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New European Project NABIHEAL in biomaterials for complex wound healing

The Horizon Europe project NABIHEAL, coordinated by the Center for Biomedical Research Network (CIBER) at the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), was launched on 11-12 January 2023 in Barcelona with the first meeting of the international consortium, formed by 14 partners from 7 countries, including research centers, universities, and private companies. 

This project will apply one the “Cutting Edge Biomedical Solutions” of NANBIOSIS for the preparation of different nanoestructures with antimicrobial properties, required for the development of the final multifunctional wound healing biomaterials. This case will gather the expertise of two NANBIOSIS unit: NANBIOSIS U6 will produce and characterize these nanoestructures with antimicrobial properties, which will be tested in NANBIOSIS U16.

NABIHEAL stands for “Antimicrobial Nanostructured Biomaterials for Complex Wound Healing” and is funded under the Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme with a total budget of nearly 5 million euros over four years. NABIHEAL aims at solving two unmet medical needs in complex wound healing: on the one hand, affordable treatments for wound infections and prevention of complications during wound healing, and on the other, a strategy to optimize the composition and efficacy of wound dressings.

The kickoff meeting, held at the CSIC Researcher’s Residence in Barcelona, was opened by the project coordinator, Nora Ventosa, from CIBER and ICMAB-CSIC, and by institutional and political representatives, including Riccardo Rurali, Vice-Director of ICMAB-CSIC; Ramon Martínez Mañez, Scientific Director of CIBER-BBN; Jordi Aguasca, Director of Technological Transformation and Disruption Unit, ACCIÓ; and Xavier Aldeguer, General Director of Society of Knowledge, Transfer & Territory of the Catalan Government. The meeting provided the opportunity to interact in person with all the consortium partners and establish the first collaborative activities to ensure timely delivery of the project milestones.

Complex wound healing as a global health problem

The NABIHEAL project will advance on the synthesis of advanced nanostructured biomaterials as an alternative to the commonly used silver-based materials. “The project will work to produce multifunctional materials for the treatment of complex wound healing, which has become a global health problem. For example, in developed countries, it affects the quality of life of more than 2% of the total population,” affirms Nora Ventosa, coordinator of the project.

Complex wounds, such as chronic wounds, are highly susceptible to microbial infection and biofilm formation, and thus difficult to treat. The most common antimicrobial products to treat these infections are based on silver. However, they have several economic, environmental and safety drawbacks. The biomaterials developed within the NABIHEAL project will offer a safer, more sustainable and more cost-effective alternative.

The project aims to obtain innovative multifunctional wound healing biomaterials using affordable EU-based manufacturing technologies. In the long term, NABIHEAL could become a game-changing alternative to silver in wound healing dressings.

An International Consortium

The goals of the project will be tackled by an interdisciplinary consortium from 7 countries, combining expertise in different areas, such as synthesis and characterization of biomaterials, biocompatibility and safety, regulatory aspects and ethics, or wound healing product development and scale-up. “We are excited to launch this project, in which 8 academic institutions and 6 private companies will join forces to face the challenging problem of complex wound treatment,” adds Prof. Ventosa.  

In addition to the Center for Biomedical Research Network (CIBER) at the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB), as coordinator, the international consortium is formed by the following centers and companies: from Spain, the Center for Biomedical Research Network (CIBER) at the University of Extremadura and the University of Cantabria, the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Nanomol Technologies S.L. (NT), Bioiberica S.A.U (BIO), Histocell S.L (HCELL), the University of Granada (UGR), and Asphalion (ASPH); from Germany, MyBiotech GmbH (MyB) and Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin (CH); from Croatia, the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health (IMI); from Denmark, the Aarhus University (AU); from Israel, the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology (IT); from Austria, BioNanoNet Forschungsgesellschaft mbH (BNN); and from Slovenia, the University of Maribor (UM).

More information:

Prof. Nora Ventosa, Project Coordinator, CIBER, ICMAB-CSIC ventosa@icmab.es

Caitlin Ahern, Communication, BioNanoNet caitlin.ahern@bnn.at

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“Preparation and characterization of SOFT Materials” Technical Seminar

Amable Bernabé, Tecnical Coordinator of NANBIOSIS U6: Biomaterial Processing and Nanostructuring Unit of CIBER-BBN and ICMAB-CSIC is giving a seminar on Preparation and Characterization of SOFT Materials.

