The ProteNano-MAG project vision encompasses the creation of eco-friendly and bioinspired protein-based magnetic nanomaterials designed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, one of the most pressing health challenges worldwide. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death globally, and despite great advances in therapy and early detection, there is an urgent need for more efficient, sensitive, selective, and sustainable biomedical tools. ProteNano-MAG brings together nanotechnology, protein engineering, and biomedical sciences to develop green synthesis routes for magnetic nanoparticles that are safe for patients and environmentally responsible in their production.
The project draws inspiration from magnetotactic bacteria, microorganisms capable of producing highly uniform magnetic crystals known as magnetosomes. These natural nanoparticles exhibit outstanding magnetic and structural properties because their formation is guided by specialised proteins. ProteNano-MAG translates this biological precision into an artificial but sustainable system: engineered proteins act as templates that replicate the natural mineralisation process under mild, eco-friendly conditions. By combining biological design principles with nanofabrication, the project demonstrates how materials can be produced without toxic reagents or extreme processing, aligning with the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Goals.
This innovative approach advances the field of nanomedicine by generating magnetic nanoparticles that can perform dual diagnostic and therapeutic functions. The resulting nanomaterials are expected to have potential to enhance MRI image quality, deliver drugs to specific tumour sites, and generate localised heat under an alternating magnetic field to kill cancer cells, three key functionalities for future personalised medicine.
The objectives of ProteNano-MAG are:
1. To design and optimise engineered proteins based on the consensus tetratricopeptide repeat (CTPR) scaffold to guide the synthesis of iron-oxide/protein nanohybrids with sizes around 5 nm, suitable as positive contrast agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and as multifunctional therapeutic platforms.
2. To develop bioinspired synthesis routes that mimic the natural formation of magnetosomes in bacteria by using synthetic nanoreactors such as lipid vesicles, enabling the controlled preparation of single-domain magnetic nanoparticles with high purity and magnetic performance.
3. To control and tune nanoparticle morphology through protein design, identifying the shapes and magnetic characteristics that maximise heating efficiency for cancer hyperthermia applications.
ProteNano-MAG contributes to the EU’s mission to promote responsible, sustainable, and socially relevant innovation in healthcare. By demonstrating that high-performance nanomaterials can be produced through green and bioinspired approaches, the project opens new avenues for environmentally conscious nanotechnology and strengthens Europe’s leadership in next-generation biomedical research.
