Aqueous supramolecular structures consisting of amphiphilic copolymer blends and ionic liquids for the extraction and encapsulation of antitumor biomolecules.

• Grant number: 23/13870-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: February 29, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering - Bioengineering
• Principal Investigator: André Moreni Lopes
• Grantee: André Moreni Lopes
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Fernando Segato ; Jorge Pereira ; Luciana Magalhães Rebelo Alencar ; Lucimara Gaziola de la Torre ; Mary Ann Foglio
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/02118-6 - Biphasic Platforms for Curcumin Encapsulation in Mixed Polymeric Micelles Containing Triblock Amphiphilic Copolymers, BP.IC

Abstract

Cancer ranks as one of the primary causes of death globally, with 10 million fatalities recorded in 2020, second only to heart disease. In oncology, chemotherapy remains a cornerstone approach, involving the administration of drugs and biopharmaceuticals (biomolecules) directly into the patient's bloodstream. Nonetheless, the purification and encapsulation of these biomolecules into nanostructures for delivery systems continue to pose challenges in pharmaceutical biotechnology. In this sense, aqueous biphasic systems (ABSs) can be tailored to both extract/purify and simultaneously encapsulate biomolecules within polymeric micelles and vesicles. ABSs boast a simple composition (water + amphiphilic copolymer + target biomolecule), providing affordability, minimal equipment requirements, and a gentle environment for biomolecules, as they do not use organic solvents. However, ABSs also present challenges, such as high temperatures required for phase separation, limited extraction/purification capacity, and lower encapsulation yields. In this project, our focus will be on developing enhanced ABSs by utilizing blends of amphiphilic copolymers and incorporating ionic liquids (ILs) on both macro and microscales, employing innovative microfluidic approaches. These strategies hold the potential to lower the phase separation temperature, influence molecular interactions within the system, and optimize purification/encapsulation parameters. We anticipate that these versatile and environmentally friendly platforms will not only enable the extraction and encapsulation of antitumor biomolecules from various biological sources but also foster innovation in pharmaceutical biotechnology, thereby advancing the field of oncology. (AU)