News

1st Forum of CIBER-BBN/NANBIOSIS and CSIC Nanomed Conection researchers

The Nanomed Conection of the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) and the Networking Biomedical Research Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), together with its singular infrastructure NANBIOSIS, have organised a Forum on Nanomedicine Research during the days 30 of June and 1st of July to be held at the Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC) in Barcelona. The event will be also transmitted on-line previous registration.

This is the first meeting gathering together scientists from CIBER-BBN and its ICTS NANBIOSIS and from the CSIC’ Nanomed Conection with a shared interest in Nanomedicine.

This two days meeting will allow researchers to present their works in progress, share their scientific concerns and needs and discuss the impact of nanomedicine in the emerging fields of drug delivery, diagnosis and therapy.

The programe, available in the web of the forum includes these sessions:

Nanobiotechnological solutions for diagnosis and therapy
Drug delivery nanosystems
Applications for oncology (I and II)
Nanomedicine & other frontier applications

Attendance to the Forum (in person / or online) is free prior registration in the web of the forum (following this link):

Registration will remain open until June 26.
We hope to see you there!

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NANBIOSIS in the new poster of ICTS map published by Spanish Goverment.

ICTS underpins the Spanish reputation for research excellence.

In the picture: the new poster of the ICTS map in which NANBIOSIS facilities have been highlighed

The term Unique Scientific and Technical Infrastructure (ICTS) refers to facilities, resources, or services for the development of top-quality cutting-edge research, as well as the communication, exchange, and preservation of knowledge, the transfer of technology, and promotion of innovation. They are unique or exceptional in their fields, with a high cost of investment, maintenance, and operation, and are of a strategic importance that justifies their availability to all actors in the field of R&D&I. The ICTS share three fundamental characteristics; they are infrastructures with public ownership, unique and open to competitive access.

ICTS offer an opening capacity percentage of their essential services under ‘Competitive Open Access’ for the use by national and international public and private sector researchers, with the support of technical and administrative personnel of the ICTS. Infrastructures access is ruled by a public “Access Protocol” that describes the procedure and criteria for access to the infrastructure. The main features of ‘Competitive Open Access’ are that R + D + i quality of activities developed at the infrastructure should be proven and that requests for access should be prioritized on the basis of objective criteria.

The dissemination of ICTS and their capabilities is essential to provide Spanish and international researchers with access to a large base of quality services and facilities, a basic requirement for the development of excellent science.

The new posster pushised by the General Subdirectorate of Large
Scientific-Technical Facilities of the of the Sapanish Ministry of Science and Research Innovation helps to disseminate and understand the map of ICTS wich are located throughout the country

NANBIOSIS, is one of the five ICTS in the field of Health Sciences and Biotecnology

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How to accomplish researchers’ goals with Confocal Microscopy: the tools, the know-how and the expertise you need

NANBIOSIS Unit 17 (Confocal Microscopy) is a CIBER-BBN unit located in the Cell Culture Unit, CAI Medicine and Biology, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Alcala. This unit of the ICTS NANBIOSIS supports researchers interested on their different studies visualizing diverse samples as tissues, cells, bacterial biofilms, etc. This unit owns the tools, the know-how and the expertise to accomplish researchers’ goals either by transmission or reflection fluorescent.

We are happy of sharing this video in which researchers of Unit 17 show all the steps required for the visualization of the PV-1 molecule, also known as PLVAP, on the gut-endothelium of cirrhotic rats. We look at the whole process, starting by the sample selection following their preparation until its visualization by the confocal fluorescent microscopy, ending up with the analyze process.

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“The almighty graphene”, a podcast by Elisabet Prats

Elisabet Prats Alfonso, a researcher in the team coordinating NANBIOSIS U8 Micro– Nano Technology Unit explains in a podcast her most recent research based on the functionalization of chemical and biochemical sensor platforms as well as the characterization of materials such as graphene for both neuronal recording and biomarker detection. Her work is part of the Graphene Flagship project in which she collaborates with relevant European groups.

Eli Prat as a researcher Ph.D. in Chemistry and also dedicated to dissemination is a great exemple for the NANBIOSIS aim to encourage STEAM scientific vocations especially among girls.

In addition, she is the author, together with Helena González and Oriol Marimón, of the book “Elementum and the great robbery of Nurú” (La Esfera de los Libros, 2020), a scientific novel aimed at children .

