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H2020Doctoral network2015–2019

NABBA · Design and development of advanced NAnomedicines to overcome Biological BArriers and to treat severe diseases

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2015-01-01 → 2019-02-28
EU contribution
€2,851,275
Participants
10
Scheme
MSCA-ITN

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Design and development of advanced NAnomedicines to overcome Biological BArriers and to treat severe diseases

Nanomedicine is an emerging and promising field to combat currently untreatable diseases. Many therapeutic targets are shielded behind biological barriers, limiting the possibility to reach them with conventional drugs, which therefore are administered in large quantities, so that hopefully at least a small amount of them will reach the pathological target. Biological barriers are even more problematic for most biological pharmaceutics, such as recombinant proteins, antibodies and gene therapeutics, dramatically reducing the effectiveness of new generation treatments and personalised medicine. The most promising solution to this challenge is the use of “nano-shuttles” able to safely navigate into the body, overcoming the biological barriers and finally releasing the drug where is required. NABBA project intends to address this challenge developing innovative nanoparticles able to load the drugs and deliver them selective and efficiently at the pathological site. The NABBA project is part of the Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions, and therefore the other relevant objective is to train Early Stage Researchers (Fig. 1) providing them with an expertise able to promote their future career and to enrich the competitiveness of the European Research Area (ERA) in a field with relevant perspectives for health and market. For this purpose the NABBA consortium has been created, actually composed by seven European academic research groups (Fig.2 in green) and four companies (Fig.2 in red), with the intent to develop this multidisciplinary research, train the fellows, and strengthen the interactions among the European research groups and companies. There is no doubt that nanomedicine will have an impressive growth in the next future, as a more efficient therapeutic and diagnostic approach. It is expected therefore that it will also provide new job opportunities for young researchers with qualified expertise in the field.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

Many therapeutic targets are shielded behind biological barriers, limiting the possibility to reach them with conventional drugs or diagnostic probes. Biological barriers are even more problematic for most biological pharmaceutics, such as recombinant proteins, antibodies and gene therapeutics. The most promising solution to this challenge is the use of nano-vehicles for specific targeting and delivery. The aim of NABBA is to form European early stage researchers (ESR) with cutting-edge scientific knowledge in the field of nanoparticles (NP) for biomedical application, able to cross biological barriers. For this aim the project will train ESRs, focusing on key aspects of nanobiotechnology: (i) design and chemical synthesis of different types of NPs, (ii) related techniques of detection and characterization, (iii) strategies of loading, targeting and delivery of drugs or diagnostic probes; (iv) proof of principle of pharmacological activity including pharmacokinetics and biodistribution. As a peculiar feature of NABBA, strong emphasis will be devoted to molecular mechanisms ruling biological barriers under physiological and pathological conditions, in order to develop novel nano-technological expedients for their crossing. Strong emphasis will be devoted to advanced chemistry issues, enabling new synthetic strategies either for NP assembly or functionalization. Different biological barriers will be addressed. ESRs will strongly benefit from a network of internationally recognized scientists in the field of chemistry, nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine, and the participation of companies with relevant interests and expertises in the field. The planned cooperation programs between Academia and Industries will allow the circulation of ESRs and this will give them the opportunity for to get acquainted with the most advanced research in the field, the most sophisticated technologies and the most advanced Industrial manufacturing platforms and innovative strategies.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO-BICOCCA · MilanoCoordinatorItaly
  • BIOTALENTUM TUDASFEJLESZTO KFT · GoedoelloHungary
  • CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS · ParisFrance
  • EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH · ZuerichSwitzerland
  • ENVIROINVEST KORNYEZETVEDELMI ES BIOTECHNOLOGIAI ZARTKORUEN MUKODO RESZVENYTARASASAG · PecsHungary
  • HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR INFEKTIONSFORSCHUNG GMBH · BraunschweigGermany
  • NOVARTIS PHARMA AG · BaselSwitzerland
  • SYLENTIS SAU · MadridSpain
  • UNIVERSIDAD DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA · Santiago De CompostelaSpain
  • UNIVERSITEIT UTRECHT · UtrechtNetherlands

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union