Study of the influence of the morphological properties of SBA-15 on the efficacy of molecules with therapeutic potential and vaccines

• Grant number: 22/08360-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: September 01, 2022
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Immunochemistry
• Principal Investigator: Tereza da Silva Martins
• Grantee: Matheus Carlos Romeiro Miranda
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/17844-8 - Nanostructured silica as a protective vehicle for vaccines and biomolecules, AP.TEM

Abstract

Ordered mesoporous silicas, due to their structural, textural and morphological properties, such as highly ordered periodic porous structure, high specific surface area and pore size that can vary from 2 to 50 nm, and particles with size that can varies from micrometer to nanometer scale, have been extensively studied and are promising for several applications, mainly biomedical applications, in the immunological area, as adjuvants/vehicles for the production of oral vaccines. Accordingly, this research project aims to synthesize and characterize ordered mesoporous silicas, type SBA-15, with different morphologies, particle size and porosity for incorporating vaccine antigens, aiming at the development of oral vaccines for diphtheria and tetanus. Silicas with different particle sizes and morphologies will be synthesized by various synthesis conditions, such as, synthesis temperature, agitation, pH, time of hydrothermal treatment and solvent. The silicas obtained will be characterized by small angle X-ray scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nitrogen physisorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscope and thermal analysis. The vaccine antigens and the molecules with therapeutic potential will be incorporated into the silicas by incipient wetness impregnation method, in a buffer solution, and the hybrid materials obtained will be characterized by various physical-chemical techniques and then safety and efficacy tests, as oral vaccines, will be performed.