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Nora Ventosa appointed Research Professor under the Materials Science

Nora Ventosa, the Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS U6 of Biomaterial Processing and Nanostructuring Unit (and IP of the NANOMOL Group of CIBERBBN at ICMAB-CSIC) has been appointed Research Professor in the last call of the Spanish National Reserach Council (CSIC)

This elective process for the selection and appointment of career civil servant, by internal promotion, in the Scale of Research Professors of Public Research Organisms had oppen 6 new positions for Professors under the Materials Science.

Nora Ventosa is a Chemical Engineer by the Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS) and Doctor in Chemistry by the Universitat Ramon Llull. Her research is focused on green chemistry, soft materials and nanobiochemistry. She is devoted to develop and apply new methodologies, based on compressed fluids, in order to gain control of molecular self-assembly in solution.

Prof. Ventosa is also co-founder of the spin-off Nanomol Technologies, vicepresident of the Societat Catalana de Química (SCQ-IEC), member of the Administration Council of ACCIÓ, the Catalan Government agency for the promotion of the competitiveness within companies, and President of the TECNIO Research Association. She has participated, organized and directed more than 50 research projects, funded by different national and international agencies, public, private and industrial, including the European projects Smart4Fabry (Smart multifunctional GLA-nanoformulation for Fabry disease) or Phoenix (Open Innovation Test Bed for Enabling Pharmaceutical Innovative Products).

U6: Biomaterials processing and Nanostructuring unit

Unit 6 of NANBIOSIS, on Biomaterials processing and Nanostructuring unit from CIBER-BBN, hosted at ICMAB-CSIC, with Scientific Director Nora Ventosa, from the Nanomol-Bio research group. The U6 gathers several laboratories, perfectly equipped, to perform the mission of this facility: the development, characterization, and large-scale production of molecular biomaterials of therapeutic or biomedical interest, with controlled micro-, nano- and supramolecular structure. One example of Key-Enabling-Technology (KET) available in this unit in collaboration with the SME Nanomol Technologies (spin off of CSIC) is a simple and green one-step methodology, DELOS, based on the use of compressed fluids (CF), such as CO_2, to prepare particulate materials with precise and reproducible structural characteristics at micro-, nano- and supramolecular levels (size, shape, internal structural gradients, supramolecular organization and crystalline purity). This example shows one of the singularities of this unit is that counts with CF–based plants at different scales, from mL to L, which allow process development by QbD and process scale-up. Recently U6 NANBIOSIS, together with the Soft Scientific and Technical Service, was accredited with the ISO9001 certification for the standard quality control system.

Congratulations Nora!

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Improving quality of MR spectra from mouse brain. MRSI-detected pattern in glioblastoma patients

Work performed at Unit 25 of Nanbiosis ICTS of “NMR: Biomedical ApplicationsI” is being shown at the Joint annual meeting ISMRM-ESMRMB (May 7-12th) London, with the participation of CIBER-BBN group members Ana Paula Candiota, Silvia Lope-Piedrafita, Miquel Cabañas (abstract 1), Carles Arús, Gulnur Ungan, Margarida Julià-Sapé, Alfredo Vellido and Carles Majós (abstract 2).

In the first abstract, entitled “High resolution Multi-voxel spectroscopy using CSI-semi-LASER for mouse brain preclinical studies” we focused into improving quality of MR spectra obtained from mouse brain, a key factor when trying to pursue metabolomic-based biomarkers.

The second abstract, entitled “MRSI-detected pattern in glioblastoma patients one month after concomitant chemoradiotherapy” presented a study with a retrospective MRSI set of 31 glioblastoma patients and investigation of spectral patterns predictive of true progression or pseudoprogression.

The International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) and The European Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and Biology (ESMRMB) are prestigious scientific societies devoted to magnetic resonance-based studies at international and European levels with participation of the most renowned scientifics in the field. This year, the international and european events are joined into a single event (https://www.ismrm.org/22m/)

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Induced pluripotent stem cells in disease modelling and experimental therapies: cardiovascular perspective

On the 20th of May, we will be receiving an international visit at the Unversity of Zaragoza from Pr. Józef Dulak from Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland. The title of the talk will be “Induced pluripotent stem cells in disease modelling and experimental therapies: cardiovascular perspective“.

The invited lecture is programed within the framework of the European CISTEM project, in wich the University of Zaragoza participates through CIBER-BBN group TME lab – NANBIOSIS U13 Tissue & Scaffold Characterization Unit.

The event will take place at 12:00 in the I3A SEMINAR (2nd floor) of Campus Rio Ebro, of University of Zaragoza

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) are generated by genetic reprogramming of somatic cells and thanks to the ability to differentiate into almost all cells types of the organism they offer the enormous possibilities for investigating disease mechanisms, drug sensitivity and safety and for experimental regenerative approaches. iPSC thus became the indispensable tools of current medial biotechnology and received additional input thanks to the development of the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing.

