Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)

Aragón Materials Science Institute (ICMA)

• coordination
• biofunctionalization of nanomaterials and development of magnetic heating
• applications
• engineering surface of MNP
• tailormade functionalization strategies for oriented and straightforward enzyme immobilization
• investigate heat transfer/diffusion at different scale levels

Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemistry (ICP)

• optimizing co-immobilization of enzymes within microstructured porous materials for fine control of their spatial distribution
• integration of enzyme@MNPs conjugates within porous microbeads

Madrid Materials Science Institute (ICMM)

• reproducible and scalable synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles related to the use of magnetic heating
• providing different types of MNPs
• finding correlations within magnetic features of MNPs and their heating efficiency

Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH is a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres and one of the largest interdisciplinary research centers in Europe. The team “Synthetic Enzyme Cascades”at the Institute of Bio- and Geosciences 1: Biotechnology is led by Dörte Rother and focuses on the development of value generating processes to fine chemicals using synthetic enzyme cascades. Here, biologists, chemists and engineers combine catalysts to multi-step biotransformations, which do not occur conjunct in nature. Rational enzyme engineering, reaction optimisation and process design is used to optimally gain both, economically and ecologically efficient cascades. This aims to bridge between fundamental research and industrially relevant biocatalysis.

tasks

• achieving on-demand regulation of a one-pot multi-enzyme cascade to synthesize stereopure tetrahydroisoquinolines

The Institute of Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering (www.biote.tugraz.at) is the main Austrian university institution for basic and applied research at the interface of biological sciences and process engineering. The aim is to achieve innovative solutions for efficient and accelerated process development in biotechnology using an integrated scientific-technological approach that combines modern methods of molecular and process bioengineering.

tasks

• bringing in expertise on carbohydrates and biocatalytic methods of their synthesis
• enabling the operation of simultaneous enzymatic reactions with unpaired optimal temperatures for conversion of sucrose into different products (α-glucosyl-2-glycerate, cellobiose/cello-oligosaccharides)

CICbiomaGUNE is a non-profit research organization created in 2006 by the Basque Government to promote scientific research and technological innovation at the highest level. CICbiomaGUNEis committed to identifying new opportunities in the field of biosciences through a pathway of excellence in research, both answering to international challenges and contributing to the development of a new biotech sector in the Basque Country. It also encourages the transfer and dissemination of results to social and business actors in many sectors.
The centre comprises 13 international research teams conducting state of the art research at the interface between the chemical, biological and physical sciences with a main emphasis on molecular scale properties and applications of biological nanostructures.
CICbiomaGUNE’s cutting-edge infrastructure includes the Molecular Imaging Facility, a reference platform in Europe in the field of molecular and functional pre-clinical imaging. In 2018 earned the accreditation “María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence”- the highest recognition of scientific excellence in Spain awarded by the Spanish State Research Agency.

tasks

• engineering the surface of different enzymes, immobilizing them on magnetic nanoparticles
• protein engineering to enable the control enzyme orientation, enzyme-particle distance and valency of the attachment during the immobilization protocoll

The Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences (DBSV) brings together biology and biotechnology to medical sciences in a single environment with the aim to build synergies between basic and applied sciences by means of a multidisciplinary approach. This choice has allowed the achievement of good results both in terms of research and teaching. In this context, the laboratory of Cell Biology lead by Giovanni Bernardini has focused its interest in the study of the interactions of metal nanoparticles with biological systems.

tasks

• in charge of toxicity of MNPs and hybrid particles
• investigate if leakage of metal ions occurs due to their extensive submission (long time periods, several reuse cycles) to AMF

nanoScale Biomagnetic SL (nB) is a technology-based SME company focused on the development and commercialization of instrumentation for magnetic heating of nanoparticles. The company was founded in 2008 as spin-off company of the Magnetic Hyperthermia Group of the Institute of Nanoscience of Aragón of the University of Zaragoza (UZ) in Spain lead by Professor Gerardo Goya, following the successful design and development of a first prototype instrument for the study of magnetic heating of nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia treatment (MHT), engineered by Eng. Nicolas Cassinelli. Since then, the company has developed the initial prototype instrument into a commercially available product series of AMF-application devices, the DM100 series, with the support of public and private capital. Currently, the company is worldwide leader on its market and its products are the top-shelf choice for researcher all across the globe. During the last years, nB started the exploration of the technologies not related to therapy, such as catalysis by AMF.

tasks

• in charge of designing, building, prototyping and validating a new concept of AMF applicators capable to trigger enzyme activation by AMF

The Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (acib) is an international competence centre specialized on bridging the gap between academic and industrial research.

tasks

• Dissemination, communication (create awareness, inform the public
• about the project and EU funded research)
• Exploitation
• Technology transfer intermediary
• Provides a broad industrial network in biotech industry