Historical overview
From the grounds of a solid experience in molecular magnetic materials, some researchers in the M4 group shifted his interest to the emerging field of nanotechnology some 30 years ago. The first efforts were dedicated to the development of synthetic procedures for the control of crystal phase, size and shape of iron oxide nanoparticles that crystallized in a new patented method based on the use of polymers as precipitating matrix.
Soon it became evident that the most promising applications of these nanoparticles were in the biomedical field and the focus was set on these applications. The attention of the group was specially directed to hyperthermia therapy and, later on, a new line of research emerge: nanothermometry; as this is an essential tool for the advance in this field.
At present, the aims of the group are: 1) the development of multi-therapeutic tools for cancer including hyperthermia; 2) the development of luminescence nanothermometers with high spatial and time resolution; 3) the use of these nanothermometers for monitoring intracellular phenomena involving thermal processes.
Recent Achievements
Present Goals
On-going projects
Multitherapy of cancer from the intercept of nanotechnology and cell biology
PGC2018-095795-B-I00 ( 2019 – 2021) IP A Millan
Nanoparticles-based 2D thermal bioimaging technologies (NanoTBTech)
FETOPEN-01-2016-2017, no.: 801305 (2018 – 2021) Coordinator: Luis Carlos
Local hyperthermia cancer treatment studies using a new temperature-imaging-hyperthermia microscopy instrument
H2020-MSCA-IF-2017 ( 2018 – 2020) Coordinator: Angel Millan
Redesigning biocatalysis: Thermal-tuning of one-pot multienzymatic cascades by nanoactuation (HOTZYMES)
FET-OPEN RIA 829162 (2019 – 2022) Coordinator: Valeria Grazu
A European Network for Connective Tissue Calcifying Diseases “EuroSoftCalcNet”
COST Action 16115. ( 2017 – 2021) Coordinator: Martin Ludovic.
Red de Investigación Nacional: NANOTECNOLOGÍA EN HIPERTERMIA TRASLACIONAL
RED2018-102626-T. MCIN (2019 – 2020) Coordinator: Daniel Ortega
Highlights
News and views
Our article “Thermometry at the nanoscale” by C. Brites et al. is included in the “Nanoscale 10th Anniversary: Top Cited Articles” online collection.
Our contribution to the field of Hyperthermia Therapy is highlighted (Cancer killers by L. Carlos & A. Millán) in the magazine The Scientist, Number:1st December 2015. Article: ‘It’s Getting Hot in Here’ by Kate Yandell.
NanoTBTech Project is highlighted in the magazine SciTech Europa Quarterly, 30, 26-27, 2019.
Our article “Early events in uremic vascular calcification in uremic rats" by Hortells et al. is highlighted by the editor of Kidney International W.C. O’Neill, Kidney Int. 92, 1316, 2017.