TRANSBIOMAT Research Group

The Research and Technology Transfer Group in Biotechnology and Applied Materials (TRANSBIOMAT, Ref. 970904), belonging to UCM (Complutense University of Madrid), and led by Profs. A. Heras and Prof. A.R. Alcántara, combines the three functions of the University: Teaching, Research, and Technology Transfer. Its research area is mainly focussed on the production of biopolymerss through biotechnological and green chemical methods, as well as in their functional characterisation, and ultimatley, in their applications in pharmacy, biomedicine, agri-food, and cosmetics.
Specifically, TRANSBIOMAT is focussing on designing hydrophilic systems based on chitosan and chitooligosaccharides for the encapsulation of actives and the development of highly demanded conjugates, which add functionality to products in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical sectors; in this sense, they align efficiently with the philosophy of the Circular Economy.
Generally sepaking, TRANSBIOMAT is strongly aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides the so-called 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call to action for all countries to improve human and planetary well-being. From this perspective, the revaluation of agri-food by-products (highly abundant and easily accessible renewable resources) through the implementation of new uses via innovative approaches can lead to a successful paradigm shift towards the desired sustainability.
Thus, TRANSBIOMAT aims to develop more sustainable methodologies for the production of chitosans in accordance with sustainable production recommendations; to modulate their functional properties and biological activities as a result of a deep understanding of the structure of chitosan, and to develop new sophisticated materials based on chitosans, derivatives, and “tailor-made functionalised” materials.
TRANSBIOMAT encompasses a broad field of interests with its main lines of research being:
a) Natural Polymers: in this line, we are currently focusing on developing sustainable processes to produce natural polymers (chitin, chitosan, oligosaccharides, and derivatives) with controlled and reproducible properties. This line involves the use of green biosolvents and enzymatic systems. Indeed, the use of biocatalysts (isolated enzymes, modified or not, and/or whole cells) significantly increases the sustainability of a chemical process, given the high precision (chemo, regio, and stereoselectivity) that these biocatalysts exhibit in their catalytic action, resulting in the generation of few residues in processes that generally occur under mild pressure and temperature conditions.
b) Structure/Properties/Function Relationship in Chitosans and Derivatives: chitosan is a family of polymers with a wide variety of biological activities and properties. Our group focuses on determining which physicochemical properties of the polymer control each of the biological and technological properties. To this end, we employ a panel of biophysical techniques that allow us to establish these relationships between structure, function, and biological activity.
c) Development of New Polymeric Materials: This line focuses on obtaining materials based on polymers, mainly chitosans and derivatives:
• c1) Particulate Systems for the Encapsulation of Molecules of Interest with Applications in the Pharmaceutical, Food, or Cosmetic Industry. This line works on preparing formulations for the release of active ingredients in various fields.
• c2) Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Assisted by Polymers and the Preparation of Hybrid Materials with Antimicrobial and Catalytic Activity. This line explores the effect of different polymer characteristics on the properties of silver nanoparticles (size, polydispersity, and shape) and prepares various hybrid materials.
• c3) Semi-solid Formulations with Applications in the Dermocosmetic Industry. Development of formulations with hydrophilic systems of functional ingredients of cosmetic interest based on chitosan, providing the formulation with health benefits for the skin that are highly demanded by the dermocosmetic market.
• c4) Multifunctional Materials Based on Chitosan and Derivatives. Delivery Systems for active Ingredients with different profiles (antitumor, antibiotics, neurotrophic agents).
The main facilities of TRANSBIOMAT R+D group are located in the “Instituto Pluridisciplinar de la Universidad Complutense”, but there is also equipment in the Farmacy Faculty of UCM. Thus, TRANSBIOMAT has the following equipment: Liquid chromatography (HPLC) with different detectors (UV/Visible, refractive index, light-scattering and Circular Dichroism); UV/Visible spectrophotometer; Fluorimeter; Capillary Viscometer; automatized ball viscosimeter, Atomizer; Automatic Electric Autoclave; Cylindrical jacketed reactor (5 liters) with punch wrench; Ultra Turrax homogenizer; Thermoblock; Ultrafiltration cell; Milli Q water system; Cold room, Extraction hood; biological hood class I, Vacuum stove; Heating stove; Muffle furnace; Freezers (-80ºC and -20ºC); Centrifuge; pHmeter; Conductimeter-pHmeter; Refrigerated orbital agitator; Shakers, 30°C and 37°C incubators, Bio-Rad Model 680 microplate reader; Thermostatic bath; Rotavapor; Lyophilizer; Circular Dichroism spectropolarimeter. Fluorimeter (equipped with polarized fluorescence) PTI Fluorimeter with polarizers and Peltier for temperature control. Easylife Equipment for determination of fluorescence half-life. Stopped-flow Biological SFM-3 equipment for fast kinetic technique, Aminco Bowman luminescence spectrometer, Rheometer HR10 equipped with axial and tack testing accessory.
Being inside UCM, TRANSBIOMAT has access to the equipment of UCM research support centres (calorimeter (DSC and ITC), infrared spectrometer, X-ray diffractometer, Raman confocal spectrometer, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance of solids, nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer of liquids and magnetic resonance imaging spectrometer). We also have access to equipment in the Instituto Pluridisciplinar: microscope room (Optical microscope, Fluorescence microscope…) and cell culture room.