In this lecture PR. Józef Dulak will review his research in which iPSC and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing is applyed for investigating the iPSC-differentiation to cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells and other cell types linked with the disease affecting vascular system, heart and the skeletal muscles. The special attention will be on discussing the potential of iPSC for diabetes and Duchenne muscular dystrophy disease modelling.

Application of iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes offer the chance for effective cell therapy of heart failure and this will be addressed in regard to recently published studies.

Sci Rep. 2015 Feb 26;5:8597. doi: 10.1038/srep08597.
Stepniewski J, et al., Dulak J. Heme oxygenase-1 affects generation and spontaneous cardiac differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells. IUBMB Life. 2018 Feb;70(2):129-142. doi: 10.1002/iub.1711. 2018 Jan 9.
Kachamakova-Trojanowska N, Stepniewski J, Dulak J. Human iPSCs-derived endothelial cells with mutation in HNF1A as a model of maturity-onset diabetes of the young. Cells. 2019 Nov 14;8(11). pii: E1440. doi: 10.3390/cells8111440.
Stępniewski J, et al. Dulak J. Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes, in Contrast to Adipose Tissue-Derived Stromal Cells, Efficiently Improve Heart Function in Murine Model of Myocardial Infarction. Biomedicines. 2020 Dec 7;8(12):578. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines8120578.
Jeż M, et al. Dulak J. Role of Heme-Oxygenase-1 in Biology of Cardiomyocytes Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Cells. 2021 Mar 1;10(3):522. doi: 10.3390/cells10030522.
Andrysiak K, Stępniewski J, Dulak J. Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, 3D cardiac structures, and heart-on-a-chip as tools for drug research. Pflugers Arch. 2021 Jul;473(7):1061-1085. doi: 10.1007/s00424-021-02536-z. Epub 2021 Feb 24.
Martyniak A, et al, Dulak J. Generation of microRNA-378a-deficient hiPSC as a novel tool to study its role in human cardiomyocytes. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2021 Jul 28;160:128-141. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2021.07.007.
Kachamkova-Trojanowska N, Skoczek D, Dulak J, Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young – new approaches for disease modelling. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jul 14;22(14):7553. doi: 10.3390/ijms22147553.
Andrysiak K, et al., Dulak J. Generation of DMBi002-A human induced pluripotent stem cell line from patient with Spinal muscular atrophy type 3. Stem Cell Res. 2021 Oct 13;57:102563. doi: 10.1016/j.scr.2021.102563.
Jelinkova S, Martyniak A, Dulak J, Stępniewski J. Derivation of human pluripotent stem cell line via CRISPR/Cas9 mediated deletion of exon 3 LAMA2 gene (DMBi001-A-1) Stem Cell Res. 2021 Sep 2;56:102529. doi: 10.1016/j.scr.2021.102529

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OPEN SUBMISSION FOR JOURNAL SPECIAL ISSUE ON OLIGONUCLEOTIDE BASED THERAPIES

Dr. Ramon Eritja, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS unit 29 of Oligonucleotide Synthesis Platform (OSP) and Dr. Santiago Grijalvo researcher at NANBIOSIS unit 12 of Nanostructured liquid characterization, from CIBER-BBN and IQAC-CSIC, together with Dr. Andreia F. Jorge, from Coimbra Chemistry Centre (CQC), acting as guest editors of journal Pharmaceutics, of MDPI Publisher, welcome authors to submit their articles on special issues on Recent Trends in Oligonucleotide Based Therapies.

In the past few decades, significant efforts have been made towards the clinical application of oligonucleotides. However, the potential of the therapeutic applications of RNA-based strategies have recently been spotlighted after the first approval of mRNA vaccines in response to COVID-19 pandemic. These molecules have the power to tackle targets that are usually considered to be “undruggable” by blocking the translation or transcription of a specific gene by stimulating the degradation of a particular messenger RNA.

This Special Issue aims to collect reviews, original research articles, and short communications covering innovative strategies in the design, synthesis, and characterization of therapeutic oligonucleotides as well as advances in their delivery based on nanotechnologies. Research concerning the study of sequence-specific protein–DNA/RNA interactions will be also considered.

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form.

