Biosensing and delivery point-of-care technologies based on microneedles to improve healthcare testing and treatments

• Grant number: 22/14753-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2023
• End date: November 30, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Agreement: Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)
• Principal Investigator: Wendel Andrade Alves
• Grantee: Wendel Andrade Alves
• Principal researcher abroad: Marinus Isaäk de Jonge
• Institution abroad: Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc), Netherlands
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Pesquisadores principais: Daniele Ribeiro de Araujo ; Silvia Beatriz Boscardin
• Associated researchers: Ana Cristina Honorato de Castro ; Ana Iochabel Soares Moretti ; Andrea Maria Aguilar ; Bernardus Hendrikus van Oorschot ; Cacilda da Silva Souza ; Daniela Santoro Rosa ; Dominique Mombrú ; Edecio Cunha Neto ; Guilherme Mattos Jardim Costa ; Helder Takashi Imoto Nakaya ; Johannes Petrus Maria Koenen ; Jorge Elias Kalil Filho ; Jose Eduardo Ulloa Rojas ; Lauro Tatsuo Kubota ; Lidia Maria de Andrade ; Mariano Romero Olivera ; Vivian Leite de Oliveira
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/05499-0 - Localized Self-Assembly of Supramolecular Hydrogels through Reaction-Diffusion for Advanced Biomedical Applications, BP.DD; 24/09564-9 - Development of PEDOT:PSS Microneedle Immunosensors for Point-of-Care Diagnosis of Flaviviruses., BP.DR; 24/21368-0 - Development of a Lateral Flow Assay Coupled with Microneedles for Immunological Detection of Infectious Diseases, BP.IC; + associated scholarships 24/16090-3 - Polymeric microneedles for electrochemical prognosis of Psoriasis, BP.DD; 24/09881-4 - Devices for lateral flow assay coupled with electrochemical biosensors and microneedles for Psoriasis diagnosis, BP.PD; 24/10604-5 - In vivo delivery of a highly neutralizing antibody against Zika virus using microneedles., BP.PD; 24/09569-0 - ANTI-IL17 ANTIBODY-LOADED POLYDOPAMINE NANOPARTICLES FOR PSORIASIS TREATMENT: FROM FORMULATIONS DESIGN TO MICRONEEDLES INCORPORATION PERFORMANCE, BP.DD; 24/09128-4 - Thermosensitive liposomes in microneedles as double matrices for skin delivery, BP.PD - associated scholarships

Abstract

Microneedles (MNs) form a safe and non-invasive drug-delivery platform for topic and systemic applications. Biocompatibility, easy application, improved efficiency-controlled release, and low concentrations needed are among the main benefits of the technology. Technologies based on MNs can increase the population's access to cutting-edge therapies through reduced costs and increase the well-being, successful diagnosis, prognosis, and consequent treatment adherence of patients with chronic diseases due to reduced pain, increased comfort, and reduced side effects. Recent studies from members of this consortium showed how the mechanical properties of polymeric MNs affect the release, improving penetration and flow of hydrophilic drugs for topical use1. We propose to explore this technology by developing novel transdermal delivery and biosensing tools for healthcare applications. We plan to use polymeric MN systems combined with monoclonal antibodies to validate: (1) Transdermal delivery tools for skin cancer therapy, vaccine delivery using monoclonal antibodies, and targeted therapies for psoriasis; (2) Transdermal biosensing tools to detect biomarkers for prognostic and diagnostic of psoriasis and infectious diseases via the construction of electrochemical lateral flow assay MN-sensor systems. In this consortium, we propose to explore different blends of polymers to create customized constructions of MNs as innovative treatment approaches for healthcare applications. (AU)

Scientific publications

(7)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

FERREIRA, PRISCILA S.; GERBELLI, BARBARA B.; CANTERO, JORGE; IRIBARNE, FEDERICO; DE CASTRO-KOCHI, ANA C. H.; KOCHI, LEANDRO T.; CASTRO, FABIOLA L.; ALVES, WENDEL A.. Influence of Cholesterol on the Insertion and Interaction of SARS-CoV-2 Proteins with Lipid Membranes. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS, v. 8, n. 6, p. 15-pg., 2025-06-06. (22/14753-0, 17/02317-2, 14/50867-3)

FACTORI, IRINA M.; DA SILVA, EMERSON R.; GERBELLI, BARBARA B.; LIBERATO, MICHELLE S.; DE ARAUJO, DANIELE RIBEIRO; ALVES, WENDEL A.. PVA/titanate nanotube nanocomposites: Evaluating the required structural properties for their performance as macromolecule delivery systems. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, v. 141, n. 46, p. 13-pg., 2024-09-05. (22/03056-6, 14/50867-3, 22/14753-0)

VASSILIADES, SANDRA V.; ARGUELLO, KARINA A. B.; CASTRO, CARLOS E.; SILVA, CLOVIS A.; GONZALEZ, ANA CLARA; HOMEM-DE-MELLO, PAULA; NANTES, ISELI LOURENCO; AGUILAR, ANDREA M.; BARBOSA-REIS, GUSTAVO; OLIVEIRA-SILVA, DIOGO; et al. Synthesis, photophysical properties, and photocytotoxic effects of porphyrin-diphenylalanine conjugates on HeLa cells. Journal of Molecular Structure, v. 1322, p. 13-pg., 2024-11-03. (14/50867-3, 22/14753-0)

ROJAS, JOSE EDUARDO U.; DE ANDRADE, LIDIA MARIA; ALVES, WENDEL A.; GIUNTINI, FRANCESCA. Development and characterization of silk fibroin-enriched 3D printed hydrogels for photosensitizer delivery. MATERIALIA, v. 40, p. 12-pg., 2025-04-15. (22/14753-0, 14/50867-3)

GERBELLI, BARBARA B.; SODRE, PEDRO T.; FILHO, PEDRO L. O.; COUTINHO-NETO, MAURICIO D.; HAMLEY, IAN W.; SEITSONEN, JANI; ALVES, WENDEL A.. Enhancing pesticide detection: The role of serine in lipopeptide nanostructures and their self-assembly dynamics. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, v. 690, p. 14-pg., 2025-07-15. (17/02317-2, 22/14753-0, 14/50867-3)

FERREIRA, PRISCILA S.; GERBELLI, BARBARA B.; CASTRO-KOCHI, ANA C. H.; CORTEZ, BRUNA; CASTRO, FABIOLA L.; CANTERO, JORGE; IRIBARNE, FEDERICO; HAMLEY, IAN W.; ALVES, WENDEL A.. Exploring the Use of a Lipopeptide in Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine Monolayers for Enhanced Detection of Glyphosate in Aqueous Environments. Langmuir, v. 40, n. 26, p. 13-pg., 2024-06-22. (14/50867-3, 22/14753-0, 17/02317-2)

SODRE, PEDRO TENDRIH; AGUILAR, ANDREA MARIA; ALVES, WENDEL ANDRADE; COUTINHO-NETO, MAURICIO DOMINGUES. Intrinsic and environmental modulation of stereoselective aldol organocatalyzed reactions by proline-containing lipopeptides. RSC ADVANCES, v. 14, n. 29, p. 12-pg., 2024-06-27. (14/50867-3, 22/14753-0, 17/02317-2)