Descripción del proyecto
Los materiales augéticos podrían utilizarse en aplicaciones biomédicas
Los materiales augéticos, materiales que se engruesan al estirarlos, son singulares por su coeficiente de Poisson negativo, lo cual les confiere cualidades mecánicas superiores. A pesar de que su uso presenta un potencial enorme en dispositivos biomédicos, hoy en día no existen materiales augéticos sintéticos a nanoescala. El equipo del proyecto AMPLIFI, financiado por las Acciones Marie Skłodowska-Curie, diseñará una estructura polimérica con una resistencia mecánica superior que mejore la comodidad de los pacientes gracias a sus propiedades augéticas. Además, se centrará en las infecciones bacterianas nosocomiales incorporando agentes antimicrobianos en el interior de la estructura. Los componentes básicos adecuados para el autoensamblaje de los potenciales polímeros augéticos y antimicrobianos se identificarán mediante modelización molecular. El equipo del proyecto los sintetizará y estudiará sus propiedades mecánicas y antimicrobianas.
Objetivo
AMPLIFI aims to develop an innovative auxetic, antimicrobial meta-material based on a supramolecular coordination polymer for the design of biomedical devices. Auxetics are unique due to their negative Poisson’s ratio, which imparts superior mechanical qualities when compared to conventional materials. They offer huge potential if used to design biomedical devices such as catheters. There is as yet no synthetic material that demonstrates auxeticity at the nano-level, even if potential auxeticity was demonstrated through simulations. Through AMPLIFI I will design a polymeric structure with superior mechanical strength that offers better patient comfort by virtue of its auxetic properties while also dealing with the challenge of bacterial infections. The project exploits the versatility of supramolecular chemistry of calixarenes or related macrocycles and self-assembly. Appropriate building blocks for a self-assembled auxetic polymer will be identified by MM simulations, and the effect of adding antimicrobial agents studied. The identified coordination polymer will be synthesized, fully characterised and subsequently tested for antimicrobial properties. I have a strong background in supramolecular chemistry which makes AMPLIFI an ideal project for me, and I will be joined by a strong supervisory team at the University of Malta consisting of an expert in auxetics, a renowned microbiologist and a structural chemist. AMPLIFI also boasts of the co-supervision of a leader in calixarene and related macrocyclic chemistry from the University of Parma. AMPLIFI builds on my expertise and enables me to work within a multidisciplinary team at the interface of theoretical chemistry, experimental organic synthesis and microbiology. In short, AMPLIFI provides me with a holistic research and training package to kick-start an independent research path and affords an unprecedented opportunity to contribute to the urgent plead for more comfortable and safer biomedical devices.
Ámbito científico
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
MSCA-IF-EF-CAR - CAR – Career Restart panelCoordinador
2080 MSIDA
Malta