Physicochemical Characterization of Pluronic® Blend Micelles for Curcumin Encapsulation in Cancer Treatment.

• Grant number: 25/14378-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2026
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering - Bioengineering
• Principal Investigator: André Moreni Lopes
• Grantee: Isabelle Hayana Félix Silva
• Supervisor: Eliana Maria Barbosa Souto
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University College Dublin, Ireland
• Associated to the scholarship: 25/02118-6 - Biphasic Platforms for Curcumin Encapsulation in Mixed Polymeric Micelles Containing Triblock Amphiphilic Copolymers, BP.IC

Abstract

Curcumin (CCM) is a natural polyphenol with well-established antitumor properties, capable of modulating multiple molecular signalling pathways involved in cancer progression. However, its clinical application is hindered by poor aqueous solubility, low chemical stability, and limited bioavailability. Polymeric micelles (PMs) formed from Pluronic® block copolymers offer a promising strategy to overcome these limitations. This project aims to design, formulate, and characterize mixed micellar systems composed of Pluronic F127 combined with L35, L64, or P123 for CCM encapsulation. PMs will be synthesized using the nanoprecipitation method and characterized in terms of particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, and colloidal stability using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). Structural features will be investigated through atomic force microscopy (AFM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Rheological analyses and release studies will be carried out to examine micelle behavior and CCM release. The biocompatibility and therapeutic potential of the formulations will be explored through in vitro cytotoxicity assays using HepG2 and Caco-2 cell lines. All experimental procedures will be performed at University College Dublin (UCD), utilizing advanced analytical infrastructure unavailable at the home institution. This work is expected to contribute to the rational design of Pluronic-based nanocarriers and improve CCM delivery systems for cancer therapy.