Supramolecular Materials for Biomedical and Environmental Technologies is a research unit integrated in the Department of Chemistry. We carry out an intense research in the fields of Supramolecular Chemistry and Polymer Science and their pharmaceutical applications (drug delivery vehicles like cyclodextrins, gels and nanoparticles), Materials Science (nanocomposites and hydrogels), Cultural Heritage studies and, in the modelling, Design and optimization of Reactors and Sustainable processes from an application-oriented viewpoint.
The members of the group are in charge of the subjects related to Physical Chemistry, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Inorganic Chemistry and Materials Science (degrees of Chemistry, Biochemistry, Environmental Sciences and Pharmacy), and committed to the didactics and divulgation of science.
FPU grant
Oliver Rosas de la Rosa has been granted an FPU fellowship (Ayudas para la training de academic staff Universitario 2024) for PhD studies. The focus of his research will be on the production of polymeric fibers for the release of antibiotics to be applied topically, under the supervision of Prof. Itziar Vélaz Rivas (SUMBET). Title: development of Chlorhexidine release systems and nanoparticles based on polymeric fibers obtained by Solution Blow Spinning (SBS) and their application in tissue engineering (scaffolds).
Collaboration Grant (Ministry of Education)
Javier Arricibita (Master Degreee in Computational Methods in Science) and Andrea Fernández (Degree in Chemistry, 4th year), who are doing their Final Degree Master and Final Degree Projects in SUMBET group, under the supervision of José Ramón Isasi and Itziar Vélaz, have been awarded a Collaboration Grant by the Ministerio de Education for the academic year 2024-2025.
Prize
Carmen Tabuenca Gómez, RTP student (2022-2024) at SUMBET group, under the supervision of Dr. Itziar Vélaz and Dr. Adrián Durán, has been recognized as the student with the best academic record, staff, professional and social career in the Wonnow Awards from CaixaBank and Microsoft, which recognize female excellence in STEM University degrees -Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics-, with the aim of promoting diversity and contributing to reducing the gender gap.
Special Issue (guest publisher)
Prof. Adrián Durán will be the guest publisher of the Special Issue"Young Talents in Solid-State Sciences" within the journal "Solids" (Impact Factor: 2.4)
Incorporations
Garbiñe Larrea Goñi has been granted an ADA (association de Amigos de la UN, Programa de Ayudas Estrategia 20/25) fellowship for PhD studies. Her research will focus on the quantification and analysis of microplastics under the supervision of Prof. Adrián Durán Benito (SUMBET-BIOMA) and Prof. David Elustondo Valencia (LICA-BIOMA). Title: Identification, quantification and analysis of microplastics from food and textile industries. Study of their degradation processes, as well as their environmental and health effects.
Oliver Rosas de la Rosa has been granted an ADA (association de Amigos de la UN) fellowship for PhD studies. The focus of his research will be on the production of polymeric fibers for the release of antibiotics to be applied topically, under the supervision of Prof. Itziar Vélaz Rivas (SUMBET). Title: development of Chlorhexidine release systems and nanoparticles based on polymeric fibers obtained by Solution Blow Spinning (SBS) and their application in tissue engineering (scaffolds).
Award of the American Society for Photobiology
The ASP has announced that Juan Pablo Fuenzalida will be the recipient of the "ASP New Investigator Award". The ceremony will take place on 30th of July at the 42nd Biennial Meeting of the American Society for Photobiology, in Chicago. These awards are given to scientists that have done outstanding contributions in the field of advancing photosciences. We warmly congratulate Juan Pablo for his achievement.
IV LEISHMAFIBER Workshop
The 4rd LEISHMAFIBER workshop was celebrated on 20th of June at the Universidad de Salamanca in the frame of the coordinated project "Multifunctional sprayable wound dressings obtained by solution blow spinning for the treatment of skin diseases" (PID2020-112713RB-.
C21, -C22). Our doctorate students Zeinab Dirany, Javier Carriles, Nerea Guembe and Paolo Ginatta presented the results of their current investigations together with the doctorate students adscribed to the project from the Universidad Carlos III and the Universidad de Salamanca. The workshop, organized by Prof. Margarita Valero and the School of Doctorate of the Universidad de Salamanca, closed with a guided visit to the historic centre of the city and the old Library of the university.
21st ICS
The 21st International Cyclodextrin Symposium has taken place in Dunkerque (France, 10th-14th June). The University of Navarra was represented in the conference by José Ramón Isasi and Gustavo González, who presented the results of the current investigations of Zeinab Dirany and Max Petitjean. The results of the project GLYCOCAPSID, in which Itziar Vélaz is collaborating, were also presented as an oral communication. The next edition of the international symposium will be held in India, in 2026.
SANS experiments at ISIS (UK)
Small angle neutron scattering experiments have been carried out from the 6th to 8th of May at the Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory (UK) on the LARMOR diffractometer. The experiments, aimed to ascertain the mesoscopic structure of micellar systems and gels comprising amphiphilic block copolymers and bactericidal drugs, were performed by Nerea Guembe and Gustavo González in collaboration with Margarita Valero, from the Universidad de Salamanca.
The experiments have been funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (UK) and the Agencia Estatal de research (Spain), in the frame of the LEISHMAFIBER project.
Opinion article
Nature (Letters to the publisher section) has published an opinion article from Juan Pablo Fuenzalida, regarding the recognition for the work of the PhD students and their role. See the full letter here
Incorporation
Leire Iturain Matute (QUI-22) has joined the Department as a researcher from Programa MRR Investigo 2023 (Ayudas para la contratación de staff researcher ). Her research will focus on the extraction and characterization of microplastics, under the supervision of Prof. Adrián Durán (SUMBET, BIOMA) and Prof. David Elustondo (LICA, BIOMA).