BNN QUARTERLY 02/2024 "How Innovative Materials Contribute to a More Sustainable World"

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Owner and publisher:

BioNanoNet Forschungsgesellschaft mbH

Kaiser-Josef-Platz 9, 8010 Graz, Austria

UID: ATU 63046279, FN 285326 y

Graphic Design & Layout: Barbara Ebner

Cover: Tubular constructs fabricated by melt electrowriting of innovative materials serving tissue engineering applications. © Michael Bartolf-Kopp, University of Würzburg

Print: Green PrintServices e.U.

Editorial

EXPLORING INNOVATIVE MATERIALS

As we pursue sustainable technologies, it is of utmost importance to address the intersection of innovation and materials science, leading to pioneering developments in innovative materials. These advancements not only drive scientific progress but also may hold the key to a sustainable future.

Innovative materials, engineered with precision and foresight, can revolutionize industries across the spectrum. BNN believes in harnessing the power of nanotechnology and biotechnology to engineer novel materials that transcend traditional limitations. From advanced polymers to nanocomposites with tailored properties, the palette of possibilities is expanding, including those developed by BioNanoNet members and project collaborators.

At BNN, our motto is “Innovation is the key. Sustainability leads the way.” We understand that the two go hand in hand. As our world confronts pressing environmental challenges, ranging from climate change to resource depletion, the role of materials in fostering sustainability is essential. Alongside our partners, we advocate for materials that show high performance but also align with principles of eco-friendliness and circularity.

The impact of innovative materials can be seen as disruptive and transformative across key sectors. BNN is working with partners to unlock novel approaches for energy storage systems (SABATLE), and lightweight materials for transportation—all pivotal in reducing our carbon footprint. Meanwhile, in healthcare, biomaterials developed by BNN partners promise faster wound healing (NABIHEAL) and targeted drug delivery systems (PHOENIX); innovative materials in sensors can be used in medical diagnostics and food safety monitoring (DeDNAed, NGM). Furthermore, we have ensured the safety and sustainability of a wearable technology for improving the health of first responders

(SixthSense) as well as lightweight materials for sports and leisure activities (BreadCell).

Furthermore, BNN's ethos extends beyond scientific discovery to encompass responsible stewardship. Together with our network we prioritize life cycle assessments, waste reduction strategies, and ethical considerations, ensuring that each innovation contributes positively to our shared sustainability goals.

Indeed, BNN’s vision to incorporate Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) into innovative and advanced materials encapsulates a broader paradigm shift in materials science—one in which sustainability is not an afterthought but a guiding principle. By championing innovative materials that are efficient, versatile, and environmentally conscious, we are contributing to a more sustainable future. BNN will also pursue this on the national level by facilitating a cross-platform collaboration to strengthen the advanced and innovative materials community in Austria, getting ready for the partnership IM4EU.

Looking ahead, the imperative is clear: to continue nurturing collaborations, fostering interdisciplinary dialogues, and weaving safety and sustainability into the design process. In this edition of BNN QUARTERLY, find out more about how we and our members and collaborators are fulfilling our vision to secure a sustainable and prosperous society.

Sincerely,

Andreas Falk, CEO

Pitch Videos from our BioNanoNet Association Members

Pitch video from ANALISIS-DSC

Our member ANALISIS-DSC is an engineering service SME specialized in Mechanical and Industrial Processes using CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) software tools.

Engineering services include:

 Basic Engineering

 Failure Engineering

 Analysis and Optimization of Industrial Processes

 Scale-up/Scale-down Industrial Processes

 Ventilation Analysis and Optimization (Climatization and Fire Safety)

analisis-dsc.com

Pitch video from ACIB GmbH

Our member ACIB GmbH is an international research center in the field of industrial biotechnology. ACIB develops sustainable, and economically and technologically advanced processes for the biotech, pharmaceutical and chemical industries.

acib.at

Watch pitch video

Watch pitch video

BNN, BRAVE and MUG on Austrian TV News with NanoPAT

BNN with members BRAVE Analytics and Medical University of Graz (MUG) were featured in a short report on the Austrian public broadcasting channel ORF 2.

Within the evening show “Steiermark Heute”, ORF visited the BNN headquarters in Graz to interview Andreas Falk (CEO) and Johanna K. Scheper (Innovation Support) to understand better the im -

pact that safety and sustainability assessments can have in production, from nanomedicines to plastics. With partner and member Christian Hill (BRAVE), they took a deeper look at nanoparticle analysis in our project NanoPAT, where we are also working with Styrian partner MUG.

The video clip is in German and can be viewed here

NSC Releases Roadmap for Safe and Sustainable Advanced Materials 2024-2030

In a bid to address pressing environmental and health concerns, the EU NanoSafety Cluster (NSC) has unveiled a comprehensive roadmap titled “Roadmap Safe and Sustainable Advanced and Innovative Materials 2024-2030”. This strategic document outlines a path towards the development and utilization of advanced materials that are not only innovative but also safe and sustainable.

The need for safe and sustainable design of innovative advanced materials has never been more critical.

As we grapple with the repercussions of past industrial practices, including the use of hazardous substances and unsustainable manufacturing processes, there is an

urgent call for action to mitigate the negative impacts on human health and the environment.

The current situation serves as a compelling reason to prioritize activities aligned with the objectives outlined in this roadmap. It underscores the importance of proactive measures to prevent a future where we are constantly playing catch-up due to past ignorance. Instead, the focus should be on achieving a successful transformation towards a safe, sustainable, and toxin-free world.

Several members of the BioNanoNet Association, namely PLUS, 7p9, TEMASOL, as well as BNN contributed in this NSC task force to the roadmap.

Publication:

R. Cassee, F.R., Bleeker, E. A.J., Durand, C., Exner, T., Falk, A., Hristozov, D., Hofer, S., Hofstätter, N., Friedrichs, S., Heunisch, E., Himly, M., Nymark, P., Pohl, A., Soeteman-Hernández, L. G., Suarez-Merino, B., Valsami-Jones, E., Groenewold, M. (2024). Roadmap safe and sustainable advanced and innovative materials. (Outlook for 2024-2030). Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal (CSBJ): Nanoscience & Advanced Materials Section. Vol.25, 105126. DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.05.018

Contact

BioNanoNet Forschungsgesellschaft mbH Andreas Falk andreas.falk@bnn.at nanosafetycluster.eu

Reflecting on the PBP World Meeting 2024

The Pharmaceutics, Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical World Meeting held in Vienna in March 2024 served as a dynamic platform for experts across the pharmaceutical sector to present and discuss recent advances, as well as to exchange their respective insights. Hosted at the modern Austria Center Vienna, the conference brought together more than 1300 experts from basic research, R&D&I, regulation and industry. Besides the interesting talks and numerous poster presentations, the accompanying ResearchPharm® exhibition, stretching over 2 floors, allowed participants to interact with industry and service providers. Lea Ann Dailey from the Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Vienna and BioNanoNet Association member was the conference chair of PBP. Among presenters and exhibitors were many of our association members, including Research Center Pharmaceutical Engineering GmbH (RCPE), JOANNEUM RESEARCH Forschungsgesellschaft mbH (JR) and University of Graz (KFU).

As representatives of BNN, Susanne Resch and Julia Voglhuber-Höller had the privilege to present an overview of Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) in the medical sector, advances made in the Safe-by-Design (SbD) concept of DeDNAed, as well as further promote the Single Entry Point for nano-pharmaceuticals established via the PHOENIX project. Through these three impactful poster presentations and lively discussions with conference participants, BNN could showcase our commitment to advancing both safety and sustainability within the medical and pharmaceutical sector.

Inspiring talks at PBP in parallel sessions on a variety of topics filled the program. Particularly captivating were the many novel innovations aimed at revolutionizing the treatment landscape for various medical conditions using advanced materials and nanoparticles. Overall, the conference gave a comprehensive overview of the currently ongoing research in the pharmaceutical sector, while also highlighting niche areas. A special highlight was

© Susanne Resch, BNN

the NanoFacT exhibition booth and talks presented by the NanoMedicine-Austria (NM-AT) community, among them NM-AT Co-Chair Ramona Jeitler from the University of Graz, Milica Stankovic-Brandl from RCPE and Simon Schwingenschuh from JR Health.

Naturally, the conference extended beyond the academic realm, with lively discussions during the social events. The evening reception held at the Hofburg palace in Vienna, an exceptional location especially for participants from abroad, was filled with networking, a delicious menu, live music and dancing.

The PBP World Meeting 2024 served as a testament to the collective dedication of the diverse group of stakeholders towards advancing the frontiers of pharmaceutical research and development. Looking ahead, BNN will leverage the momentum gained from the PBP World Meeting to further drive impactful change and ensure extension beyond safety and championing sustainability within the pharmaceutical sector.

Julia Voglhuber-Höller and Susanne Resch from BNN

Reflecting on the 6 th Health Tech Hub Styria at the Medical Science City Graz

From 15 to 16 April 2024 the 6 th Health Tech Hub Styria (HTH) took place at the Medical Science City Graz. The event was organized by BioNanoNet Association member Human.technology Styria GmbH. BNN was represented on site by Julia Voglhuber-Höller, who got to listen to scientists and entrepreneurs on the topic “Future in Diagnostics and Therapy”.

The event was kicked off with a preopening life science breakfast, where participants heard a discussion on the innovative ecosystem posed by the Medical Science City Graz. BioNanoNet Association members Ruth Prassl and Lars-Peter Kamolz from the Medical University of Graz, and Gerhard Prossliner from BRAVE Analytics shared their experiences.

After a quick venue change from the Center for Knowledge & Technology Transfer in Medicine (ZWT) to the Campus of the Medical University of Graz, the HTH was opened and gave stage to inspiring talks and innovative ideas shared by na -

tional and international speakers. The program continued to feature multiple BioNanoNet Association members as speakers over the following two days, including Christian Hill from BRAVE Analytics, Harald Sourij from CBmed, Sebastian Schwaminger from the Medical University of Graz, Christoph Magnes from JOANNEUM RESEARCH, and Gerold Meininger from MEDS.

In between panel sessions, B2B meetings were set up, fostering further collaboration among participants, which often led to extended discussions over coffee and lunch. The HTH was concluded with different tours through the Medical Science City Graz, where our representative Julia Voglhuber-Höller chose to have a peek into the newly opened Anatomy Institute of the Medical University of Graz.

