WP4
Peptide nanomedicine to regenerate tissues and organs
Design of ECM-mimetic scaffolds is a key component in regenerative medicine. The novel materials have to regulate cell behavior promoting proliferation and differentiation or recuperating damaged cells. In this field, synthetic peptides can be used:
as bioactive motifs (promoting cell adhesion, growth, differentiation or angiogenesis) anchored to biomaterials
as scaffolds themselves
We have produced bioactive peptides to functionalize different biomaterials (biocompatible polymers, natural polymers, decellularized tissues, ceramics, metals,) applying different functionalization methods (adsorption, embedding in a carrier/coating, covalent bonding). Our group is also expert in chemoselective ligation strategy and in the stabilization of bioactive peptide respect to enzymatic degradation.
TEAM
M. Dettin
Currently Monica Dettin is Associate Professor 03 / B2 Fundamentals of Chemical Technology at the Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padua: she teachs Organic Chemistry for the Engineering School. She has a 20 years long experience in the individuation, synthesis and purification of bioactive peptides and in their conjugation to polymeric surfaces, both synthetic and natural, and to ECM. She is expert in the design of electrospun scaffolds enriched with self-assembling peptide carrying adhesive sequences. Her scientific production includes 97 international publications in peer-reviewed journals and 5 patents (h-index = 21).
A. Zamuner
Annj Zamuner has gained a PhD in Material Engineering in 2019 with a thesis in tissue engineering (Functionalized polymer-derived bioceramics for bone tissue engineering). Her curriculum includes a MSc in Chemical Engineering and Industrial Processes and two years long post-MSc research activity in the synthesis of bioactive peptides and coniugation of bioactive molecules to biomaterials. During her PhD, Annj Zamuner has spent 6 mounths in King’s College Laboratories learning cell culture and characterization methods. She is author of 18 international publications in peer-reviewed journals
Currently she is a researcher (Assegnista di Ricerca) of LifeLab Research Project (WP4).
F. Pieretti
Fabio Pieretti has a BSc in Chemistry and a MSc in Industrial Biotechnology (with top score 110/110) obtained in 2019. His MSc thesis topic was in the field of biomaterials (Title: Role of graphene oxide surface charge in the interaction towards blood components).
Currently he is a researcher (Assegnista di Ricerca) of LifeLab Research Project (WP4).