Vinny Project -

VINNY's research keeps moving forward, this time reaching Maastricht, where the GBMI research group (Group of Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology), from VINNY's partner Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), brought the Project to the 50th FEBS Congress.

Marking its 50th edition, the FEBS Congress brought together researchers from across the molecular life sciences for five days, from 4 to 8 July 2026, of plenary lectures, parallel symposia, speed talks, and poster sessions at the MECC Maastricht Exhibition & Conference Centre. Hosted by the Netherlands Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NVBMB), this milestone edition combined a celebration of past achievements with a forward-looking view on the future of biochemistry and molecular biology.

Bridging basic science with field application, the VINNY researchers presented a poster titled "Pectin-coated zein nanoformulation for phenolic biofungicide delivery and targeted control of Penicillium expansum in vineyards,"tackling a pressing challenge in sustainable agriculture: Penicillium expansum, a pathogen responsible for blue mold in grapes and other fruit, and the growing resistance to conventional synthetic fungicides”.

The proposed formulation, zein nanoparticles loaded with phenolic biofungicides and coated with pectin, releases its active compounds only when triggered by the fungus's own pectinolytic enzymes, achieving a 5-log reduction in Penicillium expansum growth while leaving non-target organisms unaffected.

These results support pectin-coated zein nanoparticles as a promising bio-based delivery system for the targeted and sustainable control of blue mold, reinforcing VINNY's mission to replace conventional agrochemicals with precision-engineered, eco-friendly alternatives for a more resilient European viticulture.