Influence of mucins on the membrane interaction of conjugated nanopolymer

• Grant number: 24/19912-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: June 22, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Laura Oliveira Péres Philadelphi
• Grantee: Melissa Lima Barros
• Supervisor: Elodie Boisselier
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Université Laval, Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/08372-9 - Interaction of Conjugated Nanopolymer with Membrane Models Using Langmuir Films, BP.IC

Abstract

This project aims to investigate the interfacial activity of the conjugated nanopolymer P3HT (poly(3-hexylthiophene), a compound widely used for the production of biosensors and bioeletronics, through surface tension measurements. To achieve this, we will explore the influence of stirring techniques and different buffer solutions on the kinetics of the nanopolymer. Additionally, we will study the interaction between P3HT and mucins, key glycoproteins found on protozoan membranes, using Langmuir monolayers composed of DPPE (dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine) and DOPE (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine) as models of microbial cell membranes. The behavior of these Langmuir films will be analyzed using various tensiometric measurements, such as maximum insertion pressure (MIP) and synergy. The resulting data will provide valuable insights into the binding characteristics of the nanopolymer with protozoal membrane models, highlighting the role of mucins in modulating these interactions. This project is expected to contribute essential knowledge about protein binding on membranes and reveal how mucins influence the behavior of nanopolymer-membrane systems.