Scientific Program

Conference Series Ltd invites all the participants across the globe to attend 9th International Conference on Biopolymers and Polymer Sciences Bucharest, Romania.

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Scientific Program Day 1
Scientific Program Day 2

Day 2 :

Keynote Forum

Benny Danilo Belviso

Institute of Crystallography (CNR), Italy

Keynote: Advanced materials to make easier protein crystallization

Time : 10:00-10:45

Conference Series BiopolySci 2018 International Conference Keynote Speaker Benny Danilo Belviso photo
Biography:

Benny Danilo Belviso has completed his PhD from University of Bari Aldo Moro and Postdoctoral studies from Institute of Crystallography (CNR). He has worked at Nottingham University in the MRC project to study ADAMTS13 protein structure and currently he is the Research Fellow at Institute of Crystallography. He is involved in several international projects related to structural biology and materials for crystallization applications. He has published more than 20 papers in reputed journals.
 

Abstract:

Since 60 years, X-ray crystallography provides structural details of protein molecules, information that is crucial to unravel biological mechanisms at molecular level. Crystallography requires that sample is in crystal form. Getting such crystals at acceptable quality for crystallographic analysis is not trivial and strategies to make this process less expensive and time consuming are not available, still now. Advanced materials represent a turning point in this field because they can be exploited to control nucleation and growth step, making more effective the crystallization process. Our group is developing membranebased materials able to trigger protein crystallization also in conditions that are not fruitful by standard methods. Such materials have a great impact both in industry and academic studies because significantly reduce cost and time of the protein purification and crystallization process. We developed membrane-materials functionalized by hydrogel that proved ability in getting very stress-resistant crystals, which are suitable for structure-based drug design studies that require very harsh soaking conditions. This material, similarly to our metal oxide nanoparticle-functionalized membrane, significantly widens crystallization window and produce crystals having good diffraction quality. Membrane based materials are showing very effective in protein crystallization and to produce crystals having specific features. Our efforts are focusing now in functionalizing such materials by nanotemplate to crystallize very challenging proteins such as intact antibodies, and to develop membrane able to promote bio-mineralization and to enable polymorphs selection.
 

Break: 10:45-11:00

Keynote Forum

Ramin Zibaseresht

Maritime University of Imam Khomeini, Iran

Keynote: Synthesis, structural analysis and antibacterial effect of a novel heteronuclear Ag(I)-Fe(II) coordination polymer

Time : 11:00-11:45

Conference Series BiopolySci 2018 International Conference Keynote Speaker Ramin Zibaseresht photo
Biography:

Ramin Zibaseresht is a Professor in Chemistry at Maritime University of Imam Khomeini in Noshahr and Adjunct Professor at Aja University of Medical Sciences in Tehran. He has completed his BSc in Chemistry from Shiraz University and his MSc in Inorganic Chemistry from Pune University. He has completed his PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Canterbury. He is currently the Head of Biomaterials and Medicinal Chemistry Research Centre in Tehran. He has published more than 50 papers in reputed journals and some international conferences and more than 10 books in the area of chemistry and 4 patents. He has been serving as an Editorial Board Member of some peer-reviewed journals, academic book publishers, member of more than 10 academic committees, organizing committees and academic boards of international conferences.
 

Abstract:

The synthesis and crystal structure of a novel polymeric silver(I)-iron(II) complex containing bridging ligand 4’-(4-(2,2,2-tris(1H-pyrazol-1-ido)ethoxymethyl)phenyl-2,2’:6’,2”-terpyridine (TPT) are described. The reaction of TPT with FeCl2.6H2O afforded a complex [Fe(TPT)2]Cl2 which in turn reacted with a range of silver salts such as AgNO3, AgClO4 resulted in the formation of hetero-metal complexes which were characterized using 1H NMR and ES-MS techniques. The reaction solution of the [Fe(TPT)2]Cl2 complex with molar equivalent of AgClO4 resulted in a solution with face needlelike crystals suitable for single X-ray crystallography. The complex was crystallized the triclinic space group, PÄ«. The smallest repeating unit of the complex contains an [Fe(TPT)Ag2(H2O)2](ClO4)3 unit. The Fe atom is coordinated by three nitrogen of terpyridine moiety from one TPT ligand and by three nitrogen of terpyridine moiety from another TPT ligand in an octahedral geometry fashion. While one Ag atom is coordinated by two nitrogen atoms of one pyrazolyl moiety from a TPT ligand and two nitrogen atoms of adjacent pyrazolyl moiety from another TPT ligand to generate a linear coordination polymer in a tetragedral geometry. The third nitrogen atom of the last pyrazolyl part is also coordinated to a silver ion which was itself coordinated to two water molecules through their oxygen atoms in a trigonal planar geometry. The shortest Ag-Ag distance is 5.337(1) Å within a TPT ligand. The Fe-Ag distances are 10.480(1) Å, 15.0637(1) Å within a unit cell. In vitro the study of the complex against some bacterial pathogens were also investigated.
 

