Dr. Arturo E. Aguilar
Dr. Arturo E. Aguilar
Post-doctoral researcher (DAAD Fellow)
MBGNs and SPIONs composite particles with phytotherapeutic releasing capability for biomedical applications
Supervisor: Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini
Nano-composite particles based on biopolymer matrices incorporating Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles (MBGNs) and Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONs) are versatile platforms for biomedial applications, e.g. tissue engineering and drug delivery [1]. The loading of phytotherapeutic molecules and their control release improve the potential of such composite delivery systems towards the development of alternative treatments for bone tissue diseases and targeted cancer treatments [1,2]. The present DAAD postdoctoral fellowship project explores the release behavior in vitro of phytotherapeutic agents through MBGN/SPIONs composite microspheres in order to combine the phytotherapeutic effect with osteoconductivity and magnetic properties in multifunctional carriers.
[1] Aguilar-Rabiela, A.E.; Leal-Egaña, A.; Nawaz, Q.; Boccaccini, A.R. Integration of Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles and Curcumin into PHBV Microspheres as Biocompatible Composite for Drug Delivery Applications. Molecules 2021, 26, 3177.
[2] Arturo Elias Aguilar-Rabiela, Ernesto Manuel Hernández-Cooper, José Antonio Otero, Berenice Vergara-Porras; Modeling the release of curcumin from microparticles of poly(hydroxybutyrate) [PHB]. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 2020, 144, 47-52.
Former visiting PhD student (Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico)
Novel bioactive drug delivery systems
Betreuer: Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini
Drug delivery systems (DDS) continue to be a promising area for applications of biopolymers like polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). PHAs provide a polymeric matrix with attractive properties suitable for biomedical applications such as intrinsic biocompatibility and biodegradation behaviour [1]. Moreover, PHAs can be synthetized by renewable sources. In this project PHAs will be used to develop spherical DDS incorporating bioactive glass particles, to impact mineralisation ability, and magnetic nanoparticles like SPIONs to achieve targeted release capability, following our previously published study [2].
[1] Rai, R., et al., Medium chain length polyhydroxyalkanoates, promising new biomedical materials for the future. Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports, 2011. __72(3): p. 29-47.
[2] Idris, M.I., et al., Surface Modification of SPIONs in PHBV Microspheres for Biomedical Applications.Scientific Reports, 2018. 8(1): p. 7286.