Panel discussion at HTH 2024

Julia Voglhuber-Höller at HTH 2024

BNN Brings “Nano” to the Local Community at Long Night of Research

Die Lange Nacht der Forschung

(The Long Night of Research) is a biannual event taking place throughout Austria, offering free access to experience science and research first-hand in all nine federal provinces. It is pitched at the general public and aims to get people more interested in science, inform them about interesting projects happening in their city and also educate them on subjects. It is aimed at all ages with some events specially for children.

The last edition took place on 24 May, showcasing researchers’ achievements across a diverse range of fields, including society, environment and health, natural

sciences, technology and energy, and business, digitalization, and culture. The event offered a dynamic program at over 270 locations with tours, workshops, talks, demonstrations, and interactive experiments to observe, participate in, and be amazed by.

With the intention of bringing science closer to the general public, BNN showed how and where to discover nanotechnology in everyday life at our hands-on station. We had a blast bringing visitors closer to “nano”. Over 800 people of all ages came to our booth (stationed across from member Research Center Pharmaceutical Engineering GmbH (RCPE) and down the hall from ACIB) at RCPE’s facilities on Inffeldgasse in Graz to learn about nanotechnology in daily life – from the littlest guests experimenting with water droplets on hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces, to teens and adults matching nanomaterials with their real-life (and future!) applications.

Pint of Science 2024 – Tech Me Out Organized

by BNN was a Roaring Success

Once again it was time for Pint of Science, where captivating talks by scientists are brought to the public. For the second year in a row BNN organized the TechMeOut Session in Graz, and what a success! The sold-out event on Tuesday, 14 May in Bar8020 proved to be both enlightning and a lot of fun.

Pint of Science is a global initiative for scienceto-public events taking place in mutliple cities, all over the world at the same time. In the cozy environment of bars and coffee shops, scientists unpack their research, presenting it in an accessible way with sometimes hilarious twists.

Under the moderation of Julia Voglhuber-Höller from BNN, the session "Small but mighty: How we can change the world with nanotechnology" lined up Matiss Reinfelds from BNN, Carolin Tetyczka from RCPE and Sebastian Schwaminger from MUG as speakers. Kicking off the evening with a historical retrospect, Matiss Reinfelds entertained the audience with his talk, "GreenGuardians: How a

concept can promote safety and sustainability innovation." Through compelling examples of misconduct in the area of chemical safety, such as the Radium girls and “forever chemicals”, he underscored the role that Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design should have in the development of new chemicals. As a special something he also brought biomaterials from our projects NABIHEAL and BreadCell, in which BNN is working on such concepts.

The second talk was given by BioNanoNet Association member Carolin Tetyczka, who delved into the realm of nanomedicine with her talk "The Tiny Ones: Smaller Particles Need Bigger Ideas". After a general introduction to the world of nanotechnology, during which she surprised our guests with the long history of nanoparticles, which have been first used in the 4th century, she moved on to her core expertise. Not only did she provide insights into what nanomedicine actually is and where it can be used, but also explained how nanomedicines are made.

© Barbara Ebner, BNN

Following a break to refill our pints, Sebastian Schwaminger took the stage for our last talk on "Sci-Fi in the Clinic and on the Plate: Nanotechnology Meets Medicine and Food Technology". He showcased the variety of uses for magnetic nanoparticles from kidney stone retrieval and sorting yeast cells to optimize beer production.

The absolute highlight of the evening was the pub quiz where all participants could battle each other on their newly acquired nano-related knowledge!

These projects have received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreements n° 964430 (BreadCell) and n°101092269 (NABIHEAL).

Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design at INDTech

From 3 to 5 June 2024, the INDTech (Industrial Technologies conference) took place in Namur (Belgium) as the European Union flagship event bringing together stakeholders from research organizations, industry, SMEs, and policymaking. In presentations, round table discussions, and at the exhibition area, participants discussed the stateof-the-art, technological challenges, as well as future trends in the field of industrial technologies.

Due to the importance of SSbD for reaching the goal of the European Green Deal and especially the twin green and digital transformation, multiple projects of BNN members and of the EU NanoSafety Cluster (NSC) provided their expertise at the conference. The specific NSC-working group on “SSbD, Innovation and Regulation” is the collaboration ecosystem to further support the development and implementation of SSbD framework from the very early stages of technologic innovation.

Mireille Poelman, coordinator of BIO-SUSHY project (in which BioNanoNet Association members WOOD K plus, 7p9, and Applus/RESCOLL are partners), presented the project in the Session “A new generation of advanced materials fit for the circular economy” and stressed the need for data in the panel discussion. Nazende Günday-Türeli, from BioNanoNet member MyBiotech, who is also the CEO of the PHOENIX OITB gGmbH, spoke in the Session “How could we turn European SMEs into strong innovators?”

Additionally, BioNanoNet members were part of two booths at the INDTech exhibition. The NSCcommunity booth was co-organized by NIA and BNN, presenting a total of 22 EU-funded projects (e.g., HARMLESS, etc.), including also OITB projects (e.g., NextGenMicrofluidics and PHOENIX). Besides their presence in the NSC-booth, some of the NSC-projects (i.e. MACRAMÉ, CHIASMA, INSIGHT and PINK) had an additional booth, showing the sister projects’ collaboration.

Thus, with this broad presence, it was possible to highlight the synergy generated from combining approaches from EU-funded projects with different foci, ranging from the development of new test methods, integrated approaches to testing and assessment and corresponding test guidelines and guidance documents to digital approaches supporting industry in performing SSbD. All these elements are central elements of the NSC working groups, facilitating to maximize the impact of public funding.

We invite our readers to get involved in NSC activities by joining the community and engaging in the working groups.

Contact info@nanosafetycluster.eu nanosafetycluster.eu

Research and Technology united at TechForum Millstatt

Agroundbreaking event took place 3-7 June 2024 in scenic Millstatt Lake surrounded by mountains in the heart of Austria: TechForum Millstatt. Initiated by TU Wien and organized with BNN, our technology platform Advanced Microfluidics Initiative, TU Graz, Silicon Austria Labs, University of Salzburg, Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Infineon and TU Austria, TechForum Millstatt (TFM) brought together a diverse group of technology-focused participants from academia, industry, SMEs, RTOs, and policy.

The week began with a two-day hands-on workshop offered to students on microfluidics and biosensor manufacturing, system integration, biology-material interactions and organ-on-a-chip technologies. This was complemented by a scientific session on Tuesday afternoon with posters and oral presentations. Clemens Wolf (BNN) spoke about Safe-and-Sustainability-by-Design (SSbD) and regulatory services offered by BNN. Nihan Atak (JR) presented our joint project NextGenMicrofluidics. BNN also contributed a poster about our S(S)bD activities in the H2020 project DeDNAed.

Wednesday was devoted to innovation and startups, with a morning roundtable discussion led by TU Wien and an afternoon of tech talks on a ship cruising through Millstatt Lake. The evening closed with a “Flying Dinner” on the lake accompanied by keynote speeches and videos.

The following day saw the bridging of life science with technology thanks to Infineon and SAL, creating a varied program of talks and demonstrations, including the topic of drones, linking the Austrian Ministry of Defense with Infineon and FH Kärnten.

A highlight of the week was the Open Dialogue where members of the public were invited to hear impulse talks and share their thoughts on the impact of artificial intelligence on democracy.

Friday was devoted to women in green tech, with talks on FemChem, for example, and a podium discussion on empowering and engaging women in technology, industry and research. This week ended with a trip up the local mountain for a cookout with fresh fish from the lake.

Some impressions of the week in Millstatt

© Fotostudio

Franz Pfluegl

Pioneering a Sustainable Future: The Role of Bio-Based Materials in Environmental Innovation

In a rapidly evolving world where environmental concerns are at the forefront of global discourse, the search for sustainable solutions has never been more critical. Traditional materials, often derived from non-renewable resources, contribute significantly to pollution and ecological degradation. This is where bio-based materials come into play: a groundbreaking category of products derived from renewable biological resources. These materials offer a promising alternative, providing the same functionalities as their conventional counterparts but with a significantly reduced environmental footprint.

acib is involved in a variety of projects and activities that focus on innovative advancements in biobased materials, with the potential to revolutionize various industries and pave the way toward a more sustainable future. From biodegradable plastics to plant-based textiles and lignin-based hydrogels, discover how these eco-friendly innovations are shaping a greener, more resilient world.

1. Bionanopolys is a European initiative with acib as a partner, and it is focused on the development and commercialization of bio-based nanomaterials and products. It works as an open innovation platform that allows actors from science, industry, and business to collaborate on the research, development, and production of bio-based nanoproducts. Bionanopolys targets several key application groups, aiming to leverage the potential of biobased nanomaterials across various industries:

a. Packaging: biodegradable packaging materials

b. Textile: eco-friendly materials with improved properties (strength, durability, biodegradability)

c. Healthcare: products with improved biocompatibility and performance

d. Agriculture: biodegradable films for crop protection, packaging for extended shelf life of food products

e. Construction: sustainable building materials

with enhanced properties (insulation, durability)

f. Cosmetics: ecofriendly and safe ingredients

By targeting these diverse application groups, Bionanopolys aims to drive the adoption of bio-based nanomaterials across multiple sectors, fostering innovation and sustainability on a broad scale.

2. Agrobiogel is a start-up of the acib network at BOKU University, which has developed an innovative, sustainable hydrogel for agricultural applications. Based on lignin, it is designed to improve soil water retention and nutrient availability, making it an eco-friendly solution to enhance crop growth and resilience. Our researchers specifically work on improving the structure of hydrogels as lignin is a highly heterogenous and complex polymer, which might lead to inconsistencies in the final properties. Furthermore, functionalizing lignin to enhance its compatibility with other hydrogel components requires effective methods for modifying and optimizing the materials. Lignin-based hydrogels represent a forward-thinking approach to agriculture, combining the principles of sustainability and efficiency to support farmers, promote healthier ecosystems, and ensure food security.

Through dedicated research and development in these areas, acib and its partner network demonstrate how bio-based materials can play a central role in addressing global environmental challenges. Collaboration between science, industry, and business is crucial to bringing these innovative solutions to market and maximizing their positive impact on the environment. With projects like Bionanopolys and Agrobiogel, we are paving the way for a more sustainable future.