The seminar will tame place on Monday, 28 November 2020, at 12 PM at ICMAB in the Carles Miravitlles Seminar Hall,

” I will make a brief explanation about the equipment for the characterisation of particulate materials, type of samples that can be analysed, reports, etc… I will also talk about the equipment for processing materials with C” -explains Amable Bernabé.

 Amable Bernabé joined the ICMAB-CSIC in 2004 as a research assistant working at the Spectroscopic Service. Two years after, in 2006, he was promoted to technical coordinator of the CIBER-BBN and ICMAB-CSIC research group Nanomol , and in 2008, he started as the technical manager of the Soft Materials characterization lab. Since 2009, he was appointed a permanent research technician at CSIC. Since the creation of the NANBIOSIS and its aproval as ICTS (Scientific and Tecnical Unique Infraestructure by the Spanish Government, Amable is the Tecnical Coordinator of the unit 6 of NANBIOSIS. His research interest is focused on the study and characterization of the physico-chemical properties of nanomaterials, particularly on particle size and shape, particle concentration, Z-Potential and stability studies.

Description of the SOFT Service: The SOFT Materials Service is scientific and technical service of the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (CSIC) and the Unit 6 of the ICTS-NANBIOSIS. The mission of this facility is the large-scale production and characterization of molecular biomaterials of therapeutic or biomedical interest, with controlled micro-, nano- and supramolecular structure. This unit is composed of the equipment and the experienced personnel to develop and apply efficient, robust and green technologies based on the use of supercritical fluids, such as compressed CO2

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Three articles acknoledging NANBIOSIS contribution awarded at the Bioaraba Research and Innovation Conference

Researchers of NANBIOSIS U10 “Drug Formulation” – NanoBiocel research group from CIBER-BBN and UPV/EHU receives 3 awards in the category of Best International Articles at the annual Bioaraba Research and Innovation Conference.

On 4 November, the Bioaraba Health Research Institute held its XXIII Research and Innovation Conference in Vitoria. This important annual forum held in the city brings together professionals from the health system of Alava, the Rioja region of Alava, the Mental Health Network of Alava, the University of the Basque Country and also professionals from companies in R&D&I in health.

On this occasion, the NanoBioCel research group of the CIBER BBN and the ICTS Nanbiosis through the U10 Drug Formulation, won the 3 prizes in the category of Research and Innovation in the category of Best International Article. The first prize went to the article: Mesenchymal stromal cells encapsulated in licensing hydrogels exert delocalized systemic protection against ulcerative colitis via subcutaneous xenotransplantation. Written by Ainhoa Gonzalez-Pujana, Ana Beloqui, José Javier Aguirre, Manoli Igartua, Edorta Santos-Vizcaino, Rosa Maria Hernandez, published in the European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics in 2022. The second prize went to the article Nanodiamond Integration into Niosomes as an Emerging and Efficient Gene Therapy Nanoplatform for Central Nervous System Diseases whose authors are: Nuseibah AL Qtaish, Idoia Gallego, Alejandro J. Paredes,Ilia Villate, Cristina Soto-Sánchez, Gema Martínez, Myriam Sainz-Ramos, Tania B. López, Eduardo Fernández, Gustavo Puras, José Luis Pedraz. And the third prize went to the review: Cell microencapsulation technologies for sustained drug delivery: Latest advancesin efficacy and biosafety whose authors are: Tania B. López, Edorta Santos, José Luis Pedraz, Gorka Orive, Rosa María Hernández.

Articles of refernce:

Ainhoa Gonzalez-Pujana, Ana Beloqui, José Javier Aguirre, Manoli Igartua, Edorta Santos-Vizcaino, Rosa Maria Hernandez, “Mesenchymal stromal cells encapsulated in licensing hydrogels exert delocalized systemic protection against ulcerative colitis via subcutaneous xenotransplantation“, European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Volume 172,
2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpb.2022.01.007

Nuseibah AL Qtaish, Idoia Gallego, Alejandro J. Paredes, Ilia Villate-Beitia, Cristina Soto-Sánchez, Gema Martínez-Navarrete, Myriam Sainz-Ramos, Tania B. Lopez-Mendez, Eduardo Fernández, Gustavo Puras, José Luis Pedraz. “Nanodiamond Integration into Niosomes as an Emerging and Efficient Gene Therapy Nanoplatform for Central Nervous System Diseases” ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2022, 14, 11, 13665–13677 https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.2c02182

Tania B. Lopez-Mendez, Edorta Santos-Vizcaino, Jose Luis Pedraz, Gorka Orive, Rosa Maria Hernandez, “Cell microencapsulation technologies for sustained drug delivery: Latest advances in efficacy and biosafety,
Journal of Controlled Release”, Journal of Controlled Release, Volume 335, 10 July 2021, Pages 619-636 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2021.06.006


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Happy Day of Chemistry! The role of Chemistry in a sustainable research in health

Today, November 15 is a day of celebration for us, the Day of the Chemistry in Spain!

