34^th Nano Congress for Future Advancements April 27-28, 2022 Barcelona, Spain

Biography:

Monica Florescu, PhD, Associate Professor of Physics and Biophysics Department of Fundamental, Prophylactic, and Clinical Disciplines,"Transilvania" University of Brasov, Faculty of Medicine. She obtained in 2007 Ph.D. in Physics and in 2020 PhD in Medicine. Her current research interests include development of label-free (nano)biosensors as reliable detection tool for biologically active substances and toxins, study of biomolecular interactions with solid surfaces (metal, alloys, carbon-based) for optimization of the surfaces for biosensors and prosthetics materials, the development of bioactive nanoparticles, biocatalysts or bioanalytical systems, tuning surface properties to interact specifically with a target biomolecular system, physico-chemical characterization of biomaterials with applications for implanted materials.

Abstract:

Nanotechnology is increasingly used in various applications, from clinical diagnosis to food analysis and environmental monitoring. Nanomaterials can be adapted to be used for the specific detection of biomolecules using sensors and biosensors. They can be used as conductors, signal amplifiers or components of biomolecular recognition. The presentation will highlight the use of commercially available nanomaterials and composites that are fully functionalized or synthesized in our laboratory. Chemically functionalized carbon nanomaterials have been used to detect glucose [1], and carboxyl-functionalized carbon nanotubes have been successfully used to detect levothyroxine. By comparison, physically synthesized bimetallic nanoparticles loaded with reduced graphene oxide were also used to monitor levothyroxine. Enzyme-like catalytic activity has been observed on gold nanoparticles [2], usually obtained by chemical pathways. In our laboratory we obtained biologically synthesized metal nanoparticles and composites, which allow the modulation of activity and selectivity facilitating the applicability of our (bio) sensors in the analysis of real samples, to make the diagnosis at the point of care.

Keywords: Nanomaterials, Composite materials, Biosensing, Biological synthesis

Biography:

The limited efficacy and significant dose-related side effects of anticancer medications are two of the constraints associated with cancer treatment. The goal of this research was to create biocompatible multifunctional drug-loaded nanoscale moieties for co-treatment (chemo-photothermal therapy) with the highest efficacy and fewest negative effects possible. The anticancer effects of doxorubicin (DOX) loaded on gold nanorods coated with the polyelectrolyte poly (sodium-4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS-GNRs) with and without NIR laser (808 nm, power density = 1.5 W/cm 2 for 2 min) irradiation are reported in this paper. With a drug loading content of 3.2 mg DOX/mL, PSS-GNRs had a drug loading capacity of about 76 percent.

When compared to non-irradiated samples, cumulative DOX release increased considerably following laser exposure (p 0.05). GNRs, PSS-GNRs, and DOX-PSS-GNRs all had zeta potential values of 42 0.1 mV, 40 0.3 mV, and 39.3 0.6 mV, respectively. Biocompatibility and photothermal stability of PSS-GNRs nanocomplexes were discovered. DOX-conjugated nanocomplexes with NIR laser irradiation appear to be more effective at inhibiting cells (93%) than those without laser exposure (65%) or doxorubicin alone (84 percent).

With laser irradiation, the IC 50 values of PSS-GNRs-DOX and PSS-GNRs-DOX were measured to be 7.99 and 3.12 g/mL, respectively. As a result, a combination of chemotherapy and photo thermal methods appears to be a promising platform for cancer treatment.

Abstract:

Dr. Rida Fatima Saeed, working as Assistant Professor at the Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindi, Pakistan since 2019. She did her BSc (Hons) (Biochemistry, 2008) and MSc (Bioscience, 2011) degrees from University of Leeds (UK). She completed my PhD (Biochemsitry/Cancer biology) in 2016, from University of Bradford, UK. Her PhD work focused on developing in vitro assays to assess the functionality and selectivity of novel small inhibitors of polysialyltransferases for use in neuroblastoma therapy. She has authored around three book chapters and different research articles.

