Therapeutic multifunctional carbon and 2D nanomaterials

The research activity of the Team “Therapeutic multifunctional carbon and 2D nanomaterials” focuses on the design of new strategies for the vectorisation of therapeutic molecules and new tools for imaging. Chemistry plays a key role in the synthesis and characterisation of novel conjugates endowed of different properties.

Our main research objectives are to conceive and prepare carbon-based nanomaterials (e.g. carbon nanotubes, graphene and graphene oxide, GO) functionalized with molecules of therapeutic interest such as bioactive peptides, nucleic acids, small drug molecules and fluorescent probes. This work falls into the fields of nanotechnology and nanomedicine. Our approach has enabled us to develop complex antigenic systems and new means of vectorization of different classes of biomolecules (i.e. bioactive and targeting peptides, antibiotic and anticancer molecules, DNA and siRNA). In this area, we are also covering the fundamental study of the metabolism, the toxicity, the mechanisms of elimination by the organism and the biodegradation of carbon-based nanomaterials, in order to assess their impact on health and to validate their use as new therapeutic carriers. We are also interested in the biomedical applications of other types of carbon-based materials (e.g. carbon dots, CDots) and very recently we expanded our research to other types of bi-dimensional (2D) materials like boron nitride (hBN) and transition metal dichalcogenides (e.g. MoS2).

Overall research fields

• Multifunctional nanomaterials
• Organic functionalization of nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes, graphene, adamantane and other 2D materials
• Peptide chemistry
• dendrimer chemistry
• Hydrogels based on self-assembly of hybrid systems
• Drug delivery
• Imaging
• Theragnosis
• Health impact of nanomaterials