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Conference on Nanotoxicity, next May 24, Parc Scientific of Barcelona

NANBIOSIS is organizing a Conference on Nanotoxicity in collaboration with Nanomed Spain and Materplat, next May 24 in the Parc Scientific of Barcelona, to debate about the efect of nanotoxicity of nanoparticles and nanotechnologies in health.

The increase of potential risks to health has created the new discipline of nanotoxicity, that is, the study of the toxicity produced by the effect of nanoparticles and nanomaterials. The objective of this day is to learn more about the lines that are being followed by researchers in the area of ​​nanotoxicity, the progress of different projects in this field, as well as existing tools to know and reduce the toxicity of nanoparticles and nanomaterials.

Nanotechnology intervenes in the design, production and use of structures and objects that have at least one of its dimensions in the scale of 100 nanometers or less. This science is allowing the achievement of advances in various areas with great repercussions for society.

However, manufactured nanoparticles can have properties and effects very different from those of the same materials in conventional sizes, which may pose new risks to the health of man and other species. Some nanoparticles, which are used as a vehicle for drugs to reach the desired cells in greater quantities, to reduce the side effects of the drug in other organs or both, have the same dimensions as certain biological molecules and can interact with them.

The increase of potential risks to health has created a new discipline, nanotoxicity, that is, the study of the toxicity produced by the effect of nanoparticles and nanomaterials. The objective of this day is to learn more about the lines that are being followed in research in the area of ​​nanotoxicity, the progress of different projects in this field, as well as existing tools to know and reduce the toxicity of nanoparticles and nanomaterials.

The event will count with the presentations of Jesús Izco, Executive Director of NANBIOSIS, Ibane Abasolo, Scientific Coordinator of NANBIOSIS U20 In Vivo Experimental Platform and Francisco Balas,Scientists of NANBIOSIS U09 Synthesis of Nanoparticles Unit

The assistance is free but it is necessary to register.
For further information, agenda and registration click here 
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Gene therapy in pseudohypoparathyroidism

In 1942, Albright and colleagues described the first hormone resistance syndrome, which they called pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) (1), patients had a specific phenotype consisting of short stature, central obesity, round face, short neck and brachydactyly, which is what that today we know like Albright Hereditary Osteodystrophy (AHO, Albright Hereditary Osteodystrophy).

Nanobiocel research group, coordinator of NANBIOSIS U10. Drug Formulation, is working on the project “Gene therapy in pseudohypoparathyroidism: experimental development based on CRISPR / CAS9 and non-viral vectors“. The objective of the project is to design and validate the ex vivo gene therapy protocol for the correction of known mutations in the GNAS gene, causing pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) type 1A and pseudoPHP, through the following operational objectives: (1) Validation of the model lymphoblasts (immortalized or not) for the application of gene therapy; (2) CRISPR / Cas trial design and vehicularization in non-viral vectors; (3) Identification and characterization of off-target insertions (if any) and (4) Confirmation through functional studies of the correct functioning of the protein obtained from the modified gene.
The project will be carried out by the following research groups: BioAraba of Molecular Epigenetics in rare diseases, led by Dr. Guiomar Pérez de Nanclares, in the OSI Araba – Txagorritxu, the group Nanobiocel, led by Jose Luis Pedraz at UPV/EHU, this group is part of CIBER-BBN and ICTS NANBIOSIS and the group of Professor Cesar Martin, Biofisika Institute (UPV/EHU, CSIC).
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Microfluidic technologies to study the cardiomyopathy processes of Duchenne’s disease

Ignacio Ochoa and Luis Fernandez, researchers of the AMB group of CIBER-BBN and I3A-University of Zaragoza, coordinator of NANBIOSIS U13. Tissue & Scaffold Characterization Unit, are working on the european project “CISTEM – HEART ON CHIP BASED ON INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM CELL TECHNOLOGY FOR PERSONALIZED MEDICINE” . They are developing heart on a chip microfluidic devices to study the cardiomyopathy process in the Duchenne muscular distrophy using microfluidic technologies.

CISTEM Kick-off Meeting was successfully held on 24th of January 2018 at Elvesys, Paris, France. Representative of the consortium organizations including academic institutions and industry representatives were participating in this meeting: BioSense Institute, Elvesys, Cherry Biotech, Universidad Zaragoza, BEOnChip and Jagiellonian University

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NANBIOSIS participates in the new Video “Technological Strategy MATERPLAT”

MATERPLAT, Technological Platform of Advanced Materials and Nanomaterials, premieres Youtube channel with a video in which it discloses the activities of the platform and how they try to help to promote the creation of a national ecosystem in the field of advanced materials and nanomaterials .

