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Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology

Leader:

Maribel Teixeira

Major interests

Our current research activities are focused on three subjects:

1. Development and characterization of Drug Delivery Systems
   One main topic of research is related to development of new drug delivery systems including liposome and polymeric micro and nanoparticles, containing therapeutic proteins and antitumor drugs, in order to increase bioavaliability and therapeutic efficacy of carried drugs.
2. Microencapsulation of probiotics
   The purpose is the incorporation of probiotics in microparticles of food compatible matrixes (eg. polysaccharides and proteins) using different microencapsulation methods, in order to increase their viability, stability and functionality under different conditions.
3. Development and efficacy evaluation of dermopharmaceutical and cosmetic products
   The aim is to develop dermatology compounded medications with the objective of constitute therapeutic options to medications that are not commercially available. It is also our goal to develop and evaluate the efficacy of cosmetic preparations.

Research Team

Bruno Sarmento, PhD	Assistant Professor	bruno.sarmento@iscsn.cespu.pt
Helena Ferreira, PhD	Assistant Professor	helena.ferreira@iscsn.cespu.pt
Ivone Pinto, PhD	Assistant Professor	ivone.pinto@iscsn.cespu.pt
José Carlos Andrade, PhD	Assistant Professor	jose.andrade@iscsn.cespu.pt
Maribel Teixeira, PhD	Assistant Professor	maribel.teixeira@iscsn.cespu.pt
Vítor Seabra, PhD	Associate Professor	vitor.seabra@iscsn.cespu.pt
Ana Teixeira, MSc	Assistant	ana.teixeira@iscsn.cespu.pt
Aurea Lima, MSc	PhD Students Assistant	aurea.lima@iscsn.cespu.pt
Kelly Ascenção	Master Student	kelly.ascencao@iscsn.cespu.pt
Sónia Cardoso	Master Student	sclc.afm@sapo.pt
Virgínia Gonçalves, MSc	Research Technician	virginia.goncalves@cespu.pt

 

Relevant Publications

Raquel Madureira, Ana Gomes, Bruno Sarmento, Manuela Pintado, Nanotechnology for food applications - Development of nano-delivery systems of bioactive compounds, in Advances in Nanotechnology, Nova Publishers, (invited chapter).
 
Luis Braz, Susana Rodrigues, Pedro Fonte, Ana Grenha, Bruno Sarmento, Mechanisms of chemical and enzymatic chitosan biodegradability and its application on drug delivery, in Biodegradable Polymers: Processing, Degradation and Applications, Nova Publishers, (in press).
 
Catarina Ribeiro, Ana Patrícia Neto, José Neves, Maria Fernanda Bahia, Bruno Sarmento, Nanoparticles for gene and drug-delivery therapies, in Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine: Methods and Protocols, Edited by Josep A. Planell, Human Press (in press).
 
Eliana Souto, Bruno Sarmento, Biodegradable nanoparticles as protein delivery carriers, in Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 2nd edition American Scientific Publishers (in press).
 
Sara Batista da Silva, João Fernandes, Freni Tavaria, Manuela Pintado, Bruno Sarmento, The potential of chitosan, in drug delivery systems, in Chitosan: Manufacture, Properties, and Usage, Edited by Samuel P. Davis, Nova Publishers, ISBN: 978-1-61728-831-9, 2010.
 
Freni Tavaria, João Fernandes, Alice Santos Silva, Sara Batista da Silva, Bruno Sarmento, Manuela Pintado, Biological activities of chitin, chitosan and respective oligomers, in Chitosan: Manufacture, Properties, and Usage, Edited by Samuel P. Davis, Nova Publishers, ISBN: 978-1-61728-831-9, 2010.
 
Bruno Sarmento, Domingos Ferreira, Teófilo Vasconcelos, Polymer-based delivery systems for oral delivery of proteins, in Delivery Technologies for Biopharmaceuticals: Peptides, Proteins, Nucleic Acids and Vaccines, Edited by Lene Jorgenson and Hanne Morck Nielson (John Wiley & Sons), ISBN: 978-0-470-72338-8, 2009.
 
Pedro Fonte, Tiago Nogueira, Christiane Gehm, Domingos Ferreira, Bruno Sarmento, Chitosan as mucoadhesive agent to enhance oral absorption of insulin entrapped into solid lipid nanoparticles , submitted for publication.
 
Fernanda Andrade, Filipa Antunes, Ana Vanessa Nascimento, Sara Batista da Silva, José das Neves, Domingos Ferreira, Bruno Sarmento, Chitosan biopolymer formulations as carriers for therapeutic proteins, Current Drug Discovery Technologies, (in press).
 
Fernanda Andrade, Mafalda Videira, Domingos Ferreira, Bruno Sarmento, Nanocarriers for pulmonary administration of peptides and therapeutic proteins, Nanomedicine, in press.
 
Manuel Sousa, Ana Vanessa Nascimento, Bruno Sarmento, Biodegradable polymers for brain drug targeting, Polymers, (in press).
 
