Center for sensing technologies

Project aim: This project proposes the synthesis of new mesoporous silicate nanoparticles (MSN) and periodic mesoporous organosilicate nanoparticles (PMO) to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, combining diagnostic and therapeutic molecules in the same nanocarriers.
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About the project: Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are currently standard treatments for cancer. Despite great advances, there are limitations in cancer therapy that include nonspecific distribution of agents, poor delivery in inadequate concentrations, which cause irreversible side effects, and the development of drug resistance. The application of nanotechnology in medicine offers new possibilities for overcoming these shortcomings of conventional therapy and raises hope in the optimization of therapy.
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Nanosystems can be functionalized with molecules that increase the biocompatibility of materials and allow the immune system to avoid reactions (e.g. polyethylene glycol (PEG)), as well as functional groups that help target tumors through specific interactions between nanomaterials and receptors in cancer tissue (e.g. folic acid). As part of this general strategy, we are also developing multifunctional core-shell nanoparticles of different composition (core: magnetic nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles and others, shell: MSN, PMO) that will contribute to the diagnostic or therapeutic functions of the nanosystem. The drugs can be adsorbed on the surface of the nanoparticles or filled inside the mesopores, where they are retained by closing the mesopores with appropriate molecules.
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Drug release is then examined after exposure to various stimuli (e.g., magnetic field, enzymes, or acidification), which would allow selective delivery of therapeutically active substances to tissues exposed to the appropriate stimulus.

Full research professor in the field of natural and mathematical sciences -chemistry

Nikola Knežević

Dr. Nikola Knežević is a Full research professor at the Center for Sensor Technologies at the Biosense Institute. He received his doctorate in 2009 at Iowa State University, USA, in synthesizing and functionalizing porous silica nanoparticles for stimuli-responsive and targeted drug delivery. He gained further research experience as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Houston (research in the field of multistep organic synthesis), Universidad Complutense de Madrid (nanomaterials science), Institute Charles Gerhardt Montpellier (nanomaterials science), FP7 - ERA ERA Chairs postdoctoral fellow at the Vinča Nuclear Institute and as Pole Chimie Ballard Visiting Professor at the University of Montpellier. Nikola is the author/co-author of over 40 scientific publications, including 2 book chapters and one patent, with over 1900 citations and an H index of 21. Nikola is the coordinator of one H2020 project (NANOFACTS GA 952259), three Serbian national projects (PRECAST – 6060755, proof of concept – 5566, technology transfer -1135), and two bilateral research projects (with France and Germany). Research interests: Synthesis of functional bioresponsive nanomaterials for use in health protection and construction of biosensors.

BILATERAL

Due to their small diameter (ca. 100 nm) and highly porous nature, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have high specific surface area (ca. 1000 m2/g) which can be utilized for a plethora of functionalizations, loading/adsorption of different molecules and their removal, or as a platform for signaling molecules to detect different analytes.

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Mesoporous organosilicate nanomaterial (also termed Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica (PMO)) contains a large percentage of organic groups within the nanosphere, exhibiting unique characteristics for different applications.

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Our research is being conducted toward design of new series of MSN and PMO nanomaterials, as well as their core/shell analogs.

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Surface of these nanomaterials is being modified with different molecules to specifically interact with desired tissues, pollutants, or analytes, for their efficient application in monitoring and protection of health, food and the environment.

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One of the research goals is to develop smart nanomaterials with stimuli-responsive release of MSN/PMO-loaded molecules for diagnostics, imaging, and therapy of cancer tissues.

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Polymer-MSN composite materials are also being developed for applications as antimicrobial smart food packaging and medical implants.

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Finally, PMO nanoparticles are being constructed for efficient UVA and UVB blocking and application in a safer generation of sunscreens.

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<img class="alignnone wp-image-1626 size-full" src="https://api.biosens.rs/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/slika-1.png" alt="" width="837" height="466" />

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<a href="https://api.biosens.rs/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/68.tif"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1526" src="https://api.biosens.rs/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/68.tif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></a>

Projects:

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PRECAST: Prediction of Cancer Treatment Effectiveness with Stimuli-responsive Nanomaterials, Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia

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<a href="https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/952259">NANOFACTS: Networking Activities for Nanotechnology-Facilitated Cancer Theranostics H2020-WIDESPREAD-2020-5 </a>

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Novel Active Components for Health- and Environment-friendly UV-Blocking Based on Enriched Organosilica Nanomaterials, Project ID: 5566, The Innovation Fund of the Republic of Serbia

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III 44006, Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia.

