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Rosa Villa explains how New graphene implants can help to better understand the brain


A graphene implant that detects brain activity at extremely low frequencies could improve the technology of the electrodes to analyze the state of our brain, has been developed by researchers from several research institutes of the CSIC in Catalonia and the CIBER-BBN.

Last First of February , Rosa Villa, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS U8 Micro – Nano Technology Unit was interviewed in Ágora, a program of Scientific Dissemination of Radio Aragón. Dr. Villa, researcher of the Biomedical Applications Group of the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona and CIBER in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, explains the relevance of the research carried out, together with several institutes of the CSIC in Catalonia, on the application of new materials to the study of brain activity.

The brain is composed of many neurons that communicate with each other. This communication occurs through electric currents that are detected with electrodes placed on the surface of the head or above the brain. Brain waves are very different if we are awake or asleep or when we have certain pathologies. The electrodes with which these electrical signals
were analyzed used to be large; thanks to the microelectronics began to make increasingly smaller electrodes that could identify communications much better but that small size also makes their limited reach, since they do not always take all the degrees of frequency.

Graphene has opened the degree of frequencies to detect the electrical signals of the brain. So far the electrodes were placed on top of the hair (for example the encephalograms) but now, although it has only been done in animals for the moment, the microelectrodes are already being placed as implants on the brain itself, which are left on the surface or they dig in to access more depth. When this is done, the brain feels invaded and isolates that electrode generating a scar, which is why more compatible materials are sought that are not rejected by the brain, such as graphene. Overcoming this technical limitation makes accessible the large amount of information that is below 0.1 Hz, while it facilitates the design of new brain-computer interfaces can register a wide range of frequency of what is occurring in a site of the brain.

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Cancer metabolism in a snapshot: MRS(I)

Margarida Julià‐Sapé, Ana Paula Candiota and Carles Arús, Scientific Director and Scientific Coordinators of Nanbiosis U25 NMR: Biomedical Applications I, are the authors of a new article in the journal NMR in Biomedicine: “Cancer metabolism in a snapshot: MRS(I)”

The article contains a revision of the contribution of MRS(I) to the in vivo evaluation of cancer‐metabolism‐derived metrics, mostly since 2016. Strategies include the following: (1) quantification of single oncometabolite content such as 2HG; (2) selected metabolite ratios such as total Cho to NAA in gliomas, ratios related to Cho, Cr, citrate and polyamines in prostate cancer or Lac/Pyr in hyperpolarized 13C MRSI; and (3) the whole 1H MRSI(I) pattern, through pattern recognition analysis, allowing detection of response to therapy in preclinical brain tumours before detectable volume changes.

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Quatsomes. A new family of nanocarriers for drug delivery

The XXXVII edition of the Biennial Meeting of the Spanish Royal Society of Chemistry (RSEQ) will be held from the 26th to the 30th of May in Donostia-San Sebastian. 

Prof. Jaume Veciana, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS and unit 06  of NANBIOSIS -ICTS  Biomaterial Processing and Nanostructuring Unit, will present on May 28th 2019 a lecture entitled “Quatsomes. A new family of nanocarriers for drug delivery” at the Simposium “From Chemistry to Nanomedicine” (http://bienal2019.com/simposios.php). In this lecture the advantages and disavatages of such a kind of nanocarriers will be presentaed as well as some of their applications as nanomedicines.”

Deadline for sending abstracts: January 30 (http://bienal2019.com/en/communications.php) 

Early registration until March 2. 

There are scholarships available for students members of the RSEQ and for any of the groups indicated in http://bienal2019.com/becas.ph

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New device could monitor treatments with anticoagulant to achive personalized therapies

  • Researchers from NANBIOSIS units 2 and 4 have designed a biosensor device based on gold nanostructures that precisely detects the presence of the anticoagulant drug from a small blood sample.
  • Treatments with anticoagulants such as Sintrom® (acenocoumarol) face the difficulty of adjusting the drug doses. This device will allow patients to self-regulate the dose.

 

Researchers of NANBIOSIS unit 4  Biodeposition and Biodetection Unit of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) and CIBER Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN) have developed a biosensor device which allows the monitoring of anticoagulants such as Sintrom® (acenocoumarol) to deliver a personalized therapy in which the patient or doctor can adjust the drug dose to achieve the optimal effect.