The video is also about one of the last major milestones of the platform: the elaboration of the Spanish Technological Strategy of Advanced Materials and Nanomaterials, in which NANBIOSIS has participated through its Coordinator, Jesus Izco, who leads the Materplat health innovation group.

Video “Technological Strategy MATERPLAT” 

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Nora Ventosa, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS U6, presented the Smart4Fabry project to the compressed fluids community

Last  25th April, Nora Ventosa, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS U6. Biomaterial Processing and Nanostructuring Unit, presented Smart4Fabry project to the compressed fluids community at the 12th International Symposium on Supercritical Fluids in Antibes, France.

This event is held every three years, gathering investigators from all domains with the aim to promote knowledge and applications of Supercritical Fluids.

According to the ISASF, International Society for Advancement of Supercritical Fluids, “a fluid is called “supercritical” when both its pressure and temperature are over its critical pressure and temperature. It is monophasic and exhibits specific properties, different from those of liquids and gases. Supercritical fluids have a high solvent power vis-à-vis many compounds, at the difference with compressed gases. This solvent power can be easily modified by changing the pressure, what permits to design very selective processes leading to high-quality products”.

 

 

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I Forum on Emerging Technologies organized by CIBER

On May 8th, will take place in Madrid, at the Assembly Hall Ernest Lluch of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, organized by CIBER Internationalization Platform (CIBER-BBN, CIBERER, CIBERES) the I Forum on Emerging Technologies.

The objective of this meeting is to promote the exchange of ideas and scientific knowledge among the CIBER research groups with the aim of generating new collaborations for participation in cross-cutting projects and the development of border technologies. The content of the forum, centered on the type of technology and possibilities it offers, is structured in a program of lectures and scientific debates whose final objective is the discussion and the joint generation of ideas. This first edition of the forum will be focused on Gene Therapy, Nanotechnologies and Omic Technologies-Big Data.

Some Units of NANBIOSIS will participate:

  • José Luis Pedraz, Scientific Director of  Unit 10 Drug Formulation, will speak of “Development of non-viral vectors for gene therapy“
  • Laura Lechuga, Scientific Director of Unit 4  Biodepositon and Biodetection, will talk about “Nanodispositive biosensors for advanced clinical diagnosis
  • Rosa Villa, Scientific Director of Unit 8 Micro–Nano Technology, Ramón Martínez, Scientific Director of Unit 26 NMR Biomedical Applications II and Esther Pueyo, researcher of U27 High Performance Computer will moderate the sessions.

 

Programme and registration details

 

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Non-invasive glucose sensing in tears

Currently numerous medical diagnoses or follow-ups of many diseases are carried out by conventional methods such as clinical tests in laboratories and hospitals, being these invasive, slow and expensive.

Thanks to advances in technology, Point-of-Care (PoC) devices allow testing and monitoring of a multitude of biomedical markers or parameters in order to: (i) reduce costs, save time and reduce the complexity of the analysis; (ii) allow analysis in medical centers, primary care centers or even at home and (iii) real-time results allow to accelerate the decision-making on a patient. Thus, PoC devices respond to a demand from medical doctors as is the efficient health service thanks to the rapid availability of the laboratory analysis results.

In this context, a team of scientists from Barcelona have collaboratively developed a non-enzymatic sensor for glucose sensing in a non-invasive manner in tears. The work, cover of the magazine Applied Materials Today, demonstrates the proof of concept of the functionality of this electrochemical sensor.

Ana Moya, researcher of the CIBER-BBN and member of the research group of the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona CSIC, responsible for the sensors manufacture explains how these devices are fabricated by the innovative technology of Printed Electronics. Specifically, electrochemical glucose sensors have been manufactured by printing microelectrodes using Inkjet Printing Technology (IJP) on a flexible substrate of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with silver and gold inks. The IJP dispenses small drops of the material to be printed under a graphic environment. This direct writing approach without the need of masks drastically reduces the total manufacturing time and cost of the sensors, and facilitates iterative design changes during sensor development.

