BioCell Research
Aim
The aim is the development of polymeric systems based on micro/nanostructured, biocompatible and injectable hydrogels for controlled release of neuroprotective molecules or for cell delivery to the central nervous system.
These systems represent an innovative approach in the treatment of neurodegenerative pathologies such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease or brain insult such as stroke. Nowadays the available therapies are only symptomatic and this greatly impacts not only on economic features but especially on the life quality for patients and their relatives
Description
The development of hydrogel systems injected directly in the brain target area permits to overcome the low blood-brain barrier permeability. This strategy could be used to optimize drug treatments already available or to make them applicable when oral or systemic administration appears problematic.
Concerning the release of drugs/potential therapeutics molecules for the reduction of neurodegeneration, our study is based on two strategies: -drug delivery: neuroprotective molecules, such as biologically active oligosaccharides or proteins like chaperones, are loaded into hydrogels and cell-based drug delivery: autologous fibroblasts (taken from patients) are engineered and embedded whitin polymeric matrices to express proteins of interest once in situ.
A further approach (cell housing), initially studied for insults, but now also examined for neurodegenerative diseases, concerns the delivery of mesenchymal stem cells, cultured into three-dimensional hydrogelic matrices and injected into the central nervous system to promote the regeneration of the damaged tissues
Publications/Patents
- GIORDANO C, ALBANI D, GLORIA A, TUNESI M, RODILOSSI S, RUSSO T, FORLONI G, AMBROSIO L, CIGADA A. Nanocomposites for neurodegenerative diseases: hydrogel-nanoparticle combinations for a challenging drug deliver. International Journal of Artificial Organs (2011) 34(12):1115-1127, ISSN:0391-3988.
- PERALE G, GIORDANO C, BIANCO F, ROSSI F, TUNESI M, DANIELE F, CRIVELLI F, MATTEOLI M, MASI M. Hydrogel for cell housing in the brain and in the spinal cord. International Journal of Artificial Organs (2011) 34(3):295-303, ISSN:0391-3988.
- GIORDANO C, ALBANI D, GLORIA A, TUNESI M, BATELLI S, RUSSO T, FORLONI G, AMBROSIO L, CIGADA A. Multidisciplinary perspectives for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases: hydrogels for protein delivery and cell-based drug delivery as therapeutic strategies. International Journal of Artificial Organs (2009) 32(12):836-850, ISSN:0391-3988.
- PERALE G, BIANCO F, GIORDANO C, MATTEOLI M, MASI M, CIGADA A. Engineering injured spinal cord with bone marrow-derived stem cells and hydrogel-based matrices: a glance at the state of the art. Journal of Applied Biomaterials and Biomechanics (2008) 6(1):1-18, ISSN: 1722-6899.
- GIORDANO C, CAUSA F, BIANCO F, PERALE G, NETTI PA, AMBROSIO L, CIGADA A. Gene delivery systems for gene therapy in tissue engineering and central nervous system applications. International Journal of Artificial Organs (2008) 31(12):1017-1026, ISSN:0391-3988.
- Italian Priority MI2008A-001000; depositata il 29.05.2008
Mandatario: Politecnico di Milano
Inventori: DANIELE F, GIORDANO C, MASI M, PERALE G, ROSSI F;
- Italian Priority MI2008A-002037; depositata il 17.11.2008
Mandatario: Politecnico di Milano
Inventori: DANIELE F, GIORDANO C, MASI M, PERALE G, ROSSI F, TUNESI M
Contact us
Carmen Giordano
Partnership
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri" di Milano
- Istituto per i Materiali Compositi e Biomedici (IMCB)-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR)-Napoli
- Università degli Studi dell'Insubria - Varese
- Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II" - Napoli
- Neuro-Zone Srl - Milano
Links
Neurojoint: http://neurojoint.chem.polimi.it
Neurojoint