The ICN2 Nanobiosensors and Bioanalytical Applications (NanoB2A) Group, led by CSIC researcher Prof. Laura Lechuga, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS U4 (Biodeposition and Biodetection Unit), designed this plasmonic device containing gold nanostructures to which specific bioreceptors can be attached, in order to detect biomarkers in a reproducible and accurate way using a small sample of the patient’s blood and without the need for any prior treatment.

Previously, the Nanobiotechnology for Diagnostics (Nb4D) Group of the CSIC’s Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), led by Prof. M. Pilar Marco, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS U2 (Custom Antibody Service (CAbS),  produced haptenized proteins (similar to Sintrom®) and polyclonal antibodies specific for this anticoagulant in the U2 of NANBIOSIS. The large experience of U2 unit in the preparation of labeled proteins and production of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies has resulted in the generation of specific antibodies capable of recognizing Sintrom®. Their usefulness has been demonstrated in a clinical study using an immunoanalytical technique with high sample throughput.

Building on their previous results, the two groups collaborated to develop an automated biosensor device allowing a personalized dose adjustment of this oral anticoagulant. Their results were recently published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics.

As stated by CSIC researcher Prof. Laura Lechuga, “we have studied the optimal conditions to develop this biosensor device and have obtained excellent sensitivity to detect the anticoagulant, which indicates that it is possible to measure very low concentrations of this drug”.

Since it is a quantitative and highly sensitive technology, this device is very suitable for its use in clinical environments, where it could provide a real time follow-up of the medication, or even for patients to manage the medication themselves, a significant breakthrough for people receiving anticoagulants.

Patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases or thromboembolic disorders are usually treated with anticoagulants such as Sintrom® to prevent blood clots formation. The problem is that this treatment entails risks, explain the researchers. “For example, in case the dose is too low, it would not achieve the expected effect and blood clotting may occur; On the other hand, in case the dose is too high, it could cause side effects such as internal bleeding. The right dose depends on many factors such as weight, age, diet and interaction with other medications. ”

 

Reference articles:

Nanoplasmonic biosensor device for the monitoring of acenocoumarol therapeutic drug in plasma Cristina Peláez, M Carmen Estévez, Alejandro Portela, Pablo Salvador, Pilar Marco, Laura M. Lechuga. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 119, 2018, 149-155 – DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2018.08.011

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for therapeutic drug monitoring coumarin oral anticoagulants in plasma J.Pablo Salvador, Dolors Tassies, Joan-Carles Reverter, M.-PilarMarco. Analytica Chimica Acta. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2018.04.042

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Bionand, recently incorporated to NANBIOSIS ICTS, among the three national biotechnology reference centers.

The Diario Sur of  Andalucía, publishes today  an article dedicated to BIONAND and its recent accreditation as ICTS by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, that resolved on November 6 the incorporation of the Nanoimaging Unit of BIONAND to the ICTS NANBIOSIS.

In the article, the Director of BIONAND, Jose Becerra Ratia, Professor of Cell Biology of the University of Malaga, explains the opportunities and commitments that imply for the Andalusian Center for Nanomedicine and Biotechnology (BIONAND) its incorporation to NANBIOSIS.

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Antimicrobial peptides are a promising kind of molecules to fight multi-drug resistant bacteria

The project titled “Breaking the boundaries of resistance to antimicrobials; searching for new antimicrobials against multiresistant bacteria: work on polycytonic peptides and lipid nanoparticles (BARNAPA)” in which participates Fernando Albericio, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS unit 3 Synthesis of Peptides Unit, has been selected by La Marató TV3 and finnaced with 383.276,25 €.

According to Fernando Albericio, the project arises from the need of effective and safer antibiotics to fight resistant and multi-drug resistant bacteria. In this sens, the proyect developed in collaboration with Miquel Vinyas of the UB and with the Stefania Stefani group of the Universita de Catania  looks at antimicrobial peptides as a promising kind of molecules to achieve this goal.

