Project description
Decoding the complex structure and dynamics of carbohydrate hydrogels
Gels are semi-solid colloidal systems whose properties range from soft to tough. Carbohydrate-based hydrogels can find use in a wide range of applications, from tissue implants to water decontamination, owing to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, high production costs and unsustainable manufacturing limit their development. Further, their characterisation at the molecular and macroscopic scales is challenging due to their structural and dynamics complexity. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the Sweet2Gel project will develop novel methods based on a combination of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, molecular modelling and deep learning for the detailed characterisation of carbohydrate-based hydrogels at the molecular level, and to generate predictive models that allow to decipher hidden relationships between the molecular and macroscopic properties.
Objective
Gels are 3D entangled polymer or particle networks that present, simultaneously, solid and liquid-like properties. Gels are widely present in daily life products such as contact lenses, food thickeners, platforms for drug delivery, or wound healing ointments, among others. Carbohydrate-based hydrogels have gathered increasing attention for a wide range of biomedical and industrial applications (e.g. tissue engineering or water decontamination) due to their biocompatible, biodegradable and non-immunogenic features. However, the development of most gel-like materials is currently limited due their high production costs and greatly pollutant manufacturing techniques. In addition, the great structural complexity of gels, where different lengths scales and isotropic and anisotropic phases coexist, limit their characterisation at the molecular and macroscopic scales, thus hindering the design and development of functional gels with tailored properties. High Resolution Magic Angle Spinning (HR-MAS) and solid-state NMR (SSNMR) spectroscopy constitute the most powerful technologies to characterise the structure and dynamics of hydrogels at the molecular level, not accessible by other techniques. The specific objectives of the Sweet2Gel project are (i) to develop novel HR-MAS and SSNMR protocols for the characterisation of carbohydrate-based gels, (ii) to develop predictive deep-learning-based models that allow to decipher hidden relationships between the molecular and macroscopic properties of the gels and (iii) to improve the molecular models of carbohydrate gel particles by a combination of molecular dynamics and deep learning approaches. Hence, the Sweet2Gel Project aims to accelerate the development of a new generation of renewable materials with rationally designed properties for a wide range of applications.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
28006 MADRID
Spain
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.