News U6

Manuel Souto received UAB PhD Extraordinary Award

Jaume Veciana and Imma Ratera (NANBIOSIS U6 Biomaterial Processing and Nanostructuring Unit) have supervised Manuel Souto’s PhD thesis entitled “Multifunctional Materials based on TTF-PTM dyads: towards new Molecular Switches, Conductors and Rectifiers”.

The School for Doctoral Studies, together with UAB Alumni, organises an event every semester for the award of PhD degrees and PhD special prizes. With 66 PhD programmes, the UAB is one of the leading Catalan universities in the production of theses and generates approximately a third of the doctoral theses that are defended in the Catalan university system each year. The PhD special prizes confer value to theses which have received the qualification of excellence “Cum Laude” and which, having been proposed by the Admissions Committee of each academic programme, stand out for their contribution and advance in the different areas of our University.The prizes are awarded per academic year, in accordance with PhD regulations and with the criteria specified in each PhD programme.

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Artificial 3D Culture Systems for T Cell Expansion

Scientists of NANBIOSIS U6. Biomaterial Processing and Nanostructuring Unit, have recently pubished an article in the ACS Omega about the design 0f 3D platforms specific for T cell culture to improve the current T cell expansion systems to introduce new in vitro models and facilitate the broad use of ACT in the clinics.

Adoptive cell therapy, i.e., the extraction, manipulation, and administration of ex vivo generated autologous T cells to patients, is an emerging alternative to regular procedures in cancer treatment. Nevertheless, these personalized treatments require laborious and expensive laboratory procedures that should be alleviated to enable their incorporation into the clinics. With the objective to improve the ex vivo expansion of large amount of specific T cells, we propose the use of three-dimensional (3D) structures during their activation with artificial antigen-presenting cells, thus resembling the natural environment of the secondary lymphoid organs. Thus, the activation, proliferation, and differentiation of T cells have been analyzed when cultured in the presence of two 3D systems, Matrigel and a 3D polystyrene scaffold, showing an increase in cell proliferation compared to standard suspension systems.

Article of reference:

Eduardo Pérez del Río, Marc Martinez Miguel, Jaume Veciana, Imma Ratera, and Judith Guasch. Artificial 3D Culture Systems for T Cell Expansion . ACS Omega 2018 3 (5), 5273-5280. DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b00521

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Stimuli-Responsive Functionalization Strategies to Spatially and Temporally Control Surface Properties: Michael vs Diels–Alder Type Additions

NANBIOSIS Unit 6 Biomaterial Processing and Nanostructuring and Unit 3 Synthesis of Peptides collaborate in a research whose results are published by The Journal of Physical Chemistry B

Stimuli-Responsive Functionalization Strategies to Spatially and Temporally Control Surface Properties: Michael vs Diels–Alder Type Additions

Adriana R. Kyvik, Carlos Luque-Corredera, Daniel Pulido, Miriam Royo, Jaume Veciana, Judith Guasch, and Imma Ratera

The Journal of Physical Chemistry B 2018 122 (16), 4481-4490

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b01652

Stimuli-responsive self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are used to confer switchable physical, chemical, or biological properties to surfaces through the application of external stimuli. To obtain spatially and temporally tunable surfaces, we present microcontact printed SAMs of a hydroquinone molecule that are used as a dynamic interface to immobilize different functional molecules either via Diels–Alder or Michael thiol addition reactions upon the application of a low potential. In spite of the use of such reactions and the potential applicability of the resulting surfaces in different fields ranging from sensing to biomedicine through data storage or cleanup, a direct comparison of the two functionalization strategies on a surface has not yet been performed. Although the Michael thiol addition requires molecules that are commercial or easy to synthesize in comparison with the cyclopentadiene derivatives needed for the Diels–Alder reaction, the latter reaction produces more homogeneous coverages under similar experimental conditions.

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Judith Guasch, (NANBIOSIS Unit 6) has been granted with a Ramon y Cajal grant from the Spanish Goverment

Judith Guasch holds a senior postdoctoral research position at the NANOMOL group CIBER-BBN at ICMAB-CSIC that coordinates NANBIOSIS Unit 6 Biomaterial Processing and Nanostructuring Unit, after being awarded with a TecnioSpring fellowship (Marie Curie Fellow, Cofund – Catalan Government and EU). Since 2017 she is also head of a Max Planck Partner Group (Dynamic Biomimetics for Cancer Immunotherapy) in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research (Heidelberg, Germany). Judith’s research interests are focused on the design, synthesis, and fabrication of multifunctional molecular and supramolecular materials for biomedical applications. Special interest is devoted to study the cell-material interaction for improving novel adoptive cell therapies for the treatment of cancer. She studied Chemistry at the UB (2006) and she received her PhD in 2011 from ICMAB. Afterwards, she carried out postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (Stuttgart, Germany).

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NANOMEDICINE APPLICATIONS IN DRUG DELIVERY AND TARGETING: NANBIOSIS – NANOMED Industrial Forum

Yesterday took place in Barcelona, at Barcelona School of Management, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, a meeting of resarch groups and units of NANBIOSIS and CIBER-BBN and companies in the third B2B Forum organized by NANBIOSIS, in this case together with NANOMED SPAIN.