Agrobiogel untreated © Agrobiogel

CONTRIBUTION FROM GRAZ UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

TU Graz Bundles its Strengths in Biotechnology and Artificial Intelligence

In a multidisciplinary research project, researchers from the biosciences, process engineering and computer science want to massively increase efficiency in the development of new enzymes and process optimization. This should enable the breakdown of forever chemicals.

Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) is funding a new lead project called DigiBioTech, in which 17 scientists and ten doctoral students from the fields of biotechnology, biotechnological process engineering and computer science are working closely together to significantly improve the predictability and control of biochemical reactions and processes. By merging biotechnology, data science and artificial intelligence, the project team aims to efficiently produce novel enzymes. They will not

only enable sustainable production processes, but some of these enzymes should be able to break down persistent environmental toxins such as perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS).

1.96 million euros in funding

TU Graz is funding this fundamental research with 1.96 million Euros over an initial period of three years. Funding can be extended after an interim evaluation. "TU Graz has outstanding international expertise in the fields of biotechnology and computer science. Combining the strengths of these two disciplines opens up fascinating prospects for basic research and the application of sustainable production processes," says Andrea Höglinger, Vice-

From left: Daniel Kracher, Robert Peharz, Gustav Oberdorfer, Robert Kourist and Regina Kratzer from the new lead project DigiBioTech at TU Graz. © Lunghammer - TU Graz

Rector for Research. "The DigiBioTech lead project is a perfect fit for the profile of TU Graz, whose researchers are working on solutions for the most pressing challenges of the present and future."

Significant leaps in efficiency expected

“Biotechnology can make our society considerably more sustainable. To do this, we need to optimize biological systems, which we will be able to do much better and more reliably by integrating artificial intelligence,” says Robert Kourist from the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, who heads the DigiBioTech project. If, for example, you want to change the reaction center of an enzyme in several places at the same time to improve its efficiency, the resulting number of variants to test in the laboratory quickly exceeds a million. “Applying machine learning enables enormous leaps in efficiency here,” says Gustav Oberdorfer from the Institute of Biochemistry. “Our aim is to reduce the number of necessary experiments to just a handful.”

learning research in the area of biotechnology,” says Robert Peharz from the Institute of Theoretical Computer Science. So-called diffusion-based generative models, which are currently frequently used to generate images, are to be used in the development of new enzymes. Furthermore, according to Robert Peharz, probabilistic machine learning approaches such as Bayesian optimization will be used to narrow down the huge space of enzyme candidates.

Breakdown of forever chemicals and production of bioplastics from CO 2

Our aim is to reduce the number of necessary experiments to just a handful.

Digital twin of biochemical processes

Just as complex as the optimization of the molecular design of enzymes is the design of the process technology, i.e. the targeted control of the physical and chemical environment so that a biological process runs optimally. This is particularly difficult when several enzymes work together. “We want to create digital twins of such biological and biochemical processes in order to predict and design the processes in all their complexity and to be able to control them on a large scale,” says Regina Kratzer from the Institute of Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering.

Development of suitable machine learning methods

“Biotechnology and computer science are longstanding key research areas at TU Graz. In this lead project, we aim to develop a common language in order to match experimental data with recent machine learning technology and advance machine

The methods are being developed and applied in sub-projects dedicated to three main topics: the development of enzymes for the breakdown of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS), the production of bioplastics from CO 2 and the prediction and automated control of the interaction of multiple enzymes. To this end, predictions from artificial intelligence are always verified in laboratory experiments and then fed back to the AI models for refinement.

“We are faced with the challenge that there are few publicly accessible data sets for enzyme activities and biotechnological process control,” says Gustav Oberdorfer. “We therefore have to generate these ourselves through experiments and keep the parameters absolutely constant so that they are as suitable as possible for the used machine learning models.” The data obtained within the framework of DigiBioTech will all be made publicly available. “With this project, we also want to contribute to democratization in this area of biotechnology,” emphasizes Gustav Oberdorfer.

Contact

Graz University of Technology Institute of Molecular Biotechnology

Robert Kourist kourist@tugraz.at tugraz.at

CONTRIBUTION FROM JOANNEUM RESEARCH

How a Polymer Converts Energy and Makes Bicycle Tires "Intelligent"

Aquick glance at your mobile phone or bike computer and you have up-to-date information about your tire pressure right in front of you. This is not a dream of the future: the EU project SYMPHONY - coordinated by JOANNEUM RESEARCH - is making it possible. This is important, for example, for the energy efficiency of ebikes and safety when mountain biking.

What has already been standard in cars for a long time - automated tire pressure monitoring - would also bring all kinds of benefits to cyclists. This is because tire pressure has a direct effect on rolling resistance, riding comfort, grip, puncture protection and therefore also safety. For e-bikes (3-8 bar), for example, the rolling resistance has an influence on the battery runtime. In triathlons (8 bar), rolling resistance is a decisive factor and in mountain biking (1.5-2 bar), grip is strongly influenced by tire pressure. In all cases, regular pressure checks are advisable. However, where should the power for data transmission come from inside the inner tube? The EU project SYMPHONY is investigating this: it aims to generate energy in a cost-efficient and ecological way, without a cable connection or battery.

Energy harvesting: kinetic energy is converted into electricity

"The deformation of the tube during the ride is converted into energy, which is used to transmit sensor data. This means that kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy," says project coordinator Jonas Groten from the MATERIALS Institute. "This requires a material with electromechanical characteristics as a converter." Until now, lead

compounds, which are toxic, have often been used for this purpose. Now the MATERIALS Institute is coming into play: Researchers here have been working with the piezoelectric polymer PVDF for more than 10 years. The advantages: PVDF is non-toxic, cost-effective, and can be printed over large areas. Under certain conditions, this polymer forms a structure in which the smallest molecular dipoles add up over a large area. This is known as remanent polarization. If this polymer is now deformed, this polarization changes, as does the number of electrical charges in the electrodes applied to the polymer. If these electrodes are connected, electricity is generated by mechanical deformation. Together with the Viennese bicycle tube manufacturer Tubolito and the semiconductor producer Infineon, the system was subjected to a mechanical stress test equivalent to a 5000 km ride.

Wide range of possible applications

However, this technology not only makes bicycle inner tubes "intelligent", it can be used wherever sensors generate data and a self-sufficient energy system is advantageous, for example because cabling is out of the question or a battery or photovoltaic supply is not expedient: In the walls of houses, in the bodywork of vehicles, in the floor, in toys or in agriculture. Two further application examples for the energy-converting polymer are being investi -

gated as part of SYMPHONY: Condition monitoring in a wind turbine and energy-efficient room heating or cooling in a smart home.

The EU project SYMPHONY (Smart Hybrid Multimodal Printed Harvesting of Energy) has been running since 2020 and will be completed in April.

Project Partners: JOANNEUM RESEARCH MATERIALS, Würth Elektronik eiSos GmbH & Co. KG, Semperit Technische Produkte GmbH, Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC, Tubolito GmbH, Polymer Competence Center Leoben GmbH, Research Institute of Sweden RI.SE, Messfeld GmbH, Infineon Technologies Austria GmbH, Linköpings Universitet, Eologix Sensor Technology GmbH, Arkema France SA, InnovationLab GmbH

Visit the website and watch the video for more details.

Project Coordinator: Jonas Groten © JOANNEUM RESEARCH

Contact

JOANNEUM RESEARCH

MATERIALS – Institute for Sensors, Photonics and Manufacturing Technologies Jonas Groten jonas.groten@joanneum.at joanneum.at/materials

BreadCell Project Develops Foams for Sustainable Mobility and Sports

BreadCell project and its team develops foams for sustainable mobility and sports. The foams are made from wood pulp fibers and are formulated into foams that are then dried into solid foams. Safeand-Sustainable-by-Design has been playing an important role in developing these new materials and in incorporating the safety dimension towards human health and environment as well as the social and economic dimensions. Here are a few highlights of our progress in assessing and developing safety and sustainability in BreadCell.

BreadCell foams contain natural ingredients. We have now shown that the foams fulfil the criteria of biodegradability under controlled composting conditions as per EN 13432:2001.

This gives an indication that the foams can be degraded after use and the foam materials will not contribute to waste accumulation.

Our technology is intended to manufacture foams, but we can only be successful if our agents and foams are non-cytotoxic. We are excited to report that the BreadCell foaming agents are not cytotoxic. This was verified using dose response assay and quantifying IC50 values and comparing the values to reference materials that are considered safe to be used in food contact materials.

Non-cytotoxic

BreadCell team demonstrating foam crashworthiness at Gothenburg Science Festival, 19 April 2024.

The transition to biobased foams supports sustainability by reducing reliance on nonrenewable resources. Of course, energy consumption, emissions, and resource use can also affect a product's environmental impact, along with impacts on human health and ecosystems. However, our expectation is that BreadCell foams’ overall environmental impact is low. Our work on this continues.

Role of BNN in BreadCell project: Safety-by-Design, Sustainability-by-Design, Exploitation and Dissemination

Contact CHALMERS

Tiina Nypelö tiina.nypelo@chalmers.se breadcell.eu

A selection of BreadCell foams: panels and sandwich composites. On the left is the BreadCell penny board (check out a video about it).

BreadCell has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research & Innovation Programme under grant agreement n° 964430.

GreenX3: Innovative and Sustainable Materials, Processes and Technologies for a GREENer and Circular Economy

GreenX3, a multidisciplinary and innovative industrial doctoral network coordinated by MyBiotech GmbH, is driven by important societal needs identified by the industrial partners, based on a 360° approach to address the current environmental challenges. Specifically, the work will focus on the study of greener materials and their environmental impact, the development of novel environment-friendly industrial processes, and key enabling technologies (KETs) designed to enhance resource management and product quality.

In line with the European Green Deal, this project encourages and implements a greener and circular economy focusing on the abolishment of the idea of "take-make-dispose" culture and lifestyle. Focusing on reducing environmental waste and use of secondary raw materials, promoting the collaboration among industries belonging to different sectors as well as on the study of greener materials and their impact on the environment are the GreenX3 underpinning guide to fit into the European goal of climate neutrality by 2050. Additionally, GreenX3 contributes to reaching UN Sustainable Development Goals by ensuring acquisition of the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development through research and training for responsible production, sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources, reduced waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse, gender equality, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity.

GreenX3 research objectives are Greener materials, Greener processes and Greener technologies. GreenX3 research program comprises the use of novel materials, such as one obtained from renewable sources or repurposed waste streams as feedstock alternatives, the study of the environmental impact of plastics and new approaches towards sustainable materials, greener formulations, environmental friendly and sustainable processes for the food and pharma industry, and greener

KETs as platform technologies that are generally applicable to materials, food and pharma industry to provide an outstanding training environment.

