Session Speaker

Nanostructured Biocomposite Materials: New Insights for Biomedical Applications
Eduardo Ruiz-Hitzky
Spain

Nowadays, nanotechnology represents a useful and versatile discipline for biomedical applications that goes from the design and preparation of nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery to compatible namomaterials for tissue engineering. The development of new compatible improved materials using bottom-up approaches is one of the keys for the advance in new applications in this fascinating area of research. For instance, bio-inorganic hybrid nanomaterials derived from silica and silicates are receiving an increasing interest because of the duality of structural and functional characteristics afforded by its two kinds of components assembled at the nanometric range [1, 2].

In this communication, we will introduce some recent examples of bio-nanohybrids prepared by assembling natural polymers (polysaccharides, proteins, etc.) to nanosized silicates that gives rise to the so-called bionanocomposites [2,3]. Application of these biomaterials as green plastics, active phases of ion-sensors and biosensors, drug delivery systems, etc. will be introduced, showing their potential interest in regenerative medicine and as new substrates to immobilize compounds of biological origin and even living entities.

The hierarchical porosity of certain bionanocomposites generated by a procedure developed and patented in our group [4] can be profited for cellular growth within the macropores. More recently, we have reported bionanocomposites able to bind Influenza virus nanoparticles [5].

The most salient feature of these bio-hybrids is their bioactivity, allowing their application as an effective low-cost vaccine adjuvant that strongly increases the immune response against Influenza viruses compared to virus alone. The novel system here reported may be not only useful against human and avian Influenza, but also potentially against other mucosal-entry viruses as HIV.

References:

[1]Ruiz-Hitzky, E., Darder, M., Eds. Special Issue Trends in Bio-hybrid Nanostructured Materials, Curr. Nanosci., Vol. 2, No. 3 (2006), pp. 153-294.
[2] Ruiz-Hitzky, E., Ariga, K. & Lvov, Y.M., Eds. Bio-Inorganic Hybrid Nanomaterials: Strategies, Syntheses, Characterization and Applications, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany (2007).
[3] Ruiz-Hitzky, E., Darder, M. & Aranda, P., Bionanocomposites in Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Wiley, pp 1-28 (2008).
[4] Ruiz-Hitzky, E., Aranda, P., Darder, M., Moreira Martins Fernandes, F.M., Santos Matos, C.R., Spanish Patent 200900104, 14/01/2009.
[5] Ruiz-Hitzky E., Darder, M., Aranda, P., Martín del Burgo M.A., del Real, G., Adv. Mater., (on line, DOI 10.1002/adma.200900181).