Interaction of Green Propolis Compounds and Nanostructured Lipid Carriers with Supported Lipid Bilayers: A SRS Microscopy Approach

• Grant number: 25/08121-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biophysics - Molecular Biophysics
• Principal Investigator: Wallance Moreira Pazin
• Grantee: Julia dos Santos Cabral
• Supervisor: Jonathan Richard Brewer
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Denmark
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/01305-1 - Encapsulation of the major compound of green propolis, Artepillin C, in solid lipid nanoparticles, BP.IC

Abstract

This international research internship project aims to investigate how nanostructured lipidcarriers (NLCs), with and without encapsulated Artepillin C or green propolis extract,influence the organization and phase behavior of supported lipid bilayers (SLBs). ArtepillinC, the main active compound in Brazilian green propolis, presents low solubility andbioavailability, challenges that have been addressed through its successful encapsulation inNLCs in the candidate's ongoing research in Brazil. During the internship, SLBs composed ofDOPC, sphingomyelin, and cholesterol will be formed by spinning disk deposition andhydrated with different media: ultrapure water, free Artepillin C solution, and dispersions ofNLCs. Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) microscopy will be employed to monitor lipiddomain formation and detect molecular interactions with high chemical specificity and spatialresolution. The project integrates advanced nanostructured drug delivery systems withbiomimetic membrane models, aiming to provide new insights into the interactionmechanisms between bioactive compounds, nanocarriers, and lipid membranes. By buildingon a solid experimental foundation and expanding expertise in nonlinear vibrationalmicroscopy, the project will significantly contribute to the academic development of thestudent and the advancement of membrane biophysics and nanotechnology research. (AU)