GreenX3 has an ambitious but feasible research program that advances the field of “innovative and sustainable materials, processes and technologies for a GREENer and circular economy”. Here generated knowledge, materials processes and technologies will strongly contribute to the reduction of environmental impact by providing innovative, reliable, interoperable, and affordable alternatives for R&D applications and industrial production. GreenX3 aims to train the next generation of ambitious young researchers and provide them the skills to develop their own postdoctoral research programs or take on leading roles in the industrial sector where they can incorporate green, sustainable processes.

The GreenX3 consortium covers all stages of the development and supply chain delivering circular and sustainable economy by greener materials, processes, and technologies with low environmental impact. All the partners are dedicated to commit their already existing infrastructure, equipment, method, data together with other scientific and technological resources to contribute to reciprocally potentiate the different GreenX3 research objectives.

Contact

MyBiotech GmbH Nazende Günday-Türeli n.guenday-tuereli@mybiotech.de greenx3.eu

GreenX3 is funded by the European Union Horizon Europe MSCA Doctoral Network programme under EC Grant Agreement n° 101120061 and by UK Research and Innovation under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee [grant n° EP/Y032039/1].

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM NOVAMECHANICS

Revolutionary AI-Driven Platform Enhances Nanosafety Assessment, Pioneering Sustainable Nanotechnology Development

In a significant leap forward for nanotechnology safety, NovaMechanics Ltd. has introduced a groundbreaking in silico approach to nanoparticle toxicity assessment. Powered by the Enalos Cloud Platform and backed by SABYDOMA, #CompSafeNano, and WorldFAIR Project European projects, this new methodology integrates automated machine learning (autoML) and synthetic data generation, promising to transform nanosafety evaluations and keep pace with rapid nanotechnological innovations.

The rapid development of nanomaterials has ushered in numerous advancements across various industries, but concerns about their potential environmental and health impacts persist. Addressing these concerns, NovaMechanics has developed an innovative in silico workflow for nanoparticle (NP) safety evaluation that circumvents traditional, often ethically fraught and resource-intensive experimental methods. This cutting-edge approach, outlined in the recently published article "In silico assessment of nanoparticle toxicity powered by the Enalos Cloud Platform: Integrating automated machine learning and synthetic data for enhanced nanosafety evaluation," in the Computational and Structural Biotech Journal , leverages the autoML

capabilities of Isalos Analytics Platform and the computational power of Enalos Cloud Platform. The platform evaluates the toxicity of silver (Ag), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles using a model enriched with atomistic descriptors and synthetic data to broaden the dataset for different NP classes. A novel aspect of this study is the introduction of a three-step applicability domain method, enhancing confidence in the predictive results by ensuring their reliability. The model, which utilizes techniques like SMOTE and ADASYN for data balancing, employs a random forest machine learning model selected from seven optimized contenders for its superior performance.

The Enalos Cloud Platform now hosts this ML model, making it accessible as a web-service to the scientific community. This service facilitates collaborative advancements in the field of nanosafety by allowing researchers worldwide to contribute to and benefit from this innovative technology.

The implications of this research are vast. By enabling rapid, reliable hazard and risk assessments of nanoparticles before they are even synthesized, this methodology aligns with strategies used in drug discovery, prioritizing the synthesis and evaluation of the most promising nanoparticles. This

approach not only accelerates the development of safer nanomaterials but also supports the creation of nanoparticles designed for sustainability (SSbD).

Dimitra-Danai Varsou, Senior Scientist at NovaMechanics, mentioned that this is a groundbreaking study that integrates #autoML and synthetic data, revolutionizing nanosafety and paving the way for the development of sustainable and safer nanotechnologies.

Antreas Afantitis, Managing Director of NovaMechanics, emphasized, "Our commitment to enhancing nanosafety through technological innovation has led to the development of a platform that not only speeds up the assessment process but does so with unprecedented accuracy and reliability. This is a crucial step towards responsible nanotechnology deployment."

Looking forward, NovaMechanics plans to expand this model to include computational descriptors for NP coatings, further refining the assessment of nanoparticle interactions with biological systems. This ongoing development underlines the company's dedication to pioneering solutions that ensure the safety and sustainability of nanotechnological advancements.

About NovaMechanics: NovaMechanics Ltd is a leading innovator in computational approaches to nanotechnology safety. Through its development of the Enalos Cloud Platform, the company is at the forefront of utilizing machine learning and computational chemistry to reduce the ecological footprint and improve the safety profile of nanomaterials.

Publication:

Varsou D., Kolokathis P. D., Antoniou M., Sidiropoulos N. K., Tsoumanis A., Papadiamantis A. G., Melagraki G., Lynch I., Afantitis A., In silico assessment of nanoparticle toxicity powered by the Enalos Cloud Platform: Integrating automated machine learning and synthetic data for enhanced nanosafety evaluation, Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, Volume 25, 2024, Pages 47-60, ISSN 2001-0370. DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.03.020

Contact

NovaMechanics Ltd.

Antreas Afantitis info@novamechanics.com novamechanics.com

Enhancing Nanomaterial Safety and Sustainability Through Computational Innovation: The ASCOT Webtool

Nanomaterials (NMs) play a pivotal role in various industries, from medicine to energy. However, the rapid development of these materials poses significant environmental and health risks. Traditional experimental methods for assessing nanoparticle (NP) safety are often costly and time-consuming, with a need for a more sustainable and efficient approach.

Our latest research introduces ASCOT, an advanced web tool that supports the digital construction and analysis of spherical NPs of Ag, CuO, and TiO2. Designed for accessibility, ASCOT provides researchers, regardless of their computational expertise, with the ability to predict NP behavior and toxicity. This breakthrough is essential in the sustainable development of NMs, offering a safer approach by minimizing the need for extensive laboratory testing.

The ASCOT Solution

The ASCOT web tool advances the field of NP research by enabling the digital reconstruction of NPs such as Ag, CuO, and TiO2. Hosted on the Enalos Cloud Platform, ASCOT allows users to create detailed models of NPs with minimal input, requiring only the selection of material type, target diameter, and specific parameters for energy minimization. This automated and user-friendly platform not only simplifies the modelling process but also ensures accurate representation by calculating critical atomistic descriptors that predict stability and toxicity. By providing a virtual environment for these reconstructions, ASCOT significantly reduces the need for costly and time-consuming physical experiments, supporting the development of safer and more sustainable NMs through advanced computational methods.

Impact on Sustainability

The ASCOT web tool profoundly impacts sustainability in NP development through its sophisticated digital simulation capabilities. By enabling the virtual construction and analysis of NPs, such as Ag, CuO, and TiO2, ASCOT overcomes the traditional dependency on extensive physical testing, which frequently requires the use of hazardous chemicals and results in significant environmental waste. This digital approach allows for the comprehensive assessment of NP stability and potential toxicity without the physical and chemical footprint associated with conventional lab experiments. Furthermore, ASCOT's computational predictions of NP behavior help iden-

tifying materials that could pose environmental or health risks at an early stage. By integrating energy minimization algorithms and atomistic descriptors—such as average potential energy per atom and coordination numbers—the tool can forecast how NPs might interact with their environment leading to the development of NMs that are not only effective but also inherently safer and more compatible with environmental standards. The adoption of ASCOT thereby supports the progression towards green nanotechnology practices, emphasizing recyclability, energy efficiency, and waste reduction. It aligns with the principles of sustainable chemistry, which seeks to minimize the life-cycle ecological impact of chemical products and processes. By reducing the necessity for physical prototypes during the research and development phases, ASCOT promotes a more sustainable model for NM innovation, contributing significantly to the fields of materials science and environmental stewardship.

Conclusion

The integration of ASCOT into NP research empowers scientists to design safer materials and aligns with global sustainability goals by reducing environmental impact and enhancing regulatory compliance.

Günther Rupprechter and Qaisar Maqbool with a visualization of

CONTRIBUTION FROM TU WIEN

Nanofibers Rid Water of Hazardous Dyes

Frequently used in the textile industry, dyes are a major environmental problem. At TU Wien, efficient filters have now been developed – based on cellulose waste.

Using waste to purify water may sound counterintuitive. But at TU Wien, this is exactly what has now been achieved: a special nanostructure has been developed to filter a widespread class of harmful dyes from water. A crucial component is a material that is considered waste: used cellulose, for example in the form of cleaning cloths or paper cups. The cellulose is utilized to coat a fine nano-fabric to create an efficient filter for polluted water.

Colored poison in the water

Organic dyes represent the largest group of synthetic dyes, including so-called azo compounds. They are widely used in the textile industry, even in countries where little attention is paid to environmental protection, and the dyes often end up in unfiltered wastewater. "This is dangerous because such dyes degrade very slowly, they can remain in the water for a long time and pose great danger to humans and nature," says Prof. Günther Rupprechter from the Institute of Materials Chemistry at TU Wien.

We can produce our material by upcycling waste paper.

There are various materials that can bind such dyes. But that alone is not enough. "If you simply let the polluted water flow over a filter film that can bind dyes, the cleaning effect is low," explains Günther Rupprechter. "It's much better to create a nanofabric out of lots of tiny fibers and let the water seep through." The water then comes into contact with a much larger surface area, and thus many more organic dye molecules can be bound.

Cellulose waste as a nano-filter

"We are working with semi-crystalline nanocellulose, which can be produced from waste material," says Qaisar Maqbool, first author of the study and postdoc in Rupprechter's research group. "Metalcontaining substances are often used for similar purposes. Our material, on the other hand, is completely harmless to the environment, and we can also produce it by upcycling waste paper."

This nano-cellulose is "spun" together with the plastic polyacrylonitrile into nanostructures. However, this requires a lot of technical skill. The team from the TU Wien was successful with a so-called electrospinning process. In this process, the material is sprayed in liquid form, the droplets are electrically charged and sent through an electric field.

"This ensures that the liquid forms extremely fine threads with a diameter of 180 to 200 nanometers during curing," says Günther Rupprechter. These threads form a fine tissue with a high surface area: a so-called "nanoweb". A network of threads can be placed on one square centimeter, with a total surface area of more than 10 cm 2

Successful tests

The tests with these cellulose-coated nanostructures were very successful: In three cycles, water

contaminated with violet dye was purified, and 95% of the dye was removed. "The dyes remain stored in the nanoweb. You can then either dispose of the entire web or regenerate it, dissolve the stored dyes and reuse the filter fabric," explains Günther Rupprechter.