  • Crystallography in Material Science | Role of Polymers in Biological Systems | Novel Materials for Energy Applications | Chemical Crystallography | Advanced Technologies in Polymer Synthesis
Location: Bucharest, Romania
Speaker

Chair

Oara Neumann

Rice University Applied Physics, USA

Speaker

Co-Chair

Benny Danilo Belviso

Institute of Crystallography (CNR), Italy

Session Introduction

Uwe Popp

Apium Additive Technologies GmbH, Germany

Title: Mechanical properties of heat treated 3D printed semi-crystalline PEEK material

Time : 13:45-14:15

Speaker
Biography:

Uwe Popp has completed his Diploma in Material Science and Engineering from the University of Stuttgart in 2012 and worked for two years at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology as a Research Assistant. He is currently the Head of Research and Development at Apium Additive Technologies GmbH as well as one of the Founders of the company. He has participated in publishing more than 5 papers in reputed journals.
 

Abstract:

Relatively new manufacturing processes such as 3D printing or additive manufacturing impose a set of thermos-mechanical influences on materials. These influences have neither been extensively studied nor reported in the literature. For high temperature semi-crystalline thermoplastic materials like PEEK (poly-ether-ether-ketone) these influences can be quite pronounced. The 3D printing of PEEK requires a strict definition of the processing conditions and parameters. One of the challenging aspects of the processing is the control of the temperature profile dominant in and around the printed part. This is especially important because the development of the crystalline phase in 3D printed PEEK part depends on the cooling rate of the melt during the printing process. A typical attribute of 3D printed parts is the structural discontinuities observable on the surface and in the vicinity of the deposited layers. To improve on the structural integrity of the printed part, some heat treatment is conducted on the part. In the current presentation, results for tempered 3D printed PEEK parts are presented. The mechanical properties as well as the microstructural state of the PEEK parts are reported and explained within the context of the tempering process.
 

Oara Neumann

Rice University Applied Physics, USA

Title: Enhanced T1 MRI contrast and fluorescence stability within a plasmonic core-shell nanoparticle

Time : 14:15-14:45

Speaker
Biography:

Oara Neumann has completed her PhD and Postdoctoral study in Applied Physics from Rice University and MS from Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel and Bucharest University, Romania. She is a Research Scientist in Naomi Halas group at Rice University. She holds 12 patents and she has published more than 25 papers in reputed journals.

Abstract:

Multifunctional plasmonic nanostructures have enormous potential in the treatment of solid tumors; however, tracking particles with drug cargo and triggering the release of the cargo in mapped tumors is still impossible. To overcome this challenge we have developed an MRI and fluorescent active nanostructure nanomatryoshka. This new nanostructure with IR plasmonic signatures is composed of a 50 nm Au core surrounded by dye molecules and Gd(III)-DOTA chelate doped SiO2 inner-shell and an outer Au shell. The experimental results demonstrates an enhanced T1 relaxation (r1~24 mM-1 s-1 at 4.7 T) compared to the clinical Gd(III)-DOTA chelating agents (r1~4 mM-1 s-1). Further, this design preserves the fluorescence signal (65%) after 24 hours of exposure, leading to enhanced fluorescence photo-stability (23x). This dual-imaging functionality nano-system increases MRI sensitivity by concentrating Gd(III) ions into the Gd-NMs, reduces the potential toxicity of Gd(III) ions and dye molecules by preventing their release in vivo through the outer Au shell protection and the terminal gold layer surface can then be functionalized to increase cellular uptake, circulation time or thermal drug-release properties.
 