Biography:

Dr. Uzma Azeem Awan, working as Assistant Professor at the Department of Biological Sciences  National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindi, Pakistan since 2018. She did her PhD (2017) from University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, and had completed research project from Nuclear Medicine Oncology and Radiotherapy institute (NORI-PAEC), Islamabad and Georgia institute of Technology, USA majoring in Nanomedicine with specialization in Cancer Nanotheranostics. Her research has included fabrication of nanomaterials and their biomedical applications in the field of cancer.  She has been awarded with 4 research projects She has published 13 research articles, 3 review articles and 5 book chapters. Besides teaching she has presented her research work at various national and international forums.  She is serving as a reviewer of several reputed journals like British Medical Journal. She is a member of American Chemical Society.

Abstract:

Nanomaterials and advanced nanotechnologies have sped up the creation of new biomedical protocols. Nanoparticle-mediated distribution of nucleic acids has been proposed as a major tool for modulating gene expression, whether by targeted gene silencing, interfering RNA mechanisms, or gene edition. Because of the ability to fine-tune their size, shape, and surface properties, as well as the ease of functionalization with different biomolecules, these novel delivery systems have heavily relied on nanoparticles. In particular, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have paved the way for efficient delivery systems as they have a unique light-to-heat conversion property that can be used to develop new and effective cancer therapeutics. Breast cancer is still the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women worldwide, putting their lives at danger. Nanomedicine, fortunately, has introduced new potential and hope to breast cancer research. Abnormally elevated expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been frequently observed to regulate tumor growth, invasion and metastasis in breast cancer tissues. COX-2 selective and non-selective inhibition causes several adverse effects like renal, cardiac and gastrointestinal toxicity.

Herein, we provide a nano-platform made up of gold nanoparticles that conjugate and release COX-2 interfering oligos when illuminated with a near-infrared (NIR) continuous wave (CW) laser (808 nm) to precisely reduce endogenous COX-2 expression in breast cancer cells. Using gold nanoparticles coupled oligos followed by NIR laser exposure, the COX-2 protein expression level was considerably (p0.05) reduced by 78 percent after 72 hours when compared to their untreated counterpart. The effectiveness of gene silencing utilizing nanoparticles coupled with oligos without laser exposure was 36%. The decrease in protein level in NIR-activated cells against control sample demonstrates that NIR induced nano-platform has effectively interfered with COX-2 protein expression. Our findings highlight the promise of gold nanoparticle-mediated laser transfection as a gene interfering technique with spatial and temporal control, as well as a unique molecular therapeutic approach for the treatment of breast cancer.

Biography:

He is affiliated to Universidad de los Andes, Colombia. His international experience includes various programs, contributions and participation in different countries for diverse fields of study.  His research interests reflect in his wide range of publications in various national and international journals. 

Abstract:

The search for new and better multiferroic materials is motivated by the possibilities they offer in tuning magnetic properties of devices, such as, for example, magnetic memories, by the application of an electric field; or, vice versa, the control of electric polarization by magnetic fields [1]. These materials are currently used in multiple applications such as FeFET ferroelectric transistors, FeRAM and MRAM memories, among others. Most of the multiferroic materials available nowadays are highly 3 dimensional, which imply high costs and limitations on their miniaturization down to the nanoscale [2]. In this sense, the van der Waals (vdW) low-dimensional materials for which either ferromagnetic (FM) or ferroelectric (FE) properties have been predicted and observed under certain conditions rise as promising candidates in the search for multiferroic materials that can be nanostructured at a low cost [2]][3][4].

In this work, we present our recent results on the study on multiferroic properties in transition metal dichalcogenides induced by chemical doping. We show piezo force microscopy (PFM) measurements, as well as magnetization curves as a function of magnetic field, in single crystals of the doped compounds. These measurements reveal simultaneous ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism in the bulk, at room temperature. These results pave the way for the incorporation of nanostructured TMDs into multiferroic devices.