However, more work needs to be done: evaluating the mechanical properties of the sophisticated nanowebs, conducting biocompatibility tests, assessing sensitivity to more complex pollutants, and achieving scalability to industrial-grade standards. Now Rupprechter and his research team want to investigate how this dye filter technology can be transferred to other areas of application. "This technology could also be very interesting for the medical field," Rupprechter believes. "Dialysis, for example, also needs filtering out very specific chemical substances from a liquid." Coated nanofabrics may be useful for such applications.

Publication:

Maqbool, Q., Cavallini, I., Lasemi, N., Sabbatini, S., Tittarelli, F. and Rupprechter, G. (2024), Waste-Valorized Nanowebs for Crystal Violet Removal from Water. Small Sci. 2300286. DOI: 10.1002/ smsc.202300286

Contact

Institute of Materials Chemistry

TU Wien

Günther Rupprechter guenther.rupprechter@tuwien.ac.at tuwien.at

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM POLYMER CHEMISTRY & BIOMATERIALS GROUP, UNIVERSITY GENT

Revolutionizing Tissue Engineering: Advancements in Additive Manufacturing with Innovative Materials

In the quest for sustainability within biomedical engineering, recent advancements in tissue engineering and additive manufacturing have positioned innovative materials as pivotal players. These materials not only enhance the functional capabilities of engineered tissues and organs but also offer sustainable solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in the medical field. By integrating cutting-edge fabrication techniques with environmentally conscious material choices, researchers are creating a way towards a more sustainable future in healthcare.

Advances in Additive Manufacturing for Tissue Engineering

Additive manufacturing technologies have revolutionized tissue engineering by enabling the precise fabrication of complex tissues with intricate geometries previously unattainable with traditional methods. These technologies can be broadly categorized into deposition-based and light-based techniques, including three-dimensional printing (3DP), solution electrospinning (SES), melt electrowriting (MEW), stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP), volumetric printing (VP) and two-photon polymerization (2PP). Each of these methods offers unique advantages for creating scaffolds that mimic the hierarchical and anisotropic architecture of native tissues.

A major challenge in tissue engineering is the need for designs that meet both mechanical and biological requirements rather than being constrained by the limitations of fabrication methods. Recent reviews highlight how anatomical structures and functions should guide three-dimensional (3D) design to ensure efficient repair and regeneration of tissues. For instance, hollow tubular tissues (such as vessels, trachea, esophagus, ureter, and intestines) and non-hollow tubular tissues (such as skeletal muscles, tendons, and peripheral nerves) exhibit specific micro- and macrostructural characteristics that must be replicated in engineered constructs to restore their function effectively.

Bioartificial Organs: Bridging the Gap with Innovative Materials

The development of bioartificial organs (BAOs) represents a significant stride towards addressing organ shortages and improving patient outcomes. By focusing on the specific micro- and macrostructural characteristics of the native tissues, researchers aim to reproduce the complex physiological functions these structures perform. Advanced fabrication techniques are employed to create scaf -

folds that are not only anatomically accurate but also capable of supporting cell growth and integration.

A critical aspect of developing BAOs is the correlation between the fabrication process, the materials used, and the resulting biological and mechanical properties. The selection of materials plays a crucial role in ensuring the biocompatibility, durability, and functionality of engineered tissues. Innovative materials, such as acrylate-endcapped urethane-

Figure 1. Tubular constructs fabricated by melt electrowriting of innovative materials serving tissue engineering applications. Scale bar = 3 mm. © Michael Bartolf-Kopp, University of Würzburg

based polymers (AUP), are being explored for their ability to meet these stringent requirements while offering the potential for sustainable production and application.

Case Study: Melt Electrowriting Exploiting Acrylate-Endcapped Urethane-Based Polymers

Melt electrowriting is an appropriate example of an advanced additive manufacturing technique that can produce highly defined constructs with micrometer-scale precision. A recent publication demonstrated the synthesis and application of an acrylate-endcapped urethane-based polymer (AUP) using poly( ε -caprolactone) (PCL) as a backbone material. This innovative material addresses the limited pool of processable MEW materials for

regenerative medicine by offering improved printability and tuneable mechanical properties.

The study demonstrated that blending AUP with commercially available PCL improved print fidelity and allowed the mechanical properties of the constructs to be tailored to match those of native blood vessels, which is crucial for applications in transplantation surgeries. Additionally, the crosslinking ability of the AUP material post-printing ensures that the mechanical properties can be further manipulated, enhancing the versatility and applicability of the constructs. Importantly, in vitro assays demonstrated the non-cytotoxicity of the material (Figure 2), confirming its potential for safe use in medical applications.

2. In vitro assay using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to evaluate the biocompatibility of the newly developed materials: Live/dead staining (Ca-AM/PI staining; green: live, red: dead) at day 1, 3 and 7.

Figure

Towards a Sustainable Future in Tissue Engineering

The integration of innovative materials like AUP in additive manufacturing processes such as melt electrowriting represents a significant advancement towards sustainable tissue engineering. These materials not only enhance the functional performance of engineered tissues but also align with broader environmental goals by enabling more efficient and sustainable production methods.

As the field continues to evolve, the focus on sustainability will drive further innovations in material science and fabrication techniques. By prioritizing the development of materials that are both highperforming and environmentally friendly, researchers can contribute to a more sustainable world, ultimately improving the quality of healthcare and the well-being of patients globally.

In conclusion, the convergence of innovative materials and advanced manufacturing technologies is paving the way for more sustainable solutions in tissue engineering and bioartificial organ development. The progress in this field underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and continuous innovation to meet the complex demands of modern medicine while ensuring a sustainable future.

Publication:

Pien, N., Bartolf-Kopp, M., Parmentier, L., Delaey, J., De Vos, L., Mantovani, D., Van Vlierberghe, S., Dubruel, P. and Jungst, T. (2022), Melt Electrowriting of a Photo-Crosslinkable Poly(ε-caprolactone)Based Material into Tubular Constructs with Predefined Architecture and Tunable Mechanical Properties. Macromol. Mater. Eng., 307: 2270028. DOI: 10.1002/mame.202270028

Reviews and Article:

Pien N, Palladino S, Copes F, Candiani G, Dubruel P, Van Vlierberghe S, Mantovani D. Tubular Bioartificial Organs: From Physiological Requirements to Fabrication Processes and Resulting Properties. A Critical Review. Cells Tissues Organs. 2022;211(4):420-446.. Epub 2021 Aug 25. PMID: 34433163. DOI: 10.1159/000519207

Pien N., Krzyslak H., Shastry Kallaje S., Van Meerssche J., Mantovani D., De Schauwer C., Dubruel P., Van Vlierberghe S., Pennisi C.P., Tissue engineering of skeletal muscle, tendons and nerves: A review of manufacturing strategies to meet structural and functional requirements, Applied Materials Today, Volume 31, 2023, 101737, ISSN 2352-9407, DOI: 10.1016/j.apmt.2023.101737

Pien, N., Bartolf-Kopp, M., Parmentier, L., Delaey, J., De Vos, L., Mantovani, D., Van Vlierberghe, S., Dubruel, P. and Jungst, T. (2022), Melt Electrowriting of a Photo-Crosslinkable Poly(ε-caprolactone)Based Material into Tubular Constructs with Predefined Architecture and Tunable Mechanical Properties. Macromol. Mater. Eng., 307: 2200097. DOI: 10.1002/mame.202200097

Contact

Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group, Ghent University

Sandra Van Vlierberghe sandra.vanvlierberghe@ugent.be

Veterinary Stem Cell Research Unit, Ghent University

Catharina De Schauwer catharina.deschauwer@ugent.be

Nele Pien nele.pien@ugent.be ugent.be

Tailorable Acrylate-Endcapped UrethaneBased Polymers for Precision in Digital Light

Processing: Versatile Solutions serving Biomedical Applications

In the pursuit of sustainable advancements in biomedical engineering, the development of innovative materials is crucial. Bioengineering applies engineering principles to biological systems and biomedical technologies to replicate, repair, or mimic biological tissues and organs. A key element in this field is the creation of scaffolds, which, combined with cells and cultivated in controlled conditions, generate tissue building blocks for transplantation. Digital light processing (DLP) has emerged as a potent technique to fabricate tissue engineering (TE) scaffolds, offering high spatial resolution and fast printing speeds. However, the full potential of DLP remains underexplored due to the scarcity of biocompatible, photo-crosslinkable, and application-tailored materials with adequate mechanical properties.

The full potential of DLP remains unexplored.

accelerated crosslinking kinetics, and increased Young’s moduli. The different polymer backbones also affected the properties: UPPG-based materials showed absence of crystallinity, remarkably reduced swelling behaviors, slight reduction in Young’s modulus, and slower crosslinking kinetics compared to UPEG-based materials.

To address these challenges, we introduce acrylate-endcapped urethane-based polymers (AUPs), which allow for precise physico-chemical tuning while ensuring optimal computer-aided design/ computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) mimicry. By varying the polymer backbone—poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) versus poly(propylene glycol) (PPG)—and the photo-crosslinkable endcap (diacrylate versus hexa-acrylate), we synthesized a series of photo-crosslinkable materials labeled as UPEG2, UPEG6, UPPG2, and UPPG6 (Figure 1). These innovative materials contribute to a more sustainable world by providing tailored solutions that enhance the efficacy and adaptability of TE strategies.

The synthesized AUPs were comprehensively characterized through physico-chemical and biological evaluations, followed by a DLP processing parametric study. Increasing the number of acrylate groups per polymer (from 2 to 6) significantly impacted the physico-chemical properties, leading to reduced swelling, lower water contact angles,

The mechanical characteristics of DLP-printed samples demonstrated the ability to tailor the materials’ stiffness, ranging from 0.4 to 5.3 MPa, by adjusting the endcap chemistry and/or backbone. In vitro cell assays confirmed the biocompatibility of both the material and the DLP-printed discs. Furthermore, the structural integrity of 3D scaffolds was preserved in both dry and swollen states. By modifying the backbone chemistry or acrylate content, the postswelling dimensions could be customized to meet specific application requirements, showcasing the versatility of these materials for various biomedical applications such as cartilage TE.

