The N&N Group has been granted the project entitled Engineering Bacterial Cellulose Nanocomposites (E-BCN), MAT2015-64442-R. The three years project will be funded with 180.000 € and a Ph.D. scholarship grant. The Research Group that will participate in the project is formed by Anna Roig (IP), Martí Gich, Anna Laromaine, Jordi Faraudo, Dino Tonti, Laura Asturias and Anna May. Congratulations!
The image, showing the surface modification of bacterial cellulose, is from Zeng et al. J. Mater. Chem. C, 2014,2, 6312-6318.
MAGNET, the cooperation project with the Institut de Recerca de la Vall d’Hebron (VHIR) has been selected as one of the five finalists of the prestigious Innovation Prize. Dr. Anna Rosell, that leads this project at the Neurovacular Research Group, will defend it in Paris on the 12th of September. We wish her best luck!
If you want to read more: “El VHIR patenta una teràpia per potenciar la neuroreparació després de l’ictus”
Magnet – Vall d’Hebron Research Institute – Anna Rosell Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide and neurorepair strategies with advanced cell therapies may become a reality soon. However, this can only be accomplished by achieving the control over the delivery and engraftment of functional cells. The concept of the Magnet therapy is that by labelling endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and nanocapsules containing EPCs-growth factors with biocompatible magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, we will be able to guide their delivery to precise brain areas by externally applying a magnetic field force to enhance neurorepair and recovery.
The techonology is patented and we are currently in search of a company interested in lincense it. Publication of the firsts results can be found in the paper “In vitro angiogenic performance and in vivo brain targeting of magnetized endothelial progenitor cells for neurorepair therapies”
Figure: Image of an endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) taken with a Transmission Soft cryo-X-ray Microscopy from the ALBA Synchroton.
Our application to the Fundamental Research Projects of the Spanish VI“Plan Nacional de Investigación Científica, Desarrollo e Innovación Tecnológica” with the project “Advanced preparation techniques for nanoparticles and their biomedical and environmental assessment (AdvancedNP)” has been funded.
We are very happy given the strong competition of the call due to the budgetary cuts.
The N&N Group has been granted the project entitled Engineering Bacterial Cellulose Nanocomposites (E-BCN), MAT2015-64442-R. The three years project will be funded with 180.000 € and a Ph.D. scholarship grant.