Thirteen companies and twelve groups from CIBER-BBN and CCMIJU (ten of them coordinating NANBIOSIS units) got together to explain, through short presentations of ten minutes, those lines of their work aimed at finding synergies and potential collaborations in the area of Nanomedicine apllications in drug delivery and targeting. There was also a talk by a representative of CDTI (Spanish National Center for Industrial and Technological Development) to explain the financing opportunities for the companies as well as a presentation by the NANBIOSIS Coordinator, Jesús Izco, to show the new Cutting Edge Biomedical Solutions offered by the ICTS-NANBIOSIS.

After lunch, the groups and companies had the opportunity to discuss in more detail, during bilateral interviews coordinated by NANBIOSIS a, those aspects that had attracted their attention, as well as, in some cases, to draw potential collaborations. The event was successfully developed with 45 attendees and more than 50 individual B2B mettings.

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New laboratory for unit 6 of NANBIOSIS

The equipment of NANBIOSIS U6-Processing of biomaterials and nanoestructuring, that at present are in several laboratories of the ICMAB-CSIC, are going to be transferred to their definitive location in the new laboratory of this NANBIOSIS unit. Given the large amount of equipment the process is expected to last two years, and itwill be done sequentially to continue to provide service to laboratory users. In this process, an engineer has been hired to play a key role, since he will not only be in charge of the transfer, but also to ensure the correct installation of equipment after its transfer and to ensure its start-up and correct operation in the new site.

This action has been confinanced by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Plurirregional Operational Program of Spain (POPE)2014-2020

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Agreements signed with MINECO for the allocation of FEDER funds for NANBIOSIS ICTS

In the framework of the FEDER Program in ICTS 2014-2020, several projects related to the ICTS NANBIOSIS have been selected by the MINECO for co-financing with FEDER funds of the European Regional Development Funds program.

An agreement has been signed between MINECO and CIBER (partner of NANBIOSIS for the co-financing of the Project: “Purchase, installation and set-up of production and characterization equipment to complement the Units: U3-Synthesis of Peptides Unit, U18-Nanotoxicology and U20- In Vivo Experimental Platform”. The total budget of the project amounts to € 307,566.16, with 50% financing with FEDER Funds.

Also CSIC (The State Agency Superior Council of Scientific Investigations), institution that houses some of the NANBIOSIS units, as distributed ICTS, has signed an agreement with MINECO for the co-financing of the Project: “Purchase and installation and set-up of equipment and production and characterization laboratories to complement the units U2-Production of antibodies, U4-Biodeposition and biosensing, U6-Processing of biomaterials and U8-Micro, nanotechnology. The total budget of the project amounts to € 312.800,00 €, with 50% financing with FEDER Funds.

These two projects aim to increase the quantity and quality of the services offered by th implied units, with the objetive of positioning them as national and international benchmark in their respective fields of application. As a consequence, an increase in the performance (number of services and number of users) of each unit is expected, especially from companies (pharmaceutical and small biotechnology).

CSIC and CIBER are processing the necessary contracting procedures for the execution of these projects.

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Carbon-gold bonds for robusts molecule-electrode junctions

Marta Mas-Torrent, Jaume Veciana, and Nuria Crivillers, scientists of the research group NANOMOL, coordinating NANBIOSIS U6. Biomaterial Processing and Nanostructuring Unit, are co-authors of the article “Carbon-gold bonds for robusts molecule-electrode junctions” by Journal of the American Chemical Society -JACS-.

The researchers have studied the behaviour of an organic radical as a molecular wire formed by a covalent carbon-gold bond between the molecule and two electrodes. The molecule-metal junction is more stable and gemotrically better defined than its predecessors, in which other functional groups were used. This improvement opens up new horizons in the fabrication of novel electronic devices with applications in the Molecular Electronics field.

Article of reference:

Francesc Bejarano, Ignacio Jose Olavarria-Contreras, Andrea Droghetti, Ivan Rungger∥, Alexander Rudnev⊥, Diego Gutiérrez, Marta Mas-Torrent, Jaume Veciana, Herre S. J. van der Zant, Concepció Rovira, Enrique Burzurı́, and Núria Crivillers. Robust Organic Radical Molecular Junctions Using Acetylene Terminated Groups for C–Au Bond Formation. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2018, 140 (5), pp 1691–1696

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b10019

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Mesenchymal stem cells or exosomes with fibrin glue mesh fixation modulates the inflammatory reaction in a murine model of incisional hernia

Javier García Casado, Scientific Director of NANBIOSIS U14, Cell Therapy Unit, and Francisco Miguel Sánchez Margallo, Scientific Director of CCMIJU, are co-author of the publication “Fibrin glue mesh fixation combined with mesenchymal stem cells or exosomes modulates the inflammatory reaction in a murine model of incisional hernia” by Acta Biomaterialia.

