NANOBIOSACCHARIDES - Nanotechnologies for Bio-inspired polySaccharides: biological decoys designed as knowledge-based, multifunctional biomaterials (FP6-NMP) (2005-04-01 - 2008-03-31) (»add to infobox)

Bruno MOERSCHBACHER, Luis RUIZ AVILA, Thierry DELAIR, Petra TEWES-SCHWARZER, Vladimir VELEBNY, Paolo PERTILE, Hans Christian BUCHHOLT, Javier OLAIZ, N. N. GILLET CHITOSAN EURL, Maria Jose ALONSO, Stefan W. SCHNEIDER, Alain DOMARD

WESTFAELISCHE WILHELMS - UNIVERSITAET MUENSTER (DEA33 - Münster, Kreisfreie Stadt) (Germany), ADVANCED IN VITRO CELL TECHNOLOGIES SL (ES511 - Barcelona) (Spain), BIOMERIEUX SA (FR716 - Rhône) (France), CARE SENSE CONSULTING (DE144 - Ulm, Stadtkreis) (Germany), CPN SPOL. S.R.O. (CZ053 - Pardubicky kraj) (Czech Republic), CUTECH SRL (IT326 - Padova) (Italy), DANISCO A/S (DK001 - København og Frederiksberg kommuner) (Denmark), EZUS LYON 1 SA (FR716 - Rhône) (France), GILLET CHITOSAN EURL (FR411 - Meurthe-et-Moselle) (France), UNIVERSIDADE DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (ES111 - A Coruña) (Spain), UNIVERSITAETSKLINIK MUENSTER (DEA33 - Münster, Kreisfreie Stadt) (Germany), UNIVERSITE CLAUDE BERNARD LYON 1 (FR716 - Rhône) (France)

The NanoBioSaccharides project convenes an interdisciplinary consortium of scientists from academia and industry to develop and exploit nanotechnologies for the generation of knowledge-based, multifunctional, bio-inspired polysaccharides to be used as intelligent, sustainable, environment-friendly and consumer-safe biomaterials. As an example, chitosans generated from shrimp shell and squid pen wastes are an extremely versatile class of biopolymers with superior structural properties and supreme biological activities. However, today's chitosans are ill-defined mixtures of poorly soluble, inhomogeneous polymers, explaining the lack of reproducibility in bio-medical and pharmaceutical applications that have so far prevented their successful commercial use. Other examples of versatile bioactive polysaccharides yet inappropriately exploited include plant pectins and alginates, and human and animal glycosaminoglycans. The core partners of the NanoBioSaccharides project have recently developed a novel concept for the relationship between the physico-chemical properties of chitosans and their biological activities. Based on this 'decoy' concept, we will now use nano- and bio-technologies for the production, modification, and characterisation of third generation bio-inspired polysaccharides. We will develop tailor-made chitosan nanoparticles for drug and gene delivery, and bio-inspired chitosan hydrogels for cell and tissue engineering. By developing nanotechnologies suitable for polysaccharides, the third and so far neglected and unexploited class of information-bearing biopolymers, the NanoBioSaccharides project will secure the EU a head start in this emerging and promising field of functional bio-inspired materials. The project will integrate the whole product chain from the raw materials to the novel, nano-structured biomaterials to be used in biotechnological applications in medicine, pharmacology, cosmetics, agriculture, and food sciences.

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