Bruno Sarmento, Nanomedicines for delivery of therapeutic proteins and biopharmaceuticals, Therapeutic Delivery, 1 (2), 231-235, 2010
 
Fernanda Andrade, Bruno Sarmento, Mafalda Videira, Nanotransportadores Para Administração Pulmonar de Insulina: Uma Nova Estratégia na Diabetes, Revista Portuguesa de Diabetes, 5 (1), 21-28, 2010.
 
José das Neves, Bruno Sarmento, Mansoor Amiji, Maria Fernanda Bahia, Development and validation of a rapid reversed-phase HPLC method for the determination of the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor dapivirine from polymeric nanoparticles, Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 52, 167-172, 2010.
 
José das Neves, Mansoor Amiji, Maria Fernanda Bahia, Bruno Sarmento, Nanotechnology-based systems for the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 62, 458-477, 2010.

André São Pedro, Cassia Detoni, Domingos Ferreira, Elaine Cabral Albuquerque, Bruno Sarmento (2009). Validation of a high performance liquid chromatography method for the determination of (-)-α-bisabolol from particulate systems, Biomedical Chromatography, 23, 966-972.
 
André São Pedro, Elaine Cabral Albuquerque, Domingos Ferreira, Bruno Sarmento (2009). Chitosan: An option for development of essential oil delivery systems for oral cavity care, Carbohydrate Polymers, 76, 501-508.
 
Teixeira, M; Afonso, CMM; Pinto, MMM. and Barbosa, CM Development and validation of a HPLC method for the quantification of 1,3-dihydroxy-2-methylxanthone in biodegradable nanoparticles. Journal of Chromatographic Science (in press).
 
Nunes C, Sousa C, Ferreira H, Lúcio M, Lima JLFC, Tavares J, Cordeiro-da-Silva, Reis S (2007). Effect of polluent substituted phenols in membrane fluidity. J Environ. Biol., in press.
 
Sousa C, Nunes C, Lúcio M, Ferreira H, Lima J L F C, Tavares J, Cordeiro-da-Silva, Reis S (2007) Effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the cellular membrane fluidity. J. Pharm. Sci., in press.
 
Eliana Souto, Teófilo Vasconcelos, Domingos Ferreira, Bruno Sarmento, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Validation Principles in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Handbook: Regulation and Quality, Edited by Shayne Cox Gad (John Wiley & Sons), ISBN: 978-0-470-25959-7, 2008.
 
Sarmento B, Susana Martins, Ana Silva, Delfim Santos, Eliana Souto, Domingos Ferreira, Effectiveness of oral insulin delivery by means of solid lipid nanoparticles, Diabetologia 50: S399-S399 967 Suppl. 1.
 
Sarmento B, Martins S, Ferreira D, Souto E (2007) Oral insulin delivery by means of solid lipid nanoparticles, International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2, 743-749.
 
Martins S., Sarmento B, Ferreira D, Souto E (2007). Lipid-based colloidal carriers for peptide and protein delivery - Liposomes versus Lipid Nanoparticles, International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2, 595-607.
 
Vasconcelos T, Sarmento B and Costa P (2007). Solid dispersions as strategy to improve oral bioavailability of poor water soluble drugs, Drug Delivery Today, 12 (23-24) 1068-1075, 2007.
 
Sarmento B, Ribeiro A, Veiga F, Sampaio P, Neufeld R, Ferreira D (2007). Alginate-chitosan nanoparticles are efective for oral insulin delivery, Pharmaceutical Research, 24 (12) 2198-2206.
 
Fernandes J, Ferreira D, Sarmento B, (2007) Microencapsulação de células β, uma abordagem terapêutica em progresso, Revista Portuguesa de Diabetes, 2 (3), 5-14.
 
Sarmento B, Ribeiro A, Veiga F, Ferreira D, Neufeld R (2007). Oral bioavailability of insulin contained in polysaccharide nanoparticles, Biomacromolecules, 8, 3054-3060.
 
Sarmento B, Ferreira D (2007). Administração oral de insulina através da sua encapsulação em nanopartículas biodegradáveis, Revista Portuguesa de Diabetes, 2, 10-17.
 
Martins S, Sarmento B, Souto EB, Ferreira DC (2007). Insulin-loaded alginate microspheres for oral delivery – Effect of polysaccharide reinforcement on physicochemical properties and release profile, Carbohydrate Polymers, 69, 725-731.
 
Sarmento B, Ribeiro A, Veiga F, Ferreira D, Neufeld R (2007). Insulin-loaded nanoparticles are prepared byalginate ionotropic pre-gelation followed by chitosan polyelectrolyte complexation, Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 7, 2833-2841.
 
Sarmento B, Ferreira D, Jorgensen L, van de Weert M (2007) Probing insulin's secondary structure after entrapment into alginate/chitosan nanoparticles, European Journal of  Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 65, 10-17.
 
Lúcio M, Ferreira H, Lima J L F C, Reis S (2006) Interactions between oxicams and membrane bilayers – an explanation for their different COX selectivity. Med. Chem. 2:447-456.
 