Fernando explains the experimental session of the project: “The synthesis of molecules in the chemical laboratory may yield new cationic peptides analogs optimizing selectivity (increasing activity, reducing toxicity) to develop them as candidates for preclinical development. Natural molecules, such as teixobactin and colistin, may serve as scaffold for unlimited new antimicrobial peptides. Mechanisms of action and spectrum of activity should be elucidated first by means of biophysical studies (electron microscopy, flow cytometry, model membranes, electrophysiology). In addition, preparation of lipid nanoparticles will be carried out to explore new pharmaceutical formulations maintaining antimicrobial activity and reducing unwanted side effects. Testing studied molecules in front of clinical multidrug resistant isolates and biofilms produced by these bacteria will be also accomplished. The eventual synergism between the peptides and conventional antimicrobials has to be explored since previous results are promising. We hopefully expect this project to yield a few candidates and propose new delivery
formulations to start exploratory in vitro and in vivo tests (which should include acute toxicity determination, pharmacokinetics, and development of a model of respiratory infection in mice) to finally transfer it to a pharmaceutical company for further clinical assay and use”.

 

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Two units of NANBIOSIS in the project selected by La Marató TV3 to fight against bacterial infections

La Marató TV3 in its call for biomedical projects in infectious diseases has selected the project “Uses of molecular analysis of Quorum Sensing with the diagnosis of bacterial infections” of the Nb4D group, led by Mª Pilar Marco, Scientific Director of unit 2 of NANBIOSIS and in which Miriam Royo also participates Scientific Coordinator of unit 3 of NANBIOSIS, both in the IQAC-CSIC of Barcelona

The project of the Nanobiotechnology for Diagnosis (Nb4D) group of the CSIC and the CIBER-BBN has been selected among more than 200 candidates as a project of scientific excellence to be funded in the call for biomedical projects of the Fundació la Marató de TV3 and Catalonia Radio. The project, led in the Nb4D group by Dr. M.-Pilar Marco, Scientific Director of unit 2 of NANBIOSIS and Dr. Lluïsa Vilaplana, will be carried out in collaboration with Dr. M.-Teresa Martín (Hospital Vall d’Hebrón) and aims to study the potential of various molecules of Quorum Sensing as diagnostic tools for bacterial infections. The project, financed with € 227,684.84, also has the collaboration of Dr. Miriam Royo, Scientific Coordinator of Unit 3 of NANBIOSIS, of the Multivalent Systems for Nanomedicine group, also belonging to the CSIC and the CIBER-BBN.

The funds raised in the 2017 edition of the Marató de TV3 and Cataluña Radio will finance 36 biomedical research projects of excellence in infectious diseases to promote the creation of new tools for prevention and diagnosis, as well as more efficient treatments with the aim of earning more and more quality of life for patients.

Link to the news:
http://www.ccma.cat/324/la-marato-impulsa-36-projectes-de-recerca-biomedica-en-malalties-infeccioses/noticia/2884103/

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Lysosomal Rare Disorders: Focus on Fabry Disease

Last November 19, Vall d’Hebron held a seminar  on Lysosomal Rare Disorders: Focus on Fabry Disease as  part of the Rare Diseases Program at the Vall d’Hebron Campus, in collaboration with the European Commission, the Center for Biomedical Research Network on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN) and the CIBBIM-Nanomedicine at Vall d Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) through the Smart-4-Fabry projec

In the  second plenary session, moderated by Nora Ventosa and Simó Schwartz, Scientific Directors of NANBIOSIS units 6 and 20 and devoted to New therapeutic strategies for lysosomal disorders, the speakers presented their findings regarding biomarkers, genetic variants and treatment protocols. Ibane Abasolo, Scientific Coordinator of NANBIOSIS Unit 20 gave a talk on Nanomedicine in lysosomal disorders. Project Smart4Fabry .

The Smart4Fabry project, coordinated by CIBER-BBN and with the participation of NANBIOSIS units U3 Synthesis of Peptides Unit, U6 Biomaterial Processing and Nanostructuring Unit and U20 Functional Validation & Preclinical Research (FVPR), was described in the course of this specific day on lysosomal diseases and Fabry’s disease.

