropic axes

• studies relating to veterinary andrology and to the pathophysiology of reproduction in livestock species; in particular, investigations on the reproductive characteristics of Simmental calves and bulls in relation to age and different nutritional, environmental and social factors

• evaluation and implementation of systems for the conservation and use of spermatozoa in various animal species

• studies on the development of reproductive technologies and biotechnologies such as artificial insemination, synchronization of estrus and ovulation, superovulation, collection, evaluation, conservation and transfer of embryos

• studies on the in vitro cultivation of tissues, gametes and embryos of the main animals species.