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Raquel Rodrigues

Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering - Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials (LSRE-LCM), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Bragança, Portugal

In this short term scientific mission (STSM), carbon-coated yolk-shell magnetic nanoparticles (CYSMNPs) – hybrid materials comprising a superparamagnetic core coated with a carbon shell surrounding a hollow region (i.e., Fe3O4@void@C) – were investigated as multifunctional nanoparticles suitable for biomedical applications, namely for hyperthermia applications and drug delivery systems. This concept was based on the fact that carbon-coated nanoparticles have several advantages in comparison to polymer or silica coatings, since they usually offer higher chemical and thermal stability, larger surface area, biocompatibility and easier functionalization (1, 2). To ensure the colloidal stabilization of these CYSMNPs in aqueous solutions, a two-step procedure was investigated and optimized. Firstly, with the incorporation of carboxylic acid groups using an acid treatment (nitric acid at mild conditions) without compromising the magnetic core, and secondly, by chemical-functionalization of the activated CYSMNPs with 11-aminoundecanoic acid (11-AUA), via amidation. The resulting highly hydrophilic CYSMNPS, obtained during this STSM, revealed good hyperthermia performance, high loading capacity for doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) – an anticancer drug that is extensively used in anthracycline for several types of cancer – and strong triggered drug release response at acid pH 5 (similar to tumour environment). Overall, the main tasks proposed to this STSM were all accomplished, proving the great ability to use these new biomaterials in biomedical applications, which fulfils one of the main objectives of the Memorandum of understanding (MoU) of the COST Action RADIOMAG, related to the investigation of new hybrid biomaterials with great potential to be used as multifunctional nanomaterials. 

Poster/Oral presentation(s) /Conference abstract(s) originating from this mission