Smart materials for bioapplications

As natural resources such as plant and microorganisms present a plentiful source of unique materials and compounds with a great prospective for applications in different industrial branches, including food industry, medicine and pharmacy. There is a great intention to develop suitable proficient methods for their exploitation. The goal of this project is the isolation of polyphenols, fatty acids, enzymes, natural antioxidants and natural dyes from plant materials and microorganism biomass using sub- and super-critical fluids as environmentally benign processing media. Project proposal is oriented towards examination of the novel obtained extracts in regard of their function in simulated physiological environments, resembling the exposed tissues upon the developed materials proposed use. First, substances of interest will be isolated from both liquids and solid bio-materials. Fractionation of isolated compounds will be achieved by a multi step separation, followed by chromatography using SCFs in order to obtain high purity of isolated substances. The aim of the subsequent stage of the project is formulation of the obtained extracts into specific forms (foams, aerogels, powders …), designed for a specific targeted use. Finally, in vitro tests using human cells will be carried out to proof the bio activity and bio compatibility of the respective isolated substances with targeted cells and/or to show the retained activity of the isolated compounds and/or their mixtures after processing.

The research project entitled “Smart materials for bioapplications” will focus on top-level product engineering at the interface of biotechnology, material science, medicine and chemical engineering. This will efficiently contribute to improvement of quality of life, which is also a basis for sustainable development. It stimulates the mutual linkage of education, research and enterprise and improves the mobility of knowledge, ideas and people within society. “Smart materials” are currently a main stream of research in engineering science, and processes using SC fluids are viewed as one of the key enabling sustainable technologies with almost no impact on the environment. These products will be of high added value and are not obtainable with conventional production processes. Our research will make a significant contribution to fundamental knowledge in the fields of processes and products. The results will be published in journals with high IF or protected by patent applications.  For design of new “smart materials” there is completely new “free scientific field”: to get ideas for new products, to find ideas about possible processes for the product and later realizing the whole work to produce the possible product for commercialization.  The group of researchers participating in the proposed project have world leading knowledge and experience in the development of processes and products and in cooperation with leading researchers from other fields. We will continue to increase the impact of Slovenian science throughout the world.

The research project entitled “Smart materials for bioapplications” will focus on top-level product engineering at the interface of biotechnology, material science, medicine and chemical engineering. This will efficiently contribute to improvement of quality of life, which is also a basis for sustainable development. It stimulates the mutual linkage of education, research and enterprise and improves the mobility of knowledge, ideas and people within society. “Smart materials” are currently a main stream of research in engineering science, and processes using SC fluids are viewed as one of the key enabling sustainable technologies with almost no impact on the environment. These products will be of high added value and are not obtainable with conventional production processes. Our research will make a significant contribution to fundamental knowledge in the fields of processes and products. The results will be published in journals with high IF or protected by patent applications.  For design of new “smart materials” there is completely new “free scientific field”: to get ideas for new products, to find ideas about possible processes for the product and later realizing the whole work to produce the possible product for commercialization.  The group of researchers participating in the proposed project have world leading knowledge and experience in the development of processes and products and in cooperation with leading researchers from other fields. We will continue to increase the impact of Slovenian science throughout the world.