The thesis, co-supervised by CiQUS researcher Eduardo Fernández-Megía, was defended at The Institut de Recherche en Santé of the Université de Nantes.
The Institut de Recherche en Santé researcher Petar Vukojičić, fellow of the NanoFar programme - European Doctorate in Nanomedicine and Pharmaceutical Innovation, defended yesterday his doctoral thesis at the Université de Nantes (IRS-UN). His work, entitled 'Affitin-dendrimer conjugates for multivalency-enhanced targeting', has been supervised by professors and researchers Eduardo Fernández-Megía (CiQUS) and Barbara Mouratou (Université de Nantes), and developed in both institutions.
Multivalency is a widely occurring natural phenomenon often exploited in nanotechnology to enhance biorecognition. In this thesis versatile, multivalent Affitin-dendrimer conjugates (Affidendrons) showcased by a set targeting S. aureus protein A with high specificity and affinity are reported. The strategy provides a platform for the rational design of nanoscale devices with superior affinity, as demonstrated by modulating complex multicellular behaviors, such as the biofilm formation of S. aureus.