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Impact of nanomaterials in the development of new vaccines and advanced therapies

Prof. María José Alonso (CIMUS/IDIS Research Institutes, Uni. Santiago de Compostela)
Martes, 30 Abril 2024 12:00

Place: conference room, IMDEA Nanociencia; online.

Link to online seminar (Zoom): https://nanoscience-imdea.zoom.us/j/93084536481?pwd=N2taRkh5aDE4akR5RXB3OW10TFpjdz09 (access code mfgJ56)

Abstract

Nanomaterials hold great promise in advancing precision medicine by enhancing drug access to their intended therapeutic targets. Additionally, nanotechnology plays a pivotal role in the development of RNA-based therapies and vaccines. Our laboratory has actively contributed to advancing targeted drug delivery of biological drugs, such as antibodies (mAbs), as well as siRNA and mRNA vaccines.

In the context of cancer precision medicine, we have developed polymeric nanocapsules, specifically designed for the intracellular delivery of monoclonal antibodies and RNA molecules. The results obtained thus far are striking, demonstrating the remarkable ability of polymeric nanocapsules to target the highly relevant oncological targets. More precisely, our enables the intracellular penetration and subsequent release of the antibody, thus engaging the target located inside the cells. These encouraging findings have been correlated with a significant reduction in tumor size and weight across various mouse tumor models.

In the field of advanced therapies, our laboratory embarked on pioneering work back in the 1990s by demonstrating the feasibility of delivering plasmid DNA (pDNA) encapsulated within PLGA nanoparticles. Subsequently, we investigated the potential of cationic nanoparticles for delivering polynucleotides across various mucosal surfaces. In recent years, we have dedicated our efforts to developing hybrid polymer/lipid nanocarriers, which have been found to serve as a versatile platform for advanced therapies, vaccines, and personalized treatments, all of them based on RNA molecules.

More information about these projects and associated publications can be found at: http://www.usc.es/grupos/mjalonsolab/

Acknowledgements: The following researchers have been highly involved in the most recent results of the reported projects: A. Lopez, Mireya Borrajo, P. Lapuhs and D. Teijeiro. Most recent competitive financial support: EU Horizon 2020- BSMART, grant agreement No. 721058, EU Union’s Horizon 2020, MEFISTO, grant agreement No 814444, RETOS MINECO, Ref. PID2020-119368RB-I00, POC- PDC2021-120929-I00- MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, and “NextGenerationEU”/PRTR, Instituto Salud Carlos III, SARS-CoV2, FEDER Funds, Ref. COV20/00214, 2^2 INTRATARGET- ISCIII AES 2020, Award N. AC20/00028, EuroNanoMed III, Competitive Reference Groups, Consellería de Educación e Ordenación Universitaria, Xunta de Galicia, Ref: ED431G 2019/02

Short bio: 

María José Alonso is Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Her lab has pioneered numerous discoveries in the field of nanomedicine, notably in the area a vaccination, transmucosal drug delivery and precision medicine in oncology. She has coordinated consortia financed by the WHO, the Gates Foundation and the European Commission and has authored more than 315 scientific contributions with H factor: 104. She is the inventor of 23 patent families, most of them licensed to industry and she has participated in 3 start-up ventures. She has been among the TOP TEN in Pharmacology (Times Higher Education international ranking, 2010) and in the “Power List” of the most influential researchers in the field of Biopharmaceuticals (The Medicine Maker). She has hold high responsibilities as Vicerrector of Research and Innovation, Trusty of the Spanish Research Council and Adviser to the Ministries of Sciences and Innovation and Health. She si now a member of the Council of the Spanish Agency of Research. She was President of the CRS in 2018-19 and she is Editor-in-Chief of the Drug Delivery and Translational Research, an official journal of the CRS. She is part of the editorial board of 12 journals. She has received 55 awards, among them the “National Research Award”, considered as the highest distinction from the Spanish Government, the Jaume I Award and the Founders, WIS and Outstanding Service Awards of the CRS, Inc. She is a member of 5 Academies in Spain and of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium and of the US National Academy of Medicine (NAM). She was awarded with an “Honoris Causa” doctorate by the University of Nottingham.