- The new CiQUS (USC) project, based on a collaboration of the groups led by Pablo del Pino and Jose Luis Mascareñas, describes for the first time a hybrid nanosystem consisting of a metallic core (palladium) and a porous shell for carrying out, selectively and repeatedly, specific chemical transformations within cells and in tissue models
- The nanoreactors that have been developed are characterised by a high versatility and modularity and may be modified in order to prepare different types of catalytic tissues. The implantation of these tissues in living organisms could be a very valuable tool for carrying out these chemical transformations. For example, they could allow in vivo production - located in these tissues - of drugs or other compounds of biomedical interest
- This work has been published in Cell Reports Physical Science, the new journal from the prestigious Cell Press group
Within the framework of the new CiQUS (USC) project, based on a collaboration of the teams led by Prof. Jose Luis Mascareñas and Dr. Pablo del Pino, a new scientific concept based on the development of catalytic tissues has been developed.
“As a proof of concept, in this interdisciplinary work, we have proposed a novel hybrid nanosystem consisting of a metallic core (palladium) and a porous shell based on a Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) that work synergistically to transform chemical compounds selectively and repeatedly within cells and tissues”, as Pablo del Pino explains.
Towards a new generation of nanoreactors with a great potential in biomedicine
For the first time, it has been demonstrated that this type of nano-implants can be inserted in models of tumor tissues, being capable of activating external molecules selectively for, at least, one week. This pioneering contribution seeks to provide the basis for creating a new generation of nanoreactors that, thanks to their versatility and stability, are expected to offer new opportunities in the biomedical field. "Specifically, the ultimate objective is to carry out “in vivo” nano-implants of systems with catalytic activity which can be used as factories to generate bioactive molecules locally”, adds CiQUS researcher.
This work is part of a CiQUS collaborative project funded by multiple European, national and regional agencies and that is carried out exclusively by researchers from this research centre.