The field of TE benefits significantly from the development of materials with tailored physicochemical properties, driven by the unique demands of different tissues. For instance, soft tissues like the liver require materials with lower stiffness for flexibility, whereas cartilage needs materials balancing cushioning and mechanical stability. Hard tissues such as bone demand materials with high Young's modulus to support body weight and to provide structural integrity. The innovative AUPs introduced in this study offer tailored mechanical and physico-chemical properties, making them suitable for a wide range of TE applications.

In addition to their biomedical advantages, these materials contribute to sustainability by enhancing the precision and efficiency of scaffold fabrication, reducing material waste, and optimizing resource use. The ability to customize material properties

Figure 1. Synthesis of an acrylate-endcapped urethane-based polymer (AUP) constituting a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) or poly(propylene glycol) (PPG) backbone, an (oligo)ethylene oxide spacer with a mono-acrylate (OEOacr) or triacrylate (EPPETA) end group. ”X” represents the number of backbone-IPDI repeating units.

for specific applications not only improves the performance of TE scaffolds but also aligns with sustainable practices in manufacturing and biomedical engineering.

In summary, the development of acrylate-endcapped urethane-based polymers represents a significant advancement in the field of tissue engineering. These materials enable precise physico-chemical tuning, ensuring optimal CAD/CAM mimicry and offering tailored properties for various biomedical applications. By addressing the limitations of current materials and enhancing the sustainability of TE strategies, these innovative materials pave the way for more effective and environmentally friendly biomedical solutions.

Article:

N. Pien, N. Deroose, M. Meeremans, C. Perneel, C.S. Popovici, P. Dubruel, C. De Schauwer, S. Van Vlierberghe. Tailorable Acrylate-Endcapped Urethane-Based Polymers for Precision in Digital Light Pro-

Figure 2. Schematic of the Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D printing setup. The diagram illustrates the projection of light (yellow) onto a resin vat (black), where the photopolymer resin (blue) is selectively cured to form the desired 3D structure.

cessing: Versatile Solutions for Biomedical Applications. Revisions submitted (APR 2024) in Biomaterials Advances. Impact Factor: 7.9. Peer Reviewed. DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2024.213923

Member Updates

JOANNEUM RESEARCH

Net4Brain – European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST Action)

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding organization for research and innovation networks. A COST Action is an interdisciplinary research network that brings researchers and innovators together to investigate a topic for 4 years.

JOANNEUM RESEARCH

– HEALTH is currently part of the COST Action CA22103 – A comprehensive network against brain cancer (Net4Brain).

It is estimated that 3.24 million new cancer cases and 1.66 million cancer deaths will be registered across Europe in 2024 and 40,800 of these deaths are from brain and central nervous system (CNS) cancers. Despite extensive efforts in molecular biology research, advances in biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence (AI) and big data science, brain tumors remain among the deadliest forms of cancer, resisting almost all conventional and novel treatments. To date, the behavior of this devastating disease is not fully understood. To cure brain cancer, there are significant challenges in the early diagnosis, prognosis and patient stratification, drug development and drug resistance, and big data techniques. Addressing these challenges requires long-term continuous efforts and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Net4Brain aims to significantly facilitate the translation of fundamental scientific discoveries into better clinical treatment and management of patients suffering from brain cancer. The main objectives of this Net4Brain include: 1) to build a unique panEuropean and multidisciplinary network focusing on brain cancer by combining state-of-the-art

knowledge and innovative techniques; 2) to promote education and training in the areas of advanced neuroscience, neuroimaging, genetics and molecular biology, big data and computational techniques for the accurate early diagnosis, prognosis, patient stratification and treatment of patients with different types of brain cancer; and 3) to build an integrated pan-European brain cancer database and biobank platform for the benefit of the research and clinical community.

More information about the Net4Brain – COST Action can be found on net4brain-cost.eu

JOANNEUM RESEARCH

Houska Prize: 1 st Place

for JOANNEUM RESEARCH

Outstanding research: JOANNEUM RESEARCH

- HEALTH institute received the winner's trophy at the Houska Award ceremony. The MATERIALS institute took 4th place.

400 guests from business and science attended the award ceremony for the Houska Award in the Aula der Wissenschaften in Vienna on 25 April. The HEALTH Institute was awarded 1st prize, worth 150,000 euros, in the "Non-university research"

Award ceremony: Managing Director Heinz Mayer and the researchers from HEALTH and MATERIALS who were honoured with the Houska Prize.

Photos: Alexander Müller

category. The winning project, led by Katrin Tiffner, deals with the development of dermal open microperfusion for the detection of drug efficacy.

The MATERIALS Institute was also honored for the NextGenMicrofluidics project “Next generation test bed for upscaling of microfluidic devices based on nano-enabled surfaces and membranes”. Project coordinator Martin Smolka and his team took the 4 th place in non-university research with this project. Within NextGenMicrofluidics, BNN serves in project management, Safe-by-Design and communication & dissemination.

Read the whole article on the BNN website

GRAZ UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

New Method for Analyzing Nanoporous Materials

Using only a single electron microscope image, researchers at TU Graz can determine the type and exact position of so-called guest atoms in high-tech materials. They also come closer to solving the mystery of the blue color of aquamarine.

In addition to their main components, the properties of crystalline and nanoporous materials often depend crucially on guest atoms or ions that are embedded in the tiny pores of their lattice structure. This applies to high-tech materials used in sensor or separation technology as well as to natural materials. The bluish gemstone aquamarine, for example, would be colorless without such guest components. Determining the type and position of guest components is difficult, as many materials react sensitively to the radiation emissions from electron microscopes. Thanks to a new method developed by a team led by Daniel Knez and Ferdi -

Ferdinand Hofer (left) and Daniel Knez next to the Austrian Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (ASTEM) at the Institute of Electron Microscopy and Nanoanalytics at TU Graz. © Lunghammer – TU Graz.

nand Hofer at the Institute of Electron Microscopy and Nanoanalysis at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), this can now be done with less radiation and is therefore much easier. “The uniqueness of our method lies in the fact that we can determine the three-dimensional distribution of ions in crystal channels or nanopores based on a single electron microscope image,” says Daniel Knez.

Read the whole article on the BNN website .

GRAZ UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

A Second Life for Batteries

Discarded lithium-ion cells from electric cars could be re-used as stationary power storage units. Researchers at TU Graz have established the first indicators for a reliable assessment of their condition.

In 2030, around 1.2 million lithium-ion batteries of electric cars, buses and construction machinery will be decommissioned worldwide because they will reach the end of their planned service life, their warranty will expire or the entire vehicles will be scrapped. In 2040, around 14 million batteries are expected to be discarded. Recycling the materials makes sense, but is expensive and technically demanding. It would therefore be better and more

Jörg Moser (left) and Christian Ellersdorfer from the Vehicle Safety Institute at TU Graz. © Lunghammer –TU Graz

sustainable to re-use the batteries, for example as stationary electricity storage units. But this requires a sound assessment of their remaining performance capability and safety. Researchers at the Vehicle Safety Institute at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) have now established the first parameters that can be used to reliably assess the condition of discarded batteries.

Read the whole article on the BNN website

NOVAMECHANICS

Unleashing the Power of Data Analysis with Isalos Analytics Platform

Isalos Analytics Platform signifies a transformative shift in the approach to data analysis and machine learning for individuals lacking technical expertise. Designed with a zero-code philosophy, this versatile platform empowers users to navigate complex data landscapes effortlessly. From importing data to deploying models, Isalos integrates every step into a smooth, userfriendly experience with its core features being zero code, spreadsheet interface, workflow automation, and versatile environment.

RESEARCH

Read the whole article on the BNN website .

CENTER

PHARMACEUTICAL ENGINEERING

Innovative Inkjet Printing for Tailored Medication Tattoos

Anewinkjet printing pilot line developed by RCPE GmbH will be used to fabricate temporary tattoos that incorporate pain relievers or local anesthetics, providing tailored medication for children and chronic patients.

Engaging Designs for Improved Compliance

These tattoos, featuring motifs from comics, nature, the animal world, and fairy tales, are designed to enhance attractiveness and compliance, especially among children. By applying local anesthetics via these engaging motifs, the drug remains precisely at

the site of application for a defined period and cannot be removed by wiping. This method not only improves acceptance but also ensures accurate and sustained medication delivery.

Simone Eder, principal scientist at RCPE GmbH, highlights the potential impact: "This innovation has the potential to transform pain management for children by offering a needle-free, personalized solution that enhances compliance and ensures precise dosing."

Read the whole article on the BNN website .

Project Presentations & Updates

DeDNAed Project Achievement: Controlled Immobilization of DNA origami hybrid structures on a Solid Substrate

As the EU H2020 project DeDNAed comes to an end in August 2024, we are proud to share some achievements of this ambitious project, creating cluster-decorated recognition elements on DNA origami for enhanced Raman spectroscopic detection methods.

Within the project, BNN leads the Safe-by-Design (SbD) concept for the sensor platform. Here we assess the safety of individual components and the complete platform, as well as the safety of the involved processes. Based on this we identify hotspots and formulate recommendations for improvements. Our final Safe-by-Design report will be

coming out soon – we are eager to give our final recommendations to further advance SbD in this area, and the sensor itself! This type of assessment and concept generation is not often done in fields like medical sensor development, so our work will highlight challenges that can then be addressed in future concept generations in similar projects involving nanomaterials and advanced materials.

In addition, BNN leads the communication & dissemination of the project results. In this task we manage all public communication, generating a corporate identity of the project and ensuring our research reaches a wide audience.

Part of these activities included interviewing partners on their achievements. Here is an abridged version of our interview with Project Manager Julia Hann of Technische Universität Chemnitz. She provided a good overview of the impact of DeDNAed. The full version can be found here .

Julia Hann, you are Project Manager of DeDNAed. Tell us what have you achieved so far?

One milestone reached is that we can now immobilize the DNA origami itself, without functionalization. This can be done with different thin film systems. We already achieved a variation of very these precise nanosized binding spots on the substrate to immobilize the DNA origami. Now we are going to transfer these experiments to the hybrid.

Another important milestone was able to be reached in the last few weeks, which includes the selective immobilization of the DNA origami hybrids. In addition to AFM measurements by TU Chemnitz, this selective deposition has already been confirmed by SERS measurements by our partner UM in Le Mans. The results will soon be published at conferences and in a journal.

What do you expect from the final stage of the project?

