Lycotec is a leading company specialising in the development of carotenoid-based technologies for a broad range of medical, nutritional and industrial applications. http://www.lycotec.com/

The International Carotenoid Society together with Case Western Reserve University (School of Medicine) is hosting the 1st Virtual International Conference on Carotenoids from June 22 – 25.  Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic this is a belated event which makes it the first scientific meeting of the Society in the last three years.

https://www.carotenoidsociety.org/the-1-st-virtual-international-conference-on-carotenoids-vicc-2021/

Lycotec founder Dr Ivan Petyaev has been invited to give two presentations on his discovery of new properties of carotenoids to affect the physical properties of lipids.

One important application of this phenomenon could lead to the development of treatment of cholesterol crystals, the main culprits behind the rupture of atherosclerotic plaques, the event leading to heart attacks and ischemic strokes.

This discovery could be particularly important for this field as, despite the development of effective therapies for cardiovascular diseases, they remain the main cause of death in the last few decades, and there are no drugs available which can target cholesterol crystals.

The other new property of carotenoids that has been discovered is their ability to change the physical parameters of lipids which facilitate their thermal energy distribution, processing and storage. Since temperature variations are one of the main factors affecting the life of all species, carotenoids can play an important role in their environmental adaptation.

Humans are able to generate and control the level of their own thermal energy. Regardless of the source of potential temperature stress, external or internal, the need to maintain temperature within a certain narrow range is critical. Therefore, the new role of carotenoids as thermo-adaptogens could be essential in supporting our body homeostasis and its immune system and be a foundation for disease resistance.