Chemistry is the science that studies matter, how it is composed, its properties and how its structures are transformed and, as matter is everything, including living beings and ourselves, we can say that chemistry is omnipresent and transversal in all areas surrounding us. Chemistry is everywhere, we ourselves are chemistry and our health and our life is chemistry.

“Everything around us is chemistry in the environment, foods, what we use and what we touch every day. Our own body is a sophisticated complex factory with an infinite number of chemical processes taking place on a perfect and synchronized manner”- points Pilar Marco, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS U2 Custom Antibody Service (CAbS) from CIBER-BBN at IQAC-CSIC.

The crucial role of chemistry in everyday life is also evidence in the development of current technology and the economy. According the VCI Prognos Study, the Global growth forecast for Industrial Sectors, places the chemical industry in the fist position. As far as national picture, the INE Statistics on R+D Activities 2020 -last publish report-, chemical and pharmaceutical industry employs the 22,2 % of research staff recruited and the investment and expenditure on the chemical and pharmaceutical industry represents the 23,6% R+D and Innovation -above the motor vehicles industry.

Thanks to chemical and pharmaceutical research,

medicines, vaccines and health products have made great strides in fighting diseases and improving quality of life. Thanks to chemical and pharmaceutical medicine research, in few years, it will be possible, for example, to count on smart implants delivering personalised drugs only where cancer or infections are detected or biosensors circulating in our body to find diseases only one week after infection.

At the Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia, four NANBIOSIS units of CIBER-BBN use chemistry to deliver new therapeutic and diagnostic approaches that improve the quality of life of the society.

One of the research lines of the Nb4D group-U2 CabS at IQAC-CSIC (led by Pilar Marco and Nuria Pascual) focuses on the chemical signals that bacteria emit to communicate with each other and thus develop virulence mechanisms. Their knowledge will allow the development of new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies to mitigate the serious problem of antimicrobial resistance.

NANBIOSIS U3 Synthesis of Peptides Unit– MS4N group, led by Miriam Royo, explores the use of diverse types of chemical multivalent platforms (oligomers, dendrimers, polymers, micelles and lipid nanovesicles) for the development of drug delivery systems for cancer treatment, protein delivery systems for the treatment of lysosomal diseases and macromolecular compounds that have intrinsically therapeutic properties with application to central nervous system diseases.

Chemistry plays an essential role in helping society achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

In 2015 the United Nations created a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. This framework, comprising 17 aspirational goals known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Chemistry is key to achieve the SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being with the development of new technologies that will provide a deeper understaunding of human health, making posible better, cheeper and faster medical diagnosis and treatmens.

In this sense, Carlos Rodriguez Abreu, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS Unit for the characterization of nanostructured liquids (U12) explains: “The goals of sustainable development are producing a shift towards surfactants not based on petroleum derivatives, but derived from other raw materials that are more biocompatible and that allow a circular economy that is less aggressive with the environment. Quality control is necessary with regard to the properties of the products that contain surfactants, such as the droplet size in emulsions, the particle size in suspensions, their colloidal stability over time, among others. Additionally, products must be precisely formulated to optimize the use of raw materials and obtain the desired properties. In this context, the NANBIOSIS U12, acredited with ISO 9001:2015 by AENOR, offers a wide range of advanced analysis techniques for the determination of different colloidal properties such as droplet size and particle size, colloidal stability, viscosity, surface tension, pore size distribution, and determination of phase behavior and structure for the tailor-made formulation of surfactant and colloid systems for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications.

The Nucleic Acid Chemistry group at IQAC-CSIC – NANBIOSIS U29 Oligonucleotide Synthesis Platform (OSP) is developing new compounds based in DNA and RNA to detect and treat diseases participating in several projects with several research and industrial partners such as La Marato de TV3 (Covid), Oligofastx, Caminan2, Osteoatx. These new drugs use the natural mechanisms for gene regulation to treat undruggable diseases such Muscular dystrophy and others. Importantly special attention is made to design novel synthetic protocols to produce less organic waste what contributes to the sustainable development. 