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Silica nanomaterials

New intelligent nanomaterials for diagnostic and drug delivery

Centar za senzorske tehnologije

Cilj projekta: Ovim projektom predlažena je sinteza novih mezoporoznih silikatnih nanočestica (MSN) i periodičnih mezoporoznih organosilikatnih nanočestica (PMO) radi poboljšanja dijagnostike i terapije raka, kombinujući dijagnostičke i terapijske molekule u istim nanonosačima.
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Opis projekta: Hirurgija, hemoterapija i radioterapija su trenutno standardni tretmani za rak. Uprkos velikim dostignućima, postoje ograničenja u terapiji raka koja uključuju nespecifičnu distribuciju agensa, slabu isporuku u neadekvatnim koncentracijama, koje izazivaju ireverzibilne sporedne efekte i razvoj rezistencije na lekove. Primena nanotehnologije u medicini nudi nove mogućnosti za prevazilaženje ovih nedostataka konvencionalne terapije i budi nadu u optimizaciju terapije.
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Nanosistemi mogu biti funkcionalizovani molekulima koje povećavaju biokompatibilnost materijala i omogućavaju izbegavanje reakcije imunog sistema (npr. polietilenglikol (PEG)), kao i funkcionalnim grupama koje pomagažu u ciljanju tumora putem specifične interakcije između nanomaterijala i receptora u tkivu raka (npr. folna kiselina). Kao deo ove opšte strategije razvijamo i multifunkcionalne jezgro-omotač nanočestice različitog sastava (jezgro: magnetne nanočestice, nanočestice zlata i druge, omotač: MSN, PMO) koji će doprineti dijagnostičkim ili terapeutskim funkcijama nanosistema. Lekovi mogu biti adsorbovani na površini nanočestica ili ispunjeni unutar mezopora, gde su zadržani zatvaranjem mezopora odgovarajućim molekulima.
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Oslobađanje lekova se zatim ispituje nakon izlaganja različitim podsticajima (npr magnetnom polju, enzimima ili acidifikaciji), što bi omogućilo selektivnu isporuku terapeutski aktivnih supstanci u tkiva izložena odgovarajućem podsticaju.

Naučni savetnik u oblasti prirodno–matematičkih nauka -hemija

Dr Nikola Knežević je Naučni savetnik u Centru za senzorske tehnologije na Institutu Biosens. Doktorirao je 2009. godine na Iowa State University, SAD, iz oblasti sinteze i funkcionalizacije poroznih silikatnih nanočestica za stimulans-responsivnu i ciljajuću isporuku lekova. Dalje istraživačko iskustvo stekao je kao postdoktorand na Univerzitetu u Hjustonu (istraživanje iz oblasti višestepene organske sinteze), Universidad Complutense de Madrid (nauka o nanomaterijalima), Institute Charles Gerhardt Montpellier (nauka o nanomaterijalima), FP7 – ERA ERA Chairs postdoktorand u Nuklearnom institutu Vinča i kao Pole Chimie Balard gostujući profesor na Univerzitetu u Monpeljeu. Nikola je autor/koautor na preko 40 naučnih publikacija, uključujući 2 poglavlja u knjigama i jedan patent, sa preko 1900 citata i H indeksom 21. Nikola je koordinator jednog projekta H2020 (NANOFACTS GA 952259), tri srpska nacionalna projekta (PRECAST – 6060755, dokaz koncepta – 5566, transfer tehnologija -1135) i dva bilateralna istraživačka projekta (sa Francuskom i Nemačkom). Istraživačka interesovanja: sinteza funkcionalnih bioresponsivnih nanomaterijala za primenu u zaštiti zdravlja i konstrukciji biosenzora.

BILATERALNI

Zbog malog prečnika (oko 100 nm) i veoma porozne prirode, mezoporozne silikatne nanočestice (MSN) imaju veliku specifičnu površinu (oko 1000 m2 / g) koja se može koristiti za različite funkcionalizacije, punjenje/adsorpciju različitih molekula i njihovo uklanjanje, ili kao platforma za signalne molekule za detekciju različitih analita.

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Mezoporozni organosilikatni nanomaterijal (Periodični mezoporozni organosilikat (PMO)) sadrži veliki procenat organskih grupa, što omogućuje da ispoljavaju jedinstvene karakteristike za različite primene.

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Naše istraživanje se provodi u cilju dizajniranja novih serija MSN i PMO nanomaterijala, kao i njihovih jezgro / ljuska analoga.

Površina ovih nanomaterijala se modifikuje različitim molekulima kako bi specifično stupila u interakciju sa željenim tkivima, zagađivačima ili analitima, radi njihove efikasne primene u praćenju i zaštiti zdravlja, hrane i životne sredine.

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Jedan od ciljeva istraživanja je razvoj pametnih nanomaterijala sa stimulans-responzivnim oslobađanjem molekula iz MSN / PMO materijala, sa primenom u dijagnostici, snimanju i terapiji tkiva raka.
Kompozitni materijali polimer-MSN se takođe razvijaju u cilju primene kao antimikrobnih pametnih ambalaža za hranu i medicinskih implanata.

Konačno, nove PMO nanočestice se konstruišu radi efikasnog blokiranja UVA i UVB zračenja i primene u bezbednijoj generaciji krema za sunčanje.

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<img class="alignnone wp-image-1626 size-full" src="https://api.biosens.rs/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/slika-1.png" alt="" width="837" height="466" />

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Projekti:

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PRECAST: Prediction of Cancer Treatment Effectiveness with Stimuli-responsive Nanomaterials, Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia

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<a href="https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/952259">NANOFACTS: Networking Activities for Nanotechnology-Facilitated Cancer Theranostics H2020-WIDESPREAD-2020-5</a>

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Novel Active Components for Health- and Enviroment-friendly UV-Blocking Based on Enriched Organosilica Nanomaterials, Project ID: 5566, The Innovation Fund of the Republic of Serbia

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III 44006 Razvoj novih informaciono-komunikacionih tehnologija, korišćenjem naprednih matematičkih metoda, sa primenama u medicini, telekomunikacijama, energetici, zaštiti nacionalne baštine i obrazovanju, Ministarstvo prosvete, nauke i tehnološkog razvoja Republike Srbije.

Novi inteligentni nanomaterijali za dijagnostiku i isporuku lekova

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CST