DONATE

Nanomaterials

IBEC has specialized expertise in designing nanoparticle-based therapies encompassing fabrication, characterization, functionalization, behavior modeling, and in vivo/in vitro testing.

Focus Areas:

  • Tissue Regeneration
  • Immunology
  • Infections
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases
  • Cancer

EXPERTISE DETAILS

  1. Modeling:
    • Modeling nanoparticles’ pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in vitro and in silico using computational biophysics techniques such as Molecular Dynamics, Coarse-Grain modeling, and Binding Energy calculations.
  1. Design, Synthesis and Functionalization:
    • Synthesis and functionalization of nanoparticles using biocompatible polymers or co-polymers (e.g., PEG/PLA), mesoporous silica, liposomes, micelles, and others.
    • Use of decorating and targeting agents such as antibodies, aptamers, peptides, enzymes, or other proteins.
    • Bioactive nano/micro particles promoting recruitment of progenitor cells, angiogenesis, and antimicrobial effects.
    • Development of surface deposition protocols.
  1. Characterization:
    • Multiparametric nondestructive measurement of mechanical and electrical properties of nanoparticles
    • Characterization at the liquid-solid interface on a micro scale.
    • Analysis of high polydispersity samples.
    • High-throughput physical multiparametric characterization of single nanoparticles.
    • Motion characterization of nanomotors in simulated matrices.
    • Use of Galleria mellonella as a model to assess the toxicity of nanomaterials, including nanoparticulated formulations. 
  1. Nanoparticle-Based Therapies:
    • Design of therapies against:
      • Bacterial Infections: Enhancement of existing antibiotics and development of novel approaches based on synthetic cells for anti-biofilm purposes.
      • Malaria and Leishmaniasis: Improvement of current antimalarial drugs and targeting specific pathogen phases.
      • Bladder cancer, Pseudomyxoma Peritonei and joint diseases: use of a novel drug delivery approach based on biocompatible and biodegradable enzyme-powered nanomotors.
      • Skin burns, chronic wounds and bone tissue disorders
    • Nano-drug targeting based on cell phenotype. Tested applications: Immune system targeting for Tuberculosis and Bacterial Infections, and Blood-Brain-Barrier targeting for Alzheimer and Multiple Sclerosis.