Sarmento B, Ribeiro A, Veiga F, Ferreira D (2006). Development and characterization of new insulin containing polysaccharide nanoparticles. Colloid and Surface B, Biointerfaces,  53, 193-202.
 
Sarmento B, Ferreira D, Veiga F, Ribeiro A (2006). Characterization of insulin-loaded alginate nanoparticles produced by ionotropic pre-gelation through DSC and FTIR studies, Carbohydrate Polymers, 66, 1-7.
 
Sarmento B, Ribeiro A, Veiga F, Ferreira D (2006). Development and validation of a rapid reversed-phase HPLC method for the determination of insulin from nanoparticulate systems, Biomedical Chromatography, 20, 898-903.
 
Sarmento B, Martins S, Ribeiro A, Veiga F, Neufeld R, Ferreira D (2006)  Development and comparison of different nanoparticulate polyelectrolyte complexes as insulin carriers, International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics, 12: 131-138.
 
Teixeira M; Pedro M; Nascimento MSJ; Pinto M and Barbosa C (2005) Nanoparticle formulations of 1,3-di-hydroxy-2-methylxanthone with improved cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line; Revista Portuguesa de Farmácia, 2005, LII (nº2) Suplemento: 2nd Congress of the Portuguese Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences /6th Congress of the Portuguese-Spanish Chapter of the Controlled Release Society, Coimbra, Portugal, OC-17, 35-36.
 
Ferreira H, Lúcio M, Lima JLFC, Matos C, Castro B, Reis S (2005). Effects of diclofenac on EPC liposome membrane properties, Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 382:1256-1264.
 
Ferreira H, Lúcio M, Lima JLFC, Cordeiro-da-Silva A, Tavares J, Reis S (2005). Effect of anti-inflammatory drugs on splenocyte membrane fluidity. Anal. Biochem. 339:144-149.
 
Ferreira H, Lúcio M, Lima JLFC, Matos C, Castro B, Reis S (2005) Interaction of clonixin with EPC liposomes used as membrane models. J. Pharm. Sci. 94:1277-1287.
 
Lúcio M, Ferreira H, Lima JLFC, Matos C, Castro B, Reis S (2004). Influence of some anti-inflammatory drugs in membrane fluidity studied by fluorescence anisotropy measurements. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 6:1493-1498.
 
Teixeira, M; Cerqueira, F; Barbosa, CM; Nascimento, MSJ and Pinto, M, (2005). Improvement of the inhibitory effect of xanthones on NO production by encapsulation in PLGA nanocapsules. J. Drug Targeting, 13, 129-135.
 
Teixeira, M; Alonso, MJ; Pinto, MMM. and Barbosa, CM (2005). Development and Characterization of PLGA Nanospheres and Nanocapsules Containing Xanthone and 3-Methoxyxanthone. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics; 59, 491-500.
 
Teixeira, M; Pinto MMM and Barbosa CM (2004). Validation of a Spectrophotometric Method for Quantification of Xanthone in Biodegradable Nanoparticles. Pharmazie, 59, 257-259.

Projects

Project title: Molecular and nanotechnology-based approaches to improve the antitumor activity of small molecules.
Funding Entity: FCT
Project identification: PTDC/SAU-FCF/100930/2008
Period covered: from 01-09-2009 to 01-09-2012
(Project member)
 
Project title: Development of siRNA-loaded nanoparticles to circumvent chemoresistance in cancer stem cells
Funding Entity: FCT
Project identification: PTDC/EBB-BIO/099672/2008
Period covered: from 01-09-2009 to 01-09-2012
(Project member)
 
Project title: Projecto: NanoFreeze - Freeze-drying approaches for overcoming instability of therapeutic proteins encapsulated into nanoparticles
Funding Entity: FCT
Project identification: FCT (PTDC/SAU-FCF/104492/2008)
Period covered: from 01-09-2009 to 01-09-2012
(Project member)
 
Project title: Strategies to overcome mononuclear phagocyte system phagocytosis of nanoparticles containing therapeutic proteins
Funding Entity: CESPU, crl
Project identification: 02/GCQF/CICS/09
Period covered: from 01-01-2008 to 31-12-2010
 
Project title: Improvement of stability and functionality of probiotics through their microencapsulation
Funding Entity: CESPU, crl
Project identification: 03/GCQF/CICS/09
Period covered: from 01-01-2008 to 31-12-2010
 
Project title: Therapeutic conjugate polymer targeted as specific delivery of gene-based anticancer agents for non-small lung cancer
Funding Entity: CESPU, crl
Project identification: 05/GCQF/CICS/09
Period covered: from 01-01-2008 to 31-12-2010
 
Project title: Efficacy evaluation of anti-wrinkle cosmetics
Funding Entity: CESPU, crl
Project identification: 08/GCQF/CICS/09
Period covered: from 01-01-2008 to 31-12-2010
 
Project title: Decitabine drug delivery systems in acute myeloid leukemia
Funding Entity: CESPU, crl
Project identification: 07/GCQF/CICS/09 Period covered: from 01-01-2008 to 31-12-2010