Mariana Costa

Instituto Politécnico do Cávado e do Ave – IPCA, Portugal

Title: Synthesis of novel autoreactive and ecological mono-component adhesives for the shoe industry

Time : 14:45-15:15

Speaker
Biography:

Mariana Costa has a Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering and she is currently working in Polytechnic Institute of Cavado and Ave. The project that she is involved is about the  microencapsulation field where the goal is to produce a microfluidic device to encapsulate isocyanate.

Abstract:

Microencapsulation is a process in which active substances are enclosing inside an extremely small capsule. The wide applications of microcapsules in many fields have attracted increasing research on the synthesis as well as functionalization of different types of capsules. Besides the importance of microcapsules for controlled chemical release and uptake in many industrial applications, these are often difficult to produce with the desired combination of high mechanical strength and high shell permeability. We report on experimental studies for the synthesis of narrow size distribution polyurethane/polyurea shell microcapsules containing isocyanate, used as a crosslinker for adhesive formulations. The microcapsules were produced, in a continuous mode, by a system involving a microfluidic device, which originates a monodisperse oil-in-water emulsion, followed by interfacial polymerization at the emulsion droplets surface. The resulting microcapsules are intended to be added to an adhesive base (OH prepolymer), leading to an autoreactive and ecological monocomponent adhesive. The proposed technique has advantages of being readily controlled, cost-effective and easy to operate. In addition, microfluidics can control the process of encapsulation by varying flow parameters and/or using a proper geometry of microfluidic channels. By microencapsulating the reactive agent, the product is safer for handling by the industry operators, and the activation mechanism can be controlled more precisely (enabling higher flexibility of application /use case scenarios). The advances made of the current study can be an important contribution in the innovation and development of new sustainable/green methods and products that can, in the future, compete in the monocomponent adhesives market.
 

Break: 15:15-15:30

Zafar Iqbal

Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Pakistan

Title: Microstructural evolution of nanocrystalline tungsten-25% Rhenium-Hafnium carbide composite synthesized by spark plasma sintering technique for FSW tool application

Time : 15:30-16:00

Speaker
Biography:

Zafar Iqbal has completed his PhD from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals KFUPM, KSA. Currently, he is the Assistant Professor at Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Islamabad. He has published more than 6 papers in reputed journals.
 

Abstract:

Development of nano-crystalline tungsten-25% rhenium alloy reinforced with hafnium carbide is a challenging task as these alloys are difficult to synthesize by conventional methods. The problem of these difficult to alloy elements can be addressed by using a unique combination of mechanical alloying and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) techniques via powder metallurgy route. Rhenium was added to lower ductile-to-brittle transition temperature and to increase recrystallization temperature of tungsten. SPS is rapid consolidating technique which prevents grain growth. These tool materials can withstand high temperatures and harsh conditions in joining application such as Friction Stir Welding (FSW) of steel and titanium alloys. FSW is a green process which does not emit fume and toxic fumes during the process. Sintering was carried between 1500-1800 °C. Mechanically alloyed and SPS alloy and composite were characterized by optical microscopy, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray Diffraction. Microstructural investigations of consolidated specimens were initially carried out by conventional etching and metallography techniques. Optical micrographs showed no visible signs of grain boundary etching. SPS samples were further electrochemically etched in one molar concentrated solution of NaOH. The positive terminal of the low voltage direct current power supply was connected to the sample. The negative terminal was connected to a steel plate acting as cathode. Both electrodes were placed in the tank face to face with a gap of 6 to 10 centimeters between them. The voltage was kept constant as 5 volt during the etching process. Samples were etched for short time interval from 1 to 5 seconds and microstructural analysis was conducted after each etching step. The results of the FESEM images confirm microstructural revelation of these difficult to etch alloy and composites.
 