In vitro experiments were performed by the ICTS Nanbiosis (Unit 14. Cell therapy at CCMIJU). Exosomes characterization was performed by the ICTS Nanbiosis (Unit 6: Biomaterial processing and Nanostructuring Unit). In vivo experiments were performed by the ICTS Nanbiosis (Unit 22. Animal housing at CCMIJU).

The study has demonstrated a significant increase of anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages and TH2 cytokines when MSCs or exo-MSCs were used. Moreover, the analysis of MMPs, TIMPs and collagen exerted significant differences in the extracellular matrix and in the remodeling process. The in vivo study suggests that the fixation of surgical meshes with FG and MSCs or exo-MSCs will have a beneficial effect for the treatment of incisional hernia in terms of improved outcomes of damaged tissue, and especially, in the modulation of inflammatory responses towards a less aggressive and pro-regenerative profil,

The implantation of surgical meshes is the standard procedure to reinforce tissue defects such as hernias. However, an exacerbated and persistent inflammatory response secondary to this implantation is frequently observed, leading to a strong discomfort and chronic pain in the patients. In many cases, an additional surgical intervention is needed to remove the mesh.

This study shows that mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes, combined with a fibrin sealant, can be used for the successful fixation of these meshes. This new therapeutic approach, assayed in a murine model of incisional hernia, favors the modulation of the inflammatory response towards a less aggressive and pro-regenerative profile

For further information: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2018.02.014.

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Fabry disease awareness month, April

The Fabry International Network (FIN) association established the month of April as the “month of Fabry” to raise awareness and educate about this disease, a rare, progressive and with multi-organ involvement pathology.

Fabry Disease is one of several dozen Lysosomal Storage Disorders that interfere with the body’s ability to break down specific fatty substances. It is a rare disease and because the rate of occurrence is less than 1 in 200,000, it is considered as one of the many “Orphan” diseases. It is more common in women, but it occurs with greater severity in men.

Fabry disease is a metabolic disease that is produced by a deficiency of the ysosomal enzyme Alpha galactosidase. It is transmitted on the X chromosome. Fabry affected patients are missing alpha-galactosidase A (alpha-gal A) which results in sugars and fatty acids (Gb3) accumulating in the cells throughout the body and impairs the function of several major organs including the kidneys and heart. In 2001, enzyme replacement therapy appeared when the alpha-galactosidase protein (alpha- and beta-agalsidase) was synthesized in the laboratory using genetic engineering techniques. This treatment is injected into patients every 15 days to replenish the deficit levels of this enzyme and stop the progression of the disease.

CIBER-BBN, partner of NANBIOSIS, leads the European project Smart4fabry funded by the Horizon 2020 program, which will be developed through a consortium formed by 14 partners from 5 different countries. The CIBER-BBN coordinates the project through the participation of four of its groups that coordinate four units of NANBIOSIS (U1.Protein Production Platform (PPP), U3. Synthesis of Peptides Unit, U6. Biomaterial Processing and Nanostructuring Unit and U20. In Vivo Experimental Platform.) In addition, the consortium is formed by the University of Aarhus (Denmark), Technion Israel Institute of Technology (Israel), Joanneum Research (Austria), Biopraxis Research AIE (Spain), the spin off Nanomol Technologies SL (Spain) ), BioNanoNet (Austria), Drug Development and Regulation SL (Spain), the Covance Laboratories LTD group (UK), and Leanbio SL (Spain) Smart-4-Fabry has been conceived and developed to obtain a new nanoformulation of GLA, that will improve the efficacy and toleration of the treatment with non-formulated GLA. The final benefit will be seen as a considerable reduction on the Fabry disease treatment cost and a substantial improvement in the life-quality of Fabry disease patients.

Fabry International Network, FIN was established in 2005, as a non-for-profit organization registered in The Netherlands. The primary aim of the project is to facilitate collaboration between patient organizations around the world to support those affected by Fabry disease

FIN is connected to over 45 countries around the world. Membership is free and open to any National Patient Organization in which Fabry patients are represented. The National Fabry Disease Foundation – USA, for April 2018 Fabry Disease Awareness Month, have been providing an educational or information post on their Facebook page, every day of the month in April. The NFDF also distributed their My Health Handbook kit and, so far, distributed about 700 kits to individuals with Fabry disease. Fabry Australia have a new website and they are also running a new social media campaign. Fabry Support & Informatie Groep Nederland, FSIGN, since 2005 has organized every first Saturday of April (in the Fabry Awareness Month April) to be the Fabry women’s day. Japan Fabry Disease Patients and Family Association, in awareness month JFA held an open seminar at Fukuoka University Medical hall with lectures on three major topics: Newborn Mass Screening, Current Treatments and Employment and Clinical Genomics. In Spain the Fabry patient organization are the Spanish Fabry MPS Association

The Fabry International Network will cellebrate the 6th Fabry Expert Meeting on
8th – 10th June 2018 at the Vilnius Grand Resort, Ežeraičių g. 2, Ežeraičių km., Avižienių sen., Vilniaus raj., LT-14200, Lietuva.

DRAFT Full Program

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Stimuli-Responsive Functionalization Strategies to Spatially and Temporally Control Surface Properties: Michael vs Diels–Alder Type Additions