We wish to all the family of chemistry professionals new projects and inspiration to achive humans Good Health & Well-Being and keep the world moving!

And Happy Chemistry Day, too, for all the chemistry enthusiasts!

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MATERPLAT 2022 General Assembly and Puzzle X

Today, the MATERPLAT 2022 General Assembly has taken place at the DFactory Barcelona facilities, in collaboration with Leitat and Airbus. For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the event has been held again 100% face-to-face.

The MATERPLAT Technical Secretariat has presented the activities carried out during this period of the platform (2021 and 2022) and the guidelines that MATERPLAT will follow in the next period 2023-2024.

In addition, Amaya Igartua (EUMAT) has presented the new 2030 Materials Roadmap, developed throughout 2022, coordinated by EUMAT, EMIRI, SUSCHEM Europe and MANUFUTURE, in which NANBIOSIS will continue to participate through its Coordinator, in the direcction of the Health Innovation Group.

David Domingo (Mobile World Capital Barcelona Foundation) has presented the Puzzle X Ventures initiative, the first venture builder dedicated to creating real solutions in the industry based on frontier materials from universities and research centers, which will be held at Fira Barcelona between on November 15 and 17 in parallel to the Smart City Expo World Congress.

PUZZLE X is the world’s first frontier technology and materials center in Barcelona, as well as the first place of collision of ideas, innovation and solutions for cutting-edge technology of materials towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) .

Puzzle X , in collaboration with the Materials Research Society (MRS), have organized a poster contest for PhD students and postdocs. The authors of the three best posters will be awarded the title of “Future Leaders” by MRS in 2023 : https://www.puzzlex.io/2022/future-leader-poster-session

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Researchers of two NANBIOSIS units success in the Third Millennium Awards

Researchers of two NANBIOSIS units success in the Third Millennium Awards: the Young Research Talent award to Julia Ramirez (NANBIOSIS U27) and the Research and Future Award to the NFP group (NANBIOSIS U9)

Last November 8, four initiatives received the highest award in the eighth edition of the HERALDO contest Third Millennium Awards which represent the recognition of the Aragonese community from the youngest to the most consolidated trajectories in knowledge transfer, innovation, and scientific dissemination.

The Paraninfo of the University of Zaragoza hosted this event in which researchers CIBER-BBN – NANBIOSIS were recognised this year:

The Films and Nanostructured Particles (NFP) group of INMA and CIBER-BBN, directed by Jesús Santamaría and coordinating NANBIOSIS U9 “Synthesis of Nanoparticles Unit“, was recognised with the Research and Future Award: Manufacturing drugs inside tumors.

Julia Ramírez, from the BSiCoS group of the I3A and CIBER-BBN, coordinator of unit 27 “High Performance Computing Unit” of NANBIOSIS, received the “Young Research Talent” award for her work in the biomedical signal processing.

The Third Millennium Awards’ objective is to recognize the work of people, research centers and groups, institutions and companies in Aragon in three main axes:

Innovation:  Technological Innovation Award

Divulgation:  Best Science and Technology Dissemination Initiative

Research:

– Young Research Talent Awards

– Transfer of Science and University to Business Award

– Research and future award

Julia Ramirez

During her doctorate at Unizar (2017), she developed a methodology to quantify morphological variations in the electrocardiogram (ECG). This quantification led to the T-wave morphology restoration (TMR) index, which was shown to be a stronger predictor of sudden cardiac death than standard clinical indices.

After her doctorate, she moved to work at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) in London. This was a key point in her research career because she broadened her knowledge in engineering, gaining experience in genetics and bioinformatics. During those years, she obtained two highly competitive European Postdoctoral Fellowships: a WHRI-Academy Cofund (2017) and a Marie Skłodowska-Curie (2018). In recognition of her work, in April 2020, QMUL promoted her to Lecturer in Genetics and Cardiovascular Data Science.

Since January of this year, Julia Ramírez has been back in Zaragoza thanks to a María Zambrano International Talent Attraction Scholarship, giving up the highly competitive Category 2 Talent Attraction of the Community of Madrid, which she had also been awarded. In total, the researcher from Zaragoza has contributed to her field of research with 32 peer-reviewed publications in different disciplines, including bioengineering, cardiology and genetics (13 of her as first author).

