Research seminar in charge of:

Session I: Repeated Topical Administration of 3 nm Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Reverts Disease Atrophic Phenotype and Arrests Neovascular Degeneration in AMD Mouse Models

• Resum: Nanotechnology has shown us how mineral antioxidants, like metal oxide nanoparticles, especially cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles (NPs), nanoceria, are safe and powerful anti-inflammatory substances, which seem to overcome previous antioxidant pharmacokinetic limitations. Nanoceria, is well known for its ability to scavenge excess ROS in biological systems, acting as an effective antioxidant and, consequently, anti-inflammatory substance [16]. We apply this  to the case of Age related Macular Degeneration (AMD). In vitro results indicate the biocompatible and protective character of the CeO2NPs, reducing oxidative stress in ARPE19 cells and inhibiting neovascularization related to pathological angiogenesis in both HUVEC and in in vitro models of neovascular growth. In the in vivo experiments, we observed the capacity of CeO2NPs to reach the retina after topical delivery and a subsequent reversion of the altered retinal transcriptome of the retinal degenerative mouse model DKOrd8 toward that of healthy control mice, together with signs of decreased inflammation and arrest of degeneration. Furthermore, CeO2NP eye drops’ treatment reduced laser-induced choroidal neovascular lesions in mice by lowering VEGF and increasing PEDF levels. These results indicate that CeO2NP eye drops are a beneficial antioxidant and neuroprotective treatment for both dry and wet forms of AMD disease.

• Dr. Anna Duarri holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2010) from the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. From 2011 to 2014, she held a postdoc position as postdoctoral researcher at the ​UMCG in the Netherlands. In 2015, she joined as a senior postdoc at the Stem Cell Bank in Barcelona, one of the nodes of the Banco Nacional de Líneas Cellulares (ISCIII). In 2019, she obtained a IP position in the Ophthalmology Group at Vall d’Hebron Research Institut (VHIR).
• Prof. Dr. Victor Puntes is ICREA Research Professor and Group Leader at the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) (since 2005), with a joint appointment at Vall Hebron Institute de Recerca (VHIR) (since 2015). He received his M.S. degree in chemical engineering from University Louis Pasteur (Strasbourg) in 1994 and his Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of Barcelona in 1998. Between 1999 and 2003 he held a postdoc position as postdoctoral researcher at the University of California–Berkeley (UCB) and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) before returning to Barcelona with a Ramon y Cajal position

Session II: Optimization of delivery nanoparticles by specific targeting to liver sinusoidal endothelial cells

• Resum: The presentation will describe the design and development of a nanoparticle system based on polymeric micelles constituted by Pluronic F127 and its functionalization for a directionally active targeting of hepatic sinusoid endothelial cells as a drug delivery system in the context of chronic liver disease. As a proof of concept, the application of these polymeric micelles has been studied through the encapsulation of simvastatin with the aim of reducing hepatotoxicity and side effects caused by the free drug in the treatment of chronic liver disease, analyzing its efficacy and safety in primary cell cultures and animal models of liver pathology.

• Mar Gil.  Degree in Biomedical Sciences from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), with a master's degree in Translational Biomedical Research taught at the Vall de Hebron Research Institute (VHIR). Currently studying the PhD program in Medicine at the UAB as a predoctoral student in the Chronic Liver Disease Advances group at VHIR through a grant awarded by the Agency for the Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) of the Generalitat de Catalunya (Government of Catalonia) for the recruitment of new research staff (FIN-2019).
• Dr. Fernanda da Silva Andrade is a researcher at the Drug Delivery and Targeting Group (DDT group) and an Assistant Professor at the University of Barcelona. She holds a PhD degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Pharmaceutical Technology from the University of Porto, Portugal. Her research is focused on the development and preclinical validation of nanomedicines for the treatment of challenging diseases and clinical unmeet needs, with the ultimate goal of personalized medicine. “