Alina Maria Holban

Contract no: 61 of 02/05/2018

This project is financed by the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research and Innovation, UEFISCDI, project code PN-III-P1-1.1-PD-2016-0605.

Project title: Core-shell nanoparticles functionalized with bio-active antimicrobial molecules

Summary:

As bacteria adapt quickly, current antibiotics become ineffective, leading the era of antibiotics to a close end. Patients in critical care units and those with indwelling devices are the most prone to severe infections, caused by resistant and biofilm related pathogens, which cause more than 70% of the deaths in these patients. Utilizing high amounts of antibiotics impose severe adverse effects against the patient (all antibiotics have different values of toxicity, which can be life-threatening in high concentrations) and also against environment. In this context, clinicians and researchers seek for efficient alternatives to obtain advanced antimicrobials, such as those of natural origin, or innovative synthetic antibiotics able to reduce the selection of resistant bugs, while avoiding harmful effects both against the host and environment. Nanostructured materials functionalized with natural compounds or synthetic antibiotics proved their potential of being efficient against most clinically relevant microorganisms, including resistant bacteria (superbugs) and biofilm-embedded microbes. Core-shell nanosystems could maximize the amount of bioactive compound functionalized/embedded in the antimicrobial system, to increase its stability, control its release and thus prolong the effect. The aim of this project is to obtain and investigate the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm effect of uniform core shell magnetite nanoparticles containing bioactive molecules includen in/on the obtained shell: plant-derived compounds or antibiotics, against relevant laboratory and clinically isolated bacteria strains.

Research team:

Postdoc (Project leader): Holban Alina Maria,  PhD

Mentor: Prof Eng Dr Ecaterina Andronescu

Publication list:

ISI papers:

1. D Ficai, V Grumezescu, O M Fufă, R C Popescu, A M Holban*, A Ficai, A M Grumezescu, L Mogoanta, G D Mogosanu and E Andronescu. Antibiofilm Coatings Based on PLGA and Nanostructured Cefepime-Functionalized Magnetite. Nanomaterials 2018, 8, 633; doi:10.3390/nano8090633.

2. Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu, Alexandra Elena Stoica, Mihnea-Ștefan Dima-Bălcescu, Cristina Chircov, Sami Gharbia, Cornel Baltă, Marcel Roșu, Hildegard Herman, Alina Maria Holban, Anton Ficai, Bogdan Stefan Vasile, Ecaterina Andronescu, Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc, Anca Hermenean. Electrospun Polyethylene Terephthalate Nanofibers Loaded with Silver Nanoparticles: Novel Approach in Anti-Infective Therapy. J. Clin. Med. 2019, 8, 1039; doi:10.3390/jcm8071039.

3. Eva Torres Sangiao, Alina Maria Holban* and Mónica Cartelle Gestal. Applications of Nanodiamonds in the Detection and Therapy of Infectious Diseases. Materials 2019, 12, 1639; doi:10.3390/ma12101639.

4. Andrei Paduraru, Cristina Ghitulica, Roxana Trusca, Vasile Adrian Surdu, Ionela Andreea Neacsu, Alina Maria Holban, Alexandra Catalina Birca, Florin Iordache and Bogdan Stefan Vasile. Antimicrobial Wound Dressings as Potential Materials for Skin Tissue Regeneration. Materials 2019, 12, 1859; doi:10.3390/ma12111859.

5. Mara Madalina Mihai, Monica Beatrice Dima, Bogdan Dima and Alina Maria Holban*. Nanomaterials for Wound Healing and Infection Control. Materials 2019, 12, 2176; doi:10.3390/ma12132176.

Book chapters:

1. Bianca Boarca, Iulia Ioana Lungu, Alina Maria Holban. Chapter 7 – Core–shell nanomaterials for infection and cancer therapy. Materials for Biomedical Engineering Bioactive Materials for Antimicrobial, Anticancer, and Gene Therapy. 2019, Pages 197-211, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818435-6.00007-4.

2. Bianca Boarca, Iulia Lungu, Alina Maria Holban. Bioactive Packaging for Modern Beverage Industry. Trends in Beverage Packaging, Volume 16: the Science of Beverages, 2019, Pages 51-71, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-816683-3.00003-7.

 Conferences:

1. A M Holban, A M Grumezescu, L M Ditu, C Curutiu, I Gheorghe, V Grumezescu, V Lazar, E Andronescu. Magnetic core-shell nanoparticles with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effect. Annual International Conference of the RSBMB, 5-7 September 2018, Bucharest, Romania.

2. A M Holban, A M Grumezescu, G Bianca, M Denisa, H B Mohammed, S Mohsin, M C Chifiriuc, V Lazar, E Andronescu. Core-shell nanoparticles functionalized with essential oils with antimicrobial activity. Joint ESENIAS and DIAS Scientific Conference and 8th ESENIAS Workshop, 26 – 28 September 2018, Bucharest, Romania.

3. A Holban, L M Ditu, A Grumezescu, C Curutiu, V Lazar, B Vasile, E Andronescu. Impact of inorganic nanoparticles on the virulence of some microbiota isolates with probiotic effect. 6th World Congress on Targeting Microbiota, 28-30 October 2018, Porto, Portugal.

4. Alina Maria Holban, Lia-Mara Ditu, Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu, Carmen Curutiu, Coralia Bleotu, Valentina Grumezescu, Veronica Lazar, Bogdan Vasile, Ecaterina Andronescu. Antibacterial activity of functional Fe3O4-PEG SiO2 nanoparticles on pathogenic and microbiota species. EMRS – Spring Meeting 2019, 27-31.05.2019, Nisa, Franta.

5. Alina M Holban, Alexandru M Grumezescu, Carmen Curutiu, Lia M Ditu, Irina Gheorghe, Bogdan S Vasile, Coralia Bleotu, Veronica Lazar, Ecaterina Andronescu. Anti-pathogenic effect of Eugenia caryophyllata essential oil functionalized core-shell magnetic nanoparticles. 8th Congress of European Microbiologists, FEMS 2019, 7-11.07.2019, Glasgow, Franta.