I hope that we can realize the demonstrator. This means that we can immobilize the DNA origami hybrids on the substrate surface and integrate them into the flow cell and start characterizing the SERS biosensor and determine that it is so sensitive that it is worth improving it further in a followup project.

Will DeDNAed have an impact in your field?

Yes, in two ways: first, for microtechnology it will be interesting because we do nanostructuring and etching of two isolating layers on a transparent and isolating substrate, which is not a standard process in nanotechnology, using an electron beam lithography (eBeam). It is not that easy to do this due to the low conductivity and associated charging effects and will be worth publishing. (We have already shown it in a poster presentation.) This is something that will be interesting to add to existing nanostructuring processes, using the eBeam.

On the other hand, we have the immobilization of a DNA origami hybrid, which is not common. Normally DNA origami is only selectively immobilized without functional elements on its surface. However, the most novel part is the immobilization on a flexible substrate. Once we have it all figured out this will have a big impact on the DNA origami community.

And of course, the sensor itself will have a big impact on the biosensor and point of need market if we can demonstrate the high sensitivity we expect.

BioNanoNet Association member Tecnalia is also a beneficiary of DeDNAed. In addition to leading exploitation activities of the project, the Tecnalia team works with antibodies decorated with nanoclusters.

A final dissemination webinar is planned for summer 2024 and will be announced soon.

Role of BNN in DeDNAed

Communication & Dissemination, Graphic Design, Safety-by-Design

Contact

BioNanoNet Forschungsgesellschaft mbH Caitlin Ahern caitlin.ahern@bnn.at dednaed.eu

DeDNAed project has received funding from the European Union’s HORIZON 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement n° 964248.

HARMLESS Webinar on SSbD: DSS Demo with AdMa Case Study

HARMLESS webinar on Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) for consultancy companies, SMEs and large industry: Demonstration of the user-friendly HARMLESS Decision Support System (DSS) with an advanced material as a case study.

Around 50 people from all over Europe, Canada and Brazil attended the webinar on SSbD organized by the H2020 project HARMLESS on 25 April 2024. The webinar was targeted primarily to consultancy companies working in the SSbD field for advanced (nano)materials, but also to SMEs and large industry stakeholders in product development, to demonstrate the use of the user-friendly HARMLESS decision support system (DSS) with a case study on perovskites for automotive catalysis.

The webinar provided an overview of the stagegate HARMLESS approach to SSbD of advanced materials in product development (by Blanca Suá -

rez Merino, TEMASOL), followed by a short presentation on perovskites for automotive catalysis (by Veronica Di Battista, BASF). After a demonstration of the DSS for this case study (by Eugene van Someren, TNO), the participants dove into an introduction to the user-friendly DSS for application of this SSbD approach (by Susan Dekkers, TNO). Towards the end of the webinar, participants had the opportunity to get hands-on experience with the HARMLESS DSS to better understand if it can be applied to their own materials.

The webinar ended with an interactive Questions & Answers session where the participants were able to discuss with the experts their impressions, thoughts, and concerns. Additionally, the handson session enabled the participants to experiment with the AMEA tool for HARMLESS-categorization of their specific material and first advice on safety issues, while guided by HARMLESS experts. Webi -

Overview of stakeholders & their nationalities attending the

nar participants got free 24h-access to the AMEA tool to test themselves. The AMEA tool will become publicly available in the next few months.

The participants of this workshop covered a wide range of stakeholder groups, including scientific community (43%), SMEs (22%), large industry (10%), SSbD consultants (10%), and regulators (5%) (see graphics above for more details).

The HARMLESS coordinator, Otmar Schmid, invited SMEs, consultancies and other interested attendees to contact HARMLESS for further inquiries and potential collaborations as well as for becoming “Beta” testers of the HARMLESS DSS. Active involvement of SMEs with real-world case studies and tools is essential for optimized tailoring of the HARMLESS DSS to the specific needs of SMEs. If you have any questions about our work, new ideas to contribute or you want to explore and provide feedback on the HARMLESS SSbD/DSS, we would love to hear about it. Do not hesitate to contact us via email or directly via our project website.

All workshop’s materials (presentations, recording and agenda) are available here (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11459527).

workshop

Role of BNN in HARMLESS

Safe Innovation Approach, Stakeholder engagement, Graphic Design, Communication & Dissemination.

Contact

BioNanoNet Forschungsgesellschaft mbH Beatriz Alfaro Serrano beatriz.alfaro@bnn.at harmless-project.eu

HARMLESS project has received funding from the European Union’s HORIZON 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement n° 953183.

HARMLESS

© SensipDx

NextGenMicrofluidics Open Call Provides Funded Services to 18 Projects

NextGenMicrofluidics is an H2020 Open Innovation Test Bed, combining the services of its partners along the pipeline of microfluidic innovation, accessed through a single entry point called Microfluidics Innovation Hub (MIH).

Within the NextGenMicrofluidics project, an Open Call was managed by MIH to provide services to companies within Europe. The European Commission provided roughly 1.5 million EUR to cover services offered by the OITB partners. In addition, the MIH managed to acquire in total more than 300,000 Euros from customers in the form of cash contributions, demonstrating the interest from customers in MIH services.

In total, 43 applications were submitted and 18 projects were ultimately funded. These projects covered innovations in food safety, reproductive health, critical care, therapeutics and more. NGM partners were proud to provide services from assay development, design, patterning, surface functionalization, electrodes & sensors, backend services, and readout device system integration.

The Open Call served to test the viability of a single entry point in microfluidic innovation. The successful projects show that the collaboration of these partners under Microfluidics Innovation Hub provides significant added value to the field.

Companies interested in taking advantage of these services directly can visit microfluidicshub.eu .

Role of BNN in NextGenMicrofluidics

Safety-by-Design, Quality management, Project management, Graphic Design, Communication & Dissemination

Contact BioNanoNet Forschungsgesellschaft mbH Clemens Wolf clemens.wolf@bnn.at nextgenmicrofluidics.eu

NextGenMicrofluidics project has received funding from the European Union’s HORIZON 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement n°862092

NanoPAT Project News

Interview with Susanne Resch from BNN

We interviewed Susanne Resch, health & safety expert at BNN, on the relevance of (nano)safety assessments, nano-specific regulatory requirements and the implementation of the Safe-byDesign concept – and how this interlinks with the Process Analytical Technologies (PATs) developed within NanoPAT. Watch the video to get more insight.

Factsheets Released

Factsheets are powerful tools that encapsulate essential project information, aiding in effective communication and transparency. The EU H2020 project NanoPAT has created four factsheets summarizing key features, benefits, and applications of the main developments of the project:

Three on the PATs , highlighting the most representative features, technical information, benefits and applications of each of the novel process analytical technologies (PAT) that have been developed within NanoPAT, as well as a comparison with other (reference) methods.

 Factsheet on Photon Density Wave (PDW) Spectroscopy. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11148786

 Factsheet on Optofluidic Force Induction (OF2i). DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10829509

 Factsheet on Turbidity Spectroscopy (TUS). DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10796429

One on the PAT platform , explaining its aim, structure, technical information, as well as its benefits and applications. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11058412

NanoPAT Newsletter #08

Released

The NanoPAT project has published its 8th and final newsletter with its final results and achievements, introduction of the partners TEMASOL and EXELISIS, latest news and project activities, as well as telling you where you can meet the team in the upcoming month! Read it here .

Do you have any questions about our work or new ideas to share? We’d love to hear from you !

This project has received funding from the European Union’s HORIZON 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement n° 862583.

Role of BNN in NanoPAT

Training, Graphic Design, Communication & Dissemination

Contact

BioNanoNet Forschungsgesellschaft mbH Beatriz Alfaro Serrano beatriz.alfaro@bnn.at nanopat.eu

PHOENIX Satellite Event at ECCPM

PHOENIX Open Innovation Test Bed (OITB) has created a Single Entry Point to a top-tier and consolidated network of facilities, technologies, services and expertise to bridge and facilitate the path of nanopharmaceuticals from bench to bedside. These are offered for all technology transfer aspects from characterization, testing, verification up to scale up, GMP compliant manufacturing and regulatory guidance.

The PHOENIX OITB invites you to join our satellite event of the ECCPM conference in Graz, Austria, where we introduce the concept and how we can help research organizations and SMEs let their nanopharmaceutical innovations catch fire.

The morning event features talks and interactive roundtable discussion with experts providing:

 Physico-Chemical Characterization

 In vitro Characterization

 In vivo Characterization

 Manufacturing

 Innovation (including regulatory aspects) followed by a networking lunch. Join us!

Registration is free. Register by 5 September.

Role of BNN in PHOENIX

BNN contributes to tasks in business development and overall sustainability of the project and the future OITB. These activities are performed in close collaboration with the “marketing” (communication & dissemination) work package, in which BNN has the lead role, dedicated to dissemination and exploitation activities for marketing purposes and establishing connections with stakeholders during the project.

Contact

BioNanoNet Forschungsgesellschaft mbH Caitlin Ahern caitlin.ahern@bnn.at phoenix-oitb.eu

PHOENIX project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and Innovation programme under grant agreement n° 953110.

SABYDOMA Project News

SABYDOMA’s Final Show: a Control System

Solution to SAfety BY Design Of nanoMAterials

The idea for the EU H2020 project SABYDOMA was first conceived over 40 years ago in the context of water quality regulations. At the time there were intense discussions over whether, in the process of cleaning up rivers, discharges of noxious materials should be banned completely or whether the rivers should be continually monitored for these compounds. In the latter case if the levels exceeded a “safe” concentration, a negative feedback should be fed back to the discharge source to decrease the output of these materials. In the Environmental Health context, this policy of “feedback loop control” has a very general application.

We therefore configured SABYDOMA around this idea and applied it to the Safe-and-Sustainable-

by-Design issue. This was especially pertinent to our technology since we had been developing online rapid production and screening techniques at the time of planning SABYDOMA. So the core essence of SABYDOMA was to directly couple online screening of nanomaterial with an online production procedure. If the nanomaterial’s toxicity goes above a recommended “safe” level, the screen signal “tells” the nano production line to moderate the nanomaterial characteristics which render it less biologically-active such as particle size or surface coating. Figure 1 shows how the various devices are put together to configure this platform technology. In principle: nanomaterial is synthesized though an online procedure shown at the top of the diagram.