Gemma Gabriel, Scientific Coordinator of  NANBIOSIS U8. Micro–Nano Technology Unit and researcher of the CIBER-BBN in the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona CSIC, explains how the IJP is a promising and low-cost alternative to conventional microelectronic manufacturing technology, which will allow the creation of a multitude of highly specific sensor platforms and sensitive with analytical application in the medical area. In line with the research group, the advance in novel functional materials with these technologies is of paramount importance for the development of new generations of disposable sensor platforms to solve a wide range of applications in the medical field.

Agostino Romeo, member of the Smart nano-bio-devices Group at the Institut de Bioingenieria de Catalunya (IBEC) led by Samuel Sánchez, highlights how the use of copper oxide microparticles (CuO) has allowed the successful modification of the electrodes, leading to a sensitive, stable and cost-effective platform for the non-enzymatic detection of glucose. The selectivity, reproducibility and life time provided by this functionalization with CuO has shown that these sensors are reliable tools to perform a personalized diagnosis of the health of an individual.

The good sensitivity and selectivity of the electrochemical sensor presented here has made it particularly suitable for the non-invasive sensing of glucose in tears. This has been demonstrated in this study in which the glucose level in human samples has been measured and correlated with commercial devices.

All this allows us to foresee that the use of this type of sensors for the diagnosis of eye diseases such as diabetes, where it is possible to achieve a painless and non-invasive monitoring, has a great opportunity in a disease as widespread in the world as it is this one. Thus, versatility, short manufacturing time and low cost makes IJP a valuable technology alternative to traditional sensor manufacturing techniques. Thus, the technology here presented can be adapted for the detection of many other substances of interest in other fluids such as saliva or urine.

 

Article of Reference:

Romeo A, Moya A, Leung TS, Gabriel G, Villa R, Sánchez S.  “Inkjet printed flexible non-enzymatic glucose sensor for tear fluid analysis“. Applied Materials Today 10 (2018) 133-141

(DOI)

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Designing nanomedicines

Next May 3, will take place in Barcelona, at the Academy of Medical and Health Sciences of Catalonia and the Balearic Island, an informative session and debate about Nanotecnology and Health “Designing Nanomedicines” in wich Prof. Antonio Villaverde, Strategy Director of NANBIOSIS U1. Protein Production Platform (PPP) will give a talk on “Nanobiotechnological approaches to cancer medicine“. Prof. Jesús Martínez de la Fuente, (ICMAB-CSIC / Universidad de Zaragoza – CIBER-BBN) will speak about “the nanorevolution: towards a healthier world“.

The organization of the even has been in charge of Pilar Marco, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS U2  Custom Antibody Service (CAbS), as a member of the board of directors of the Catalan Society of Medical Biotechnology.

Programe

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Communication in science and transfer with Professor Antoni Villaverde

On June 6th, Aula Científica, in collaboration with IBB, organizes a theoretical and practical course on “Principles and practice of communication in science and in transfer“. Professor Antoni Villaverde, Strategy Director of NANBIOSIS U1. Protein Production Platform (PPP), will transmit his knowledge and experience on the preparation of scientific articles.

The objectives of the course, aimed at researchers, entrepreneurs, teachers and managers of research and transfer, are to offer basic conceptual and instrumental tools in scientific communication, focused on the writing of scientific manuscripts, preparation of scientific and technological innovation projects and transfer , and in oral and corporal expression during public presentations.

Dr A. Villaverde is Chair Professor of Microbiology at the Department of Genetics and Microbiology leader of the Nanobiotechnology group at the Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine and leader of the Basic and Applied Microbiology (SGR group), Autonomous University of Barcelona. He coordinates a research team of about 15 people, fully integrated in the Networking Biomedical Research Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN). He has authored more than 250 peer-reviewed research and review papers on microbiology-biotechnology-nanosciences interfaces, apart from several books, book chapters and patents. A. Villaverde founded and ha has been Editor-in-Chief until 2017 of the Open-Access journal Microbial Cell Factories.

Information and registration: http://www.aulacientifica.com/Cursos/Varios/ComBCN.htm

 

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Robust Organic Radical Molecular Junctions Using Acetylene Terminated Groups for C–Au Bond Formation

Jaume Veciana, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS is co-author of the publication “Robust Organic Radical Molecular Junctions Using Acetylene Terminated Groups for C–Au Bond Formation” by “Journal of the American Chemical Society”.

For further information:

J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2018, 140 (5), pp 1691–1696

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