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BIONAND incorporated to the Spanish ICTS Map as a new node of NANBIOSIS

The Scientific, Technological and Innovation Policy Council (CPCTI) of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities has recently approved the updating of the National ICTS Map (Unique Scientific Technological Infrastructures). ICTS are large installations, resources, facilities and services, unique in its kind, that are dedicated to cutting edge and high-quality research and technological development, as well as to promote exchange, transmission and preservation of knowledge, technology transfer and innovation.

After the evaluation by the CPCTI of the ICTS activity during the last four years, NANBIOSIS maintains its presence in the new National ICTS Map, but it introduces a novelty compared to the prior one. NANBIOSIS, initially formed by CIBER-BBN and CCMIJU, incorporates BIONAND as new node, which has been included in the Strategic Master Plan for the next four years.

NANBIOSIS is the ICTS that provide a complete integrated cutting-edge biomedical advance solutions for companies and research institutions under a single contact point through the design and production of biomaterials, nanomaterials and their nanoconjugates, its characterization from a physic-chemical, functional, toxicological and biological (preclinical validation) point of view, focused on biomedical applications such as: IVDs, medical devices, biosensors, regenerative medicine, drug delivery systems, therapeutic agents or MRI contrast agents.

The incorporation of BIONAND to NANBIOIS supposes for the ICTS the possibility of amplifying its capacities and in particular to complete and expand its offer of cutting-edge biomedical solutions.

BIONAND, located in the Technological Park of Andalusia and directed by Professor José Becerra Ratia of the University of Málaga (UMA), is a mixed character center participated by the University of Malaga and by the Andalusian Government, conceived as a space for excellence research in nanomedicine that has scientific infrastructures with unique avant-garde equipment, among which, the Nano-Imaging Unit, incorporated to NANBIOSIS, stands out.

BIONAND’s Nanoimaging Unit brings together a wide range of cutting-edge technologies, including high-field magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy, micro-CT, PET, SPECT, intra-vital optical imaging, electron microscopy, advanced optical microscopy, cell sorting and high content screening. The unit has been conceived and optimized to provide very diverse and integrated technological support for nanotechnology-based biomedical research, offering advance services to internal and external users.

The Nano-Imaging unit, headed by Dr. María Luisa García Martín, is a powerful last-generation of preclinical imaging facility that offers the possibility of acquiring micro and nano-scale images through a wide variety of techniques.

Dr. María Luisa García presented BIONAND as the new node of NANBIOSIS on November 12 in the session dedicated to NANBIOSIS that took place at the annual Scientific Conferences of CIBER-BBN.

In addition, last November 14, Dr José Becerra, represented NANBIOSIS in the General Assembly of Materplat, giving a talk about the “Customization of Implants and their biological function”. Further information

NANBIOSIS is working in the integration of the new node of BIONAND on the website and offer of NANBIOSIS

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NANBIOSIS with the research appointment “Towards a New Horizon”

NANBIOSIS has attended today the  10th  Research and Innovation Framework under the slogan “Towards a New Horizon“, organized by the CDTI and the European Commission, in collaboration with the Board of Castilla La Mancha has been held on November 20 in the downtown Congress Center of Toledo “El Greco“.

The objective of the Conference has been to review the new developments and analyze the participation of Spain in Horizon 2020 in order to draw conclusions that allow Spanish entities to better face the next calls for proposals. The new proposal of the European Commission (EC) for Horizon Europe has also been presented.

The Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Pedro Duque has opened  and chaired the institutional inauguration in which he has highlighted the importance of participation in H2020, not only for financing reasons but also for the impact generated by projects. Not in vain has it been revealed in the day that the Spanish returns in H200 so far exceeded 10% of the total granted, placing Spain as the 4th country of the EU in return and the first as project coordinator.

The Deputy General Director of DG EC Research and Innovation, Signe Ratso, has given a few strokes of the new Horizon Europe program for 2021-2027 in which figures between 1 and 1.2 billion € are being considered, to give continuity to the current Program with some evolution and innovations, but without supposing a revolution with respect to the previous one.

NANBIOSIS has participated in the preparation, coordination and execution of R+D+i European projects during the last years and will continue to do it. An event like the 10th  Research and Innovation Framework  “Towards a New Horizon“is a forum of great value not only for the information given, but also to exchange experiences and impressions and to do valuable networking for the next calls.

 

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