DC 6 Advanced lipid-based nanomaterials with antimicrobial “built-in” properties manufactured by environmentally friendly novel green technologies

https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/144892

The advertised doctoral position will be carried out at the Nanomol-Bio Group (ICMAB-CSIC). The group has wide expertise and recognized excellence in the synthesis, processing and study of molecular materials with electronic, magnetic and biomedical properties. We are actively involved in implementing nanotechnology and sustainable and economically efficient technologies for preparing advanced functional molecular materials with interest in the fields of molecular electronics, molecular magnets and nanomedicine.

The multidisciplinary research we carry out is aimed at the self-assembly, nanostructuring and processing of functional molecules as crystals, particles, vesicles, and structured as self-assembled monolayers on various substrates showing non-conventional chemical, physical and biological properties. 

As one of the main Spanish research groups specialized in nanomedicine, we are members of the Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN) and NANBIOSIS. During the last years, the Department Nanomol has hosted 50 Doctoral Thesis under the supervision of the permanent members of the group and more than 25 Postdocs, from more than 10 different foreigner countries.

The specific project offered is related with the growing emergence of microorganism’s resistant to antibiotics which has prompted the development of alternative antimicrobial therapies. A new generation of tailored antimicrobials are urgently needed for the profit of society. Higher bactericidal efficiencies to yield broad-spectrum antimicrobials requires multidisciplinary collaboration.

The project will focus on the design advanced lipid-based quatsomes nanovesicles (QS) with antimicrobial “built-in” properties that can be precisely loaded with one or more types of actives by using the green, CO2-based, one-step and scalable manufacturing process, called DELOS (Depressurization of an Ex-panded Liquid Organic Solution).

Conjugation of QS with antimicrobial biomolecules – to yield advance formulations with great potential, to protect the biomolecules against proteolytic degradation and to increase the antimicrobial/antibiofilm properties of the QS will be the aim.  Physico-chemical characterisation will establish correlations between structure and antimicrobial activity. Changes in the components (sterols and ammonium surfactants) and their molar ratio will be investigated, to develop alternative antimicrobial therapies, as well as for providing antimicrobial properties to materials (e.g. packaging materials) that are biodegradable. Thus, the candidate will also develop strategies towards chemical modification of surfaces/hydrogels using QS which will open up new possibilities to be applied not only for pharmaceuticals but also as antimicrobial packaging materials.

The main working tasks of the position are:

1. Preparation of QS nanovesicles loaded with antimicrobials using environmentally friendly novel green technologies (DELOS)
2. Physicochemical characterization of the advanced formulations
3. Preparation of surfaces and hydrogels loaded with the optimized QS formulations

Expected Results: (1) Established green antimicrobial and biodegradable material manufacturing by DELOS (2) Established correlations between structural nanoformulation characteristics and antimicrobial activity. (3) Advanced formulations by loading the QS with two or more types of molecules.

In the frame of the research project, short term (secondment) visits at other partners’ premises are envisioned. As per call requirements, candidate will spend at least half of the total contract time in a non-academic environment.