PRIN 2022, Italian Ministry of University and Research SAMBA – Self-assembly of bacteria-targeting materials across the mesoscale
The World Health Organisation identified AntiMicrobial Resistance (AMR) as one of the major threats of our century with a prediction for the next 25 years of a very high number of human losses and extremely high costs for the healthcare system and society. In the fight against AMR, it becomes therefore extremely important to develop new technologies for both a rapid detection of the type of bacterial pathogens, thus avoiding a useless administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and a selective and efficient delivery of antibiotics in close proximity to the site of infection. This not only would increase the local concentration of the drug and its
therapeutic efficacy, but it also would simultaneously allow for a consistent decrease of administration doses, reduce the side effects on the endogenous microbiota, and reduce the spread of AMR. SAMBA aims at exploring a chemical bottom-up approach to the preparation of innovative multifunctional materials spanning in
dimensions across the mesoscale (20 nm – 100 μm) and able to selectively localise the target bacteria strain, signal their presence, and locally release the antibiotic. The novelty of this approach resides in: i) size and morphologies of the carriers employed (from self-assembled nano-objects (NOs) to cell-like micro-compartmentalised systems or “protocells”); ii) type of multivalent ligands used to decorate the carriers for high selectivity; iii) presence of a large number of fluorescent probes for high sensitivity; iv) high loading of antibiotics into the material and v) triggered drug release in close proximity of the target.
Start date: 16 october 2023
End date: 15 october 2025
Role: Partecipant in local unit
Partners: University of Parma (Scientific coordinator, Parma, Italy) – University of Milano-Bicocca (Milan, Italy)
Research outputs
| Team members | Type of divulgation activity | Description | Audience (type&number) |
| All | Workshop | Kick-off meeting (Milan, Italy) | Scientific community |
The Gobbo Group 