For all the informations and instructions about the Special Issue, please visit this MDPI page

Deadline for submissions: 31 December 2022

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Wide representation of NANBIOSIS research in NALS 2022 and best Oral Presentation to Eloi Parladé

During the last 27-29 April, the 3rd International Conference on Nanomaterials Applied to Life Sciences 2022 (NALS 2022) has taken place in the Excellence Campus of Universidad de Cantabria in Santander (Spain), organized by the University of Cantabria and Institute Valdecilla-IDIVAL.

NALS 2022 has been a multidisciplinary conference series sharing new results and ideas in the fields of biosensors, lab on a chip, drug delivery nanopharmacy. nanobiotechnology, intelligent nanomaterials, magnetic materials, nanotoxicity, antimicrobials, novel applications of 3d bioprinting and nanoimaging.

NANBIOSIS has been represented at this edition by members of several of its units, among them we must highlight the set of four oral communication presented by members of the Nanobiotechnology group-Unit 1 of NANBIOSIS “Protein Production Platform (PPP)”, from CIBER-BBN and IIB-UAB the talks were delivered by:

Eloi Parladé: “Development of ion-dependent microscale secretory granules for nanomedical applications”

Carlos Martínez-Torró: “Design of a human GFP-like protein scaffold for targeted nanomedicines”

Eric Voltá Durán: “Antitumoral nanoparticles with multiple activities, a close reality”

Jan Atienza-Garriga: “Characterization of protein-only NPs containing amps and analysis of their protection with liposomes and micelles”

They summarized a wide area of the team activities on the design of protein-based protein materials for clinical uses, produced by means of diverse types of cell factories. In particular, antimicrobial peptides, cytotoxic proteins with antitumoral targeting and drug-carrying scaffold proteins are engineered to confer self-assembling properties as either microparticles or nanoparticles, that can be further functionalized with chemical drugs through covalent binding. Microparticles are of special interest as they can be used as slow drug delivery systems for nanostructured drugs upon subcutaneous administration. Alternatively, nanoparticles can be also presented as embedded in liposomes or other micellar structures that stabilize them for enhanced performance.

Three NANBIOSIS units supported the presented research, which has been executed in a highly cooperative way: namely U1 (Protein Production Platform), led by Tony Villaverde U18 (Nanotoxicology), led by Ramón Mangues and U29 (Oligonucleotide Synthesis Platform), led by Ramón Eritja.

Among all the excellent contributions by the team, it is worthy to stress that the prize for the best Oral Presentation was granted to Dr Eloi Parladé.

Other talk by researchers from NANBIOSIS were “Antioxidant-loaded polymeric NPs prepared by nano-emulsion templating for the management of neurological diseases” by Santiago Grijalvo, from NANBIOSIS U12 and “Exploiting GSH oxidation with nanocatalysts to promote cancer cell death” by Javier Bonet-Aletá from NANBIOSIS U9

On the other hand, Jesús Santamaría, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS U9 was a Keynote Speaker in the Conference with the talk: “A change of paradigm in cancer therapy? Using catalysts to make drugs inside the tumor, rather than trying systemic chemotherapy”

NALS 2022 has been an excellent conference, with presentations covering a wide range of topics in nanomaterials for health, and a great opportunity for our researchers, especially for young’s, to let know their collaborative work, as well as make new connections on common research interests, thanks to the good socializing opportunities afforded by the scheduling of the organization conference.

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CRISPR technologies for Cystic Fibrosis treatment

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited genetic disease that mainly affects the lungs and the digestive system

On April 6, the first meeting was held, on the one hand, with people with Cystic Fibrosis and the Euskadi Cystic Fibrosis Association (Arnasa) and, on the other, with the NanoBioCel research group of the CIBER-BBN and the University of Basque Country, which is also part of the ICTS Nanbiosis through the Drug Formulation Unit U10.

The cooperative relationship between the NanoBioCel research group and Arnasa began approximately 5 years ago with the contributions made by the association to the NanBioCel group for research in cystic fibrosis.

The goup has focused on the development of non-viral vectors to address the treatment of cystic fibrosis through gene therapy. Progress is currently being made in the development of CRISPR technologies for its treatment.

This meeting was organized with the main objective of making those affected aware of the research carried out by NanoBioCel in cystic fibrosis and promoting associationism and collaboration between affected people and researchers to better understand the disease and find promising solutions.

The event was attended by almost 28 associates and many of the rest requested that the presentation of the researchers be recorded

Arnasa is the Cystic Fibrosis Association of the Basque Country and contributes with its work and activities to the promotion of general interest and the visibility of the disease, as well as to the improvement of the quality of life of people affected by the disease and their families.

In the picture: Increased activity of the chloride channel in CUFI cells transfected with non-viral vectors.

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