On July 30, 2025, Dr. Francesca Giampieri, Assistant Professor at Marche Polytechnic University, Italy, was invited by the School of Food and Biological Engineering to deliver a lecture titled “The Effects of Dietary Polyphenols on Cancer Cells” at Wenhua Building. Faculty members and graduate students attended the event.

During the lecture, Dr. Giampieri shared her recent research on the anti-cancer mechanisms of natural bioactive compounds, presenting complex scientific findings in a clear and engaging way. She emphasized that although cancer treatment has advanced considerably over the past five decades, cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Numerous studies have shown that a healthier lifestyle—particularly a diet rich in plant-based foods—can play a vital role in cancer prevention. Her research team focused on food extracts from honey, garlic, and olive oil, examining their effects on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells using both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) culture models that better mimic tumor physiology. The results demonstrated that these extracts exhibited dose-dependent anti-tumor effects, reducing cell viability and migration, while suppressing antioxidant enzyme activity, mitochondrial respiration, glycolysis, and angiogenesis. Dr. Giampieri highlighted that these findings provide new insights into the preventive potential of dietary polyphenols and lay a foundation for developing plant-based functional foods and nutritional interventions against cancer.

In the discussion session, faculty and students exchanged ideas with Dr. Giampieri on experimental design, cancer cell modeling, and the translational applications of polyphenols. The lecture not only deepened participants’ understanding of the relationship between diet and health but also inspired new perspectives for future research and international collaboration within the school. (School of Food and Biological Engineering)