Anca DUTA

Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania

Title: Composite nanostructures for VIS-active photocatalysts

Time : 16:00-16:30

Speaker
Biography:

Anca DUTA has completed her PhD in Chemical Engineering in 1996 from the Polytechnica University of Bucharest, Romania. She is the Leader of the Advanced Materials for Energy and Environment group in the R&D Centre Renewable Energy Systems and Recycling in the Transylvania University of Brasov, Romania. She has published more than 150 papers out of which 122 papers in ISI journals and has been serving as an Editorial Board Member of repute.
 

Abstract:

Photo-catalysis is a process that makes possible solving some critical environmental issues, as the pollutants removal at (very) low concentrations from waters or air. The first photo-catalyst and one of the most efficient is TiO2 (the anatase polymorph) that is largely used and reported. However, anatase has one major drawback that limits its up-scaling which is activated only by UV radiation, thus photo-catalysis runs only under this type of radiation. Vis-active photo-catalysts are therefore very much searched and are developed based on several principles as, e.g. novel type of semiconductors, aqueous stable (which, so far, are not too many) or composite structures of TiO2 with p-type semiconductors, resembling the structure of an inverted photovoltaic cell, as CuInS2 (CIS) or Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) efficient in Vis radiation harvesting and stable in water. Composite structures are reported also considering the TiO2 or ZnO matrix infiltrated with graphene, graphene oxide or reduced graphene oxide. The photo-catalytic material can be used as dispersed powder (in wastewater for advanced treatment) but this has the disadvantage of light scattering and the more complex treatment process involving the separation step of the (nanosized) powder, therefore, thin films of photo-catalytic materials are recommended. The properties of the thin photo-catalytic films obtained by Spray Pyrolysis Deposition (SPD) are presented and discussed in terms of process overall efficiency and efficiency of the key steps such as pollutants’ adsorption and pollutants photo-degradation through oxidation up to mineralization with a focus on the influence of the crystallinity of the composite structure.
 

Rodica VLADOIU

Ovidius University of Constanta, Romania

Title: Synthesis and characterization of the complex nanostructured thin films based on titanium by Thermionic Vacuum Arc (TVA) method

Time : 16:30-17:00

Speaker
Biography:

VLADOIU Rodica has completed his PhD at the age of 35 years from Bucharest University Romania. She was Head of the Physics Department between 20042006, Local Coordinator of the CEEPUS network from 2000, Member in the National University Research Council – CNCSIS  in 2006, Member in the Scientific Commitee in  International conference II CESPC Central European Symposium on Plasma Chemistry 2008, Brno, Czech Republic. She is co-author in 78 papers published in reviews with ISI quotation (428 citations) and in 2 national patents.In the last ten years, she was involved with the research team in 11 National Research projects and 9 International projects. 

Abstract:

Nowadays, a great interest is paid on the development of plasma technology applications with particular emphasis on the fabrication of nanostructured thin film, combined with the study of applications of plasmas in nanotechnology. For this reason, plasma/surface interactions and growth mechanisms have to be taken into account for the definition, evaluation and comparison of the different types of coating equipment and achievable coating results. Titanium based nanocomposites owing to their remarcable properties of the coating surfaces such as wear resistance, roughness, low friction coefficients have been synthetized and investigated in different combination and forms, such as multi-component composites. The aim of this work is to find the best combination for coating the mechanical parts of components by suitable complex nanocomposites and by using innovative technology For instance, titanium nanocomposites are characterized by very high tensile strength even at high temperatures, light weight, high corrosion resistance, and as strong as steel, but 45% lighter. Binary, ternary thin films as well as single thin films were deposited  using Thermionic Vacuum Arc  (TVA) technology. The thermionic vacuum arc (TVA) is an original deposition method using a combination of anodic arc and powerful electron gun system (up to 600 W) for the growth of thin films from solid precursors under a vacuum of 10−6 Torr. For certain operating conditions the plasma source produce energetic ions without any additional ion acceleration means like acceleration grids or polarization systems. Results on the surface morphology and wettability of the obtained multifunctional thin films were reported by using: Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM Phillips CM 120 ST, 100 kV), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM, Zeiss EVO 50 SEM) and Free Surface Energy (FSE) by See System. Nanostructured coatings with homogenous and dense surface without any faults (pinholes and cracks) were achieved at low temperatures to not affect the materials properties. Nanocomposite coatings of Ti based consisting of crystalline phase embedded into an amorphous matrix constitute a multifunctional coating architecture due to its combination of properties, suitable for emerging applications in metallurgical industry, yielding an enhanced corrosion resistance.
 