In her speech recognized “being in a happy moment”, for being back in Zaragoza, “being away is not always easy” and also for collecting an award for her work that always motivates her to continue forward in a career as the researcher, long and complicated.

The Films and Nanostructured Particles (NFP) group:

«This initiative is the work of many people. It has been a fantastic trip”, said Jesús Santamaría, Principal researcher of the NFP Group

The NFP of the Group was created in 2007 by researchers from different backgrounds, with the aim of concentrating efforts in the development and application of nanostructured materials with an emphasis on nanoparticles, nanoporous interfaces and hybrid systems. Its members have made pioneering developments in the synthesis of nanomaterials and their application in fields ranging from medicine to energy and the environment.

The award recognised the group’s work in the cancer research throughout the project CADENCE (Catalytic Dual-Function Devices Against Cancer), that aims to find a new way to fight this disease, avoiding the problems associated with conventional chemotherapy and its devastating side effects. Three fundamental problems had to be solved. First, developing suitable catalysts (catalytic nanoparticles) capable of operating inside a tumour and manufacturing toxic molecules there. Alternatively, nanoparticles can operate in other ways (by heating remotely) and also produce tumour death. It is also necessary to selectively deliver these catalysts to the tumour, avoiding their accumulation in other organs. Finally, these catalysts must be selectively activated inside the tumour. The answers obtained to each of these problems have opened new paths in the fight against cancer: Catalysts capable of manufacturing toxic substances from within the tumour are used, minimising their diffusion through the body.

This research was funded for five years through an ERC Advanced Grant project endowed with 2.5 million euros. The ERC Advanced Grants are the most prestigious European projects, awarded by the European Research Council in a highly competitive international competition.

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Applications of data-driven dynamics to oncology and neuromodulation

On the 17th of November, CIBER-BBN group TME lab – NANBIOSIS U13 Tissue & Scaffold Characterization Unit. organises the Conference “Applications of data-driven dynamics to oncology and neuromodulation” by Dr. Michael Ortiz.

Michael Ortiz a Frank and Ora Lee Marble Professor Emeritus of Aronautics and Mechanical Engineering at California Institute of Technology. Prior to his arrival at Caltech in 1995, he was Professor of Engineering at Brown University.

Since 2020 he also holds positions as Research Chair in the Institute of Applied Mathematics, University of Bonn and as Adjunct Professor and Timoshenko Distinguished Fellow in the departments of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics and Astronautics of Stanford University. 

As main awards, he has received the

  • Rodney Hill Prize, International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (IUTAM) 2008.
  • Timoshenko Medal, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), 2015.
  • Doctor Honoris Causa, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Spain, 2019.
  • John von Neumann Medal, US Association for Computational Mechanics (USACM), 2019
  • Elected Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE). 2013
  • Elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences (AAAS). 2007
  • Corresponding Member, Spanish Academy of Engineering. 1999
  • Doctor “Honoris Causa” from the Polytechnique University of Madrid 2019

The event will take place at 12:00 in the Meeting Room of the Betancourt Building in the Campus Rio Ebro, Zaragoza

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A fantastic reunion of the CIBER-BBN and the NANBIOSIS research community.

The CIBER-BBN and the NANBIOSIS research community has met again, after two virtual editions, to celebrate the Sixteenth Annual Conference of CIBER-BBN. It has been a fantastic a face-to-face reunion during the days 7th-8th November 2022, in A Coruña, Spain.

This edition has included sicientific sessions in mental health and in diabetes and metabolic diseases, presentations of internal collaborative projects, two plenary talks given by acknowledged experts in the fields of CAR-T therapies and gene therapies and an invitation to CIBERSAM and CIBERDEM scientific areas, as well as the new “Technological Development Platform of CIBER” to improve translational programs

As usually in the program of this Conference, a session was dedicated to NANBIOSIS ICTS, in this ocasion including a especial talk of presentation of the new Unit of Proteomics, U30 of NANBIOSIS at INIBIC, in A Coruña, led by Prof. Cristina Ruiz.

It was also presented the new “Cutting-Edge Biomedical Solution“:  “Quallity Control and Regulatory Affair Advisory” Service, recently created to complement the NANBIOSIS offer of Cutting -Edge integrated solucions to advanced challenges in the biomedical research.

The Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS, Jaume Veciana, also explained some novelties regarding the accesess to the ICTS in open and competitive way. From 2022, two calls will be open (in january and june) in order to select and prioritize the applications for access to NANBIOSIS ICTS services in base of excelence and uniqueness.

It also took place the annual meetting of the NANBIOSIS Scientific Advisory Committee to deliberate the key actions of the ICTS.

The Conference was cellebrated at the Congress and Exhibition Centre of A Coruña, PALEXCO, Both, the event and the venue, facilitated an informal atmosphere with vivid scientific ideas discussions and conversations.

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II Scientific Communication course

On October 18 and 19, was held the second course on Social Communication of Science, orgnized by NANBIOSIS U10 Drug Formulation Unit -(NanoBioCell Group of CIBER-BBN and UPV-EHU, this year entitled “Tools for the social communication of science“. The course aimed to provide doctoral students with communication with tools to be employed in their work as scientists when communicating their results or activity to the general public, patients, etc.

They first day was mainly dedicated to the use of metaphors in science communication, starting with an interesesting talk by Susana Martinez, director of the Incite Foundation; ateendees had the opportuniy to work case studies. On the second day, there were two different sessions: the first one about how to communicate science on the radio, led by the journalist Eva Caballero from the EiTB regional program “The mechanics of the snail”. and during the second session, a practical workshop was led by the group of theather “Porpol”, about on how to combat the stage fright.

This course was offered at the Doctoral School of the University of the Basque Country.

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Ramón Martínez Máñez, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS U26 obtains an ERC Advanced Grant

Ramón Martínez Máñez, researcher at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) and scientific director of the Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine area of ​​the CIBER (CIBER-BBN) and NANBIOSIS U26, has obtained an ERC Advanced Grant –the most prestigious grant from the European Research Council– endowed with 2.5 million euros for the development of the EDISON project (Engineered Particles for Chemical Communication).

This project focuses on the field of chemical or molecular communication. Its objective is the study, development and application of nanoparticles that are capable of communicating with each other and whose application would represent a revolution in the field of chemical research.

“Our goal is to advance the understanding of how abiotic micro/nanoparticles can communicate with the others and with living systems. In this context, one way to establish communication at the nanometric level is to mimic how nature communicates, that is, through the use of chemical messengers. If we are able to lay the foundations for communication between micro/nanoparticles and between them and cells, the future potential applications in the biomedical field, and in other fields such as the environment and industrial technology, are almost limitless”, highlights Ramón Martínez Máñez, who is currently deputy director of the Interuniversity Research Institute for Molecular Recognition and Technological Development (IDM) of the Universitat Politècnica València and the Universitat de València.

Unveiling the keys to the prevention and treatment of cancer
In the medical field, for example, these nanoparticles could help reveal the keys to the prevention and treatment of cancer, since they could act as nanotranslators that help connect cancer cells with cells of the immune system, regulating the interactions between them and , in general, to connect cells to each other that would not otherwise communicate. They could also be key in the development of new strategies to eliminate biofilms and resistant microorganisms, being able to detect the presence of chemical species used by bacteria to create the biofilm and inhibiting these signals.

The research proposed by EDISON will be carried out in the IDM, the CIBER-BBN and in the Mixed Units in which Ramón Martínez Máñez participates with the Príncipe Felipe Research Center and with the La Fe Hospital in Valencia.

5 years of work
The project, which began on October 1, will run for 5 years until September 30, 2027. In a first phase, the team from the IDM Institute of the Universitat Politècnica de València will create the basic components to study chemical communication; in the second, EDISON will focus on the development of systems capable of establishing communication between nanoparticles and living systems. Finally, the UPV researchers will work on the development of nanosystems that integrate stimulus-sensitive nanoparticles and electronics to create new hybrid communication structures.

“Every year hundreds of nano/microparticles are described but in practically all cases they are used as independent entities with no connection between them. The connection/communication between particles is the basis for developing more complex cooperative systems with new functionalities”, says Professor Martínez-Máñez, who will dedicate most of his time to the development of the EDISON project with the aim of laying the foundations for this new idea.

Obtaining this prestigious aid will allow the research group to focus on promoting a new form of communication at the nanoscale based on the use of chemical messengers that will facilitate the development of new applications at the nanometric scale beyond what is possible using information and communication technologies on the macroscale that we know today.

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