Figure 1. The SABYDOMA Lead demonstrator platform

A sample line is taken from the output and passed through a screen generating a ToxScore which moderates the synthesis design. There are many advantages to this approach. A direct coupling of screen to the production line removes the time interval between production and testing which leads to a deterioration in the nanomaterial and unrepresentative results. The platform is itself rapid and ensures the supply of high-quality screened nanomaterial. A further significant advantage of this technology is that manual handling is taken to a minimum which decreases input error and lessens the hazard to workers. In all aspects this technology, above all others, addresses Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design with a platform built with Sustainability in mind.

An additional aspect of SABYDOMA which highlighted the unique SABYDOMA approach was the fact that the total implementation of SABYDOMA passed through four independent companies located in four separate countries. This is summarized in Figure 2.

SABYDOMA ended in March this year and has achieved all its objectives: the Lead Demonstrator and Biomembrane screen (see Figure 3) have been transferred to APPNPS Barcelona and coupled together, the Mini-Release Accelerator has been transferred to Cnano (Athens, Bordeaux) and RESCOLL (Bordeaux) and the cell-based screener has been coupled to the nano-production line at the Fraunhofer IBMT site.

The respective technologies have been refined and demonstrated on their industrial sites to enable them to be used for the ultimate benefit to the community. The SABYDOMA technology has immediate benefit to nanomaterial manufacturers who wish to produce safe nanomaterial with minimum negative impact and maximum function. Apart from the transfer of the technology to four respective companies who will use it to maximise their output, the release flow cell coupled to the Biomembrane sensor has now been commissioned as a key platform for preliminary screening of advanced coatings in the Horizon Europe project BioSUSHY in which Leeds is participating as a partner.

Figure 2. The SABYDOMA exploitation strategy

Figure 3. Photo showing the core SABYDOMA platform: The coupling of the recently validated 1 Biomembrane sensor to the nano-production line: left, sensor flow cell; middle, coupling unit; right, syringe pumps.

Jointly with its three NMBP-15 sister projects (ASINA, SAbyNA and SbD4Nano), SABYDOMA organised a final event at ANTHOS’24, where the European nanosafety community joined together in Vienna (Austria) from 4-7 March 2024.

As satellite events of the ANTHOS’24, SABYDOMA organised 2 events:

Ninety international participants joined on the hybrid workshop “A stakeholder’s perspective of Safe-and-¬Sustainable-by-Design – a bigger picture!” on 7 March 2024 which highlighted the past four years of research and dissemination on the SSbD approach. Contributions came fron stakeholders from academia (Eva Valsami-Jones, University of Birmingham), European Commission (Hubert

Rauscher), policy makers (Anne-Chloe Devic (Cefic), and Henrik Edin (ChemSec)), industry (Victor Puntes (Applied Nanoparticles SL), Sean Kelly (Nanotechnologies Industry Association), Blanca Suárez-Merino (TEMASOL)) and relevant ongoing projects (Denis Sarigiannis, Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC)). These people discussed in a very interactive roundtable discussion the current status and understanding of the SSbD approach. Read more about the workshop on the project website.

Fifty-five participants from all over the world attended the impressive Technology Showcase organized by the project on 7 March 2024 in Vienna and online, where the four years of research performed

in the SABYDOMA project were highlighted. Participants were able to observe demonstrations of hardware and approaches developed during the SABYDOMA project: a hardware demo of the coupling of a nanoparticle production line with a cell line screening platform and a demonstration of the SABYDOMA Safety by Process Control approach, followed by an examination of how High Throughput Screening (HTS)-derived reference data support the SABYDOMA case studies. Read more about the workshop on the project website.

This multidisciplinary, ambitious project was a joint venture between the University of Leeds (coordinator) and 18 partners overseas.

Together with BNN, following partners are members of the BioNanoNet Association: National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), NovaMechanics (NovaM), Applied NanoPartices (APPNPS), and RESCOLL.

Within SABYDOMA, BNN led the work package on Dissemination & Exploitation, including the tasks of developing and maintaining the website and social media channels, as well as leading the communication, dissemination, stakeholder engagement, organization of events, and supporting exploitation.

All SABYDOMA publications are available on the project website .

Publication:

Kohl, Y., William, N., Elje, E., Backes, N., Rothbauer, M., Srancikova, A., Rundén-Pran, E., El Yamani, N., Korenstein, R., Madi, L. and Barbul, A., 2023. Rapid identification of in vitro cell toxicity using an electrochemical membrane screening platform. Bioelectrochemistry, 153, DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2023.108467

SABYDOMA project has received funding from the European Union’s HORIZON 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement n° 862296.

Demo Video of Cnano’s Innovative Plating Technology

In March 2024 SABYDOMA's project partner Creative Nano (Cnano) prepared a video to showcase the Safe-by-Design-based new plating line developed in SABYDOMA for enhanced mechanical properties of the coating and for waste reduction.

This demonstration video at Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6) showcases their innovative recirculation technology implemented in Cnano’s pilot line. This Safe-by-Design plating technology features a reflow recirculation system designed to enhance nanoparticle dispersion within the electrolyte during the plating process, thereby yielding coatings with better mechanical properties. Furthermore, an intermediate cleansing step utilizing ultrasonication has been integrated to remove loosely attached nanoparticles from the coatings, preventing their transfer into the rinsing tank upon completion of the plating process. This enhancement not only extends the lifespan of the nanocomposite electrolyte but also reduces maintenance costs.

The comparative analysis between the traditional method and the new SABYDOMA method developed by Cnano reveals notable advantages in favour of the SABYDOMA method:

 Maintaining nanoparticle dispersion throughout the plating process

 Improving the distribution of nanoparticle incorporation in the Ni-matrix

 Enhancing homogeneity in the appearance of the coatings

 Reducing solid waste presence in wastewater by 70%

These findings underscore the remarkable efficacy and sustainability of the innovative plating technology pioneered by Creative Nano.

Role of BNN in SABYDOMA

Safety-by-Design, Graphic Design, Dissemination & Exploitation, Stakeholder engagement

Contact

BioNanoNet Forschungsgesellschaft mbH

Beatriz Alfaro Serrano beatriz.alfaro@bnn.at sabydoma.eu

SbD4Nano – A Four-Year Project Journey Comes to an End

The EU H2020 NMBP-15 project SbD4Nano has released its final project video - watch interesting interviews with all WP leaders and the project coordinator Carlos Fito from ITENE, who summarizes the last years and what we have achieved as a team: “The main outcome of the project is the new software tool that has been developed, called e-infrastructure, which aims to support companies and other organizations in the implementation of Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) strategies. This e-infrastructure consists of different modules - one module relates to the functionality of the product, one module focuses on the analysis of costs, and other modules focus on hazard and exposure.”

Users of the e-infrastructure can build their specific case along the entire product value chain and define SSbD goals. The tool can then suggest strategies in a ranked order, and the user can decide which strategy to implement first – the idea is to save time and costs during the development phase

by eliminating irrelevant strategies and make sure that the SSbD strategies benefit multiple goals and don’t conflict along the product’s life cycle.

Contact

BioNanoNet Forschungsgesellschaft mbH

Susanne Resch susanne.resch@bnn.at sbd4nano.eu

SbD4Nano project has received funding from the European Union’s HORIZON 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement n° 862195.

Outlook

SSbD Training for SMEs: Environmental Biodegradation Design and Case Studies in the Context of SSbD

28 June 2024 | 9:00-13:00 CEST | online

Do you know how to implement Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) in your company? If you want to learn more about environmental biodegradation design and regulations in the context of SSbD and how to apply the SSbD concept to specific case studies, then join us for our second SSbD training for SMEs!

In this session, you will learn about the Benignby-Design approach to support the environmental design of small molecules and materials and the regulatory context of biodegradation for fragrances and biodegradable packaging. You will also get insight into the implementation of SSbD through three case studies.

View event details here .

BNN EVENTS & EVENTS SUPPORTED BY BNN

BioNanoNet Annual Forum & BNN Networking Session – Satellite Event of the ECCPM Forum on “Sustainability in Pharma”

12 September 2024 | Graz, Austria

The Annual Forum will be a Satellite Event of the ECCPM Forum (European Consortium for Continuous Pharmaceutical Manufacturing) which takes place 11 – 12 September 2024. On 12 September BioNanoNet members can attend the ECCPM morning session. The joint afternoon session will be dedicated to “Sustainability in Pharma”.

In the evening the networking event will offer the opportunity of individual consultations with the National Contact Point for Health and will bring together BioNanoNet members with the partners and joint organizers RCPE – Research Center for

Pharmaceutical Engineering and the Human.technology Styria GmbH Cluster. We expect an international audience, consisting of scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, SMEs and industry; up to 100 people can participate.

More information & registration

NANOTOX 2024

23 – 25 September 2024 | Venice, Italy

The NanoTox 2024 Conference is jointly organized by the EU-funded H2020 Projects DIAGONAL, HARMLESS, and SUNSHINE, focusing on the challenges related to safe and sustainable multicomponent nanomaterials by developing novel tools for evaluating human and environmental hazards, strategies for nanomaterial characterization, classification, grouping and read-across for risk analysis and sustainability assessment.

More information & registration

European Researchers’ Night 2024

27 September 2024 | 15:00-20:00 | Graz, Austria

Be part of an exciting event on 27 September from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the University of Graz. Join acib and BNN at "Life is Science in a World turned Upside Down," where you can showcase your research and engage with an enthusiastic audience.

Don't miss the evening's highlight: the Science Slam Austria finale! Interested in participating in this unique science festival? Submit your completed exhibitor data sheet by June 30 th to secure your spot. Not in Graz? Look for ERN activities in your city!

lifeisscience.at

SusChem-AT Focus Day & CHASE Expert Days

19 – 20 November 2024 | Vienna, Austria

More information coming soon!

Finally

We hope you enjoyed reading our BNN QUARTERLY! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any suggestions or feedback!

Our next BNN QUARTERLY will be published in September 2024 and will focus on the topic “ Moving towards Sustainability in the Pharmaceutical Sector ”.

BioNanoNet members are welcome to send their contributions regarding this focus topic and also articles about their scientific research until 5 September 2024! Articles on other topics can be published any time on the BNN website.

Contact info@bnn.at

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission from the author or publisher. To request permission, contact info@bnn.at.

The BNN team & friends at the Business Run 2024

13 BNN employees were among the 8,960 Business Run participants this year (we only missed 1 due to injury and 2 due to vacation!).

Along the route we spotted several other BioNanoNet Association members.

Connect with us!