Bioinspired concepts and medical applications 

Assoc. Prof. E. Mileva - Thematic Leader

Key topics are related to nanoscale phenomena in fluid media and at liquid and solid interfaces.

 The model studies comprise investigation of:

• liquid nanofilms^1,6;
• nanostructures in solutions of surfactants, microbial surfactants, phospholipids and amphiphilic polymers¹;
• nanoparticles in bulk solutions and at liquid interfaces^1,6,7;
• amphiphilic bilayers, models of biological membranes¹;
• self-assembled multilayer films from biopolymers on colloidal particles¹;
• biocrystallization, protein crystallization^2,3;
• conducting polymers²;
• metal/polymer sensors for bioactive substances⁴;
• nanostructured metal and metal/polymer materials for electrocatalytic applications; biosensors⁴. 

The medical applications include:

• new physicochemical diagnostic methods^1,6,7;
• new knowledge-based pharmaceutical nanomaterials, incl. hybrid matrices and catalytic systems^4,7;
• new biocompatible and bioactive nanostructured materials for implants and bone recovery^4,5,7;
• drug delivery nanoparticles (mixed polymer/surfactant systems, etc.) ^1,7;
• design of vectors for gene therapy¹.

 Web-addresses of laboratories in Bulgaria working on the above topics

(incomplete list): 

1. Institute of Physical Chemistry, Department of Interface and Colloid Science

http://www.ipc.bas.bg/DS.htm

2. Institute of Physical Chemistry, Department of Phase Formation and Crystal

Growth http://www.ipc.bas.bg/CG.htm

3. Institute of Physical Chemistry, Group for protein crystallization study

http://www.ipc.bas.bg/Beltyk/index.html

4. Central Laboratory of Photoprocesses, Department of Laser induced processes

in solid state http://www.clf.bas.bg/kologroup.htm

5. Institute of Polymers, Laboratory of Bioactive Polymers

http://www.polymer.bas.bg/lab/lbap.pdf

6. Sofia University, Department of Physical Chemistry

http://www.chem.uni-sofia.bg/depart/pchem/

7. Sofia University, Department of Physical Chemistry, Biophysical Chemistry

Laboratory http://www.chem.uni-sofia.bg/depart/pchem/main/IPGroup.htm

EC contract web-pages:

http://www.ipc.bas.bg/Nanophen/index.html