Asma Khurshid

Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Pakistan

Title: A close insight into the nature of intra and intermolecular interactions in 1-acyl thioureas and dihydropyrimidine-2-(1H) thione derivatives using single crystal X-ray crystallography and related techniques

Time : 17:00-17:20

Speaker
Biography:

Dr. Asma Khurshid has completed her PhD Chemistry in 2017 from Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan. Part of her PhD research has been carried out at Oxford University; United Kingdom. Up till now she has 7 publications on her part in Journals of International repute. She has been selected as Young Scientist among global competition for participation in 67th Chemistry Lindau Nobel Laureates Meeting in Chemistry, Germany 2017. Presently, she is serving as Assistant Professor in Department of Chemistry, Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences, Pakistan.

 

Abstract:

Single crystal X-ray crystallographic studies has been carried out in order to explore the nature of intra- and inter molecular interaction in 1-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-3-(2-methyl-4-oxopentan-2-yl) thiourea, 1-(2-chlorobenzoyl)thiourea and for the following derivatives of 1-(R-phenyl)-4,4,6-trimethyl-3,4-dihydropyrimidine-2(1H)-thione i.e., R = 2-chloro (1), 2,3-di-chloro (2), 2,4-di-methyl (3), and 4-methoxy (4). This study has also been supported by vibrational analysis (FT-IR, FT-Raman) in addition to Topological and Hirshfield surface analysis which give a visual three-dimensional picture of the nature of intermolecular interactions in case of the newly synthesized dihydropyrimidine-2-(1H) thione derivatives.

The synthesis of 1-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-3-(2-methyl-4-oxopentan-2-yl) thiourea was carried out with particular focus to investigate the effect exerted by competing intramolecular C=O….H-N bonds in the molecular structure. The molecular and X-ray crystal analysis of this compound revealed the preferential existence of S conformer over U conformer with the C=O and C=S bonds pointing in opposite directions.The application of vibrational analysis in addition to crystal studies for the newly synthesized 1-(2-chlorobenzoyl)thiourea indicated the presence of extended N–H….S=C hydrogen-bonding networks between both the carbamide (NH2) and thioamide (N–H) groups and the thiocarbonyl bond (C=S) that are significant for crystal packing in its structure.The detailed crystal structure analysis revealed that the four studied dihydropyrimidine-2-(1H)-thione derivatives attain the following canonical conformations: (1) 2S1 screw-boat form; (2) E2 envelope; (3) Intermediate between 6S1 screw-boat and 6H1 half-chair form; (4) E4 envelope. While the topological analysis of the electron densities highlights the importance of dominant N-H…S interactions for stabilization of crystal packing in all four derivatives studied.

 

Sandeep Kulkarni

KoolEarth Solutions Inc., USA

Title: The best of times – How sustainability commitments by global corporations are fueling development and commercialization of bioplastics

Time : 17:20-17:40

Speaker
Biography:

Sandeep Kulkarni has completed his PhD from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA and Postdoctoral studies from University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He has over 20 years of industry experience in the consumer packaging field, including 8 years at PepsiCo. He is currently the Founder and President of KoolEarth Solutions Inc., a consulting company in the area of sustainable packaging. He has several patents, publications and international presentations.

 

Abstract:

In the face of unprecedented environmental challenges and issues (such as plastic pollution/litter and climate change) global governments, non-governmental orgainization and corporations are coming together to formulate apporoaches for tackling these challenges. Large Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies such as PepsiCo, Unilever, Starbucks and McDonald’s have announced bold and aggressive goals related to the end-of-life for their packaging materials. These include commitments to make their packaging fully recylable, compostable/biodegradable and to reduce the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) impacts from their packaging. Biodegradable bioplastics (such as PLA and PHAs) can provide a viable solution for hard-to-recycle packaging (such as multilayer pouches/satches) and also in potentially addressing litter issues on land or in the ocean. Also, non-biodegradable bioplastics (such as bio-PET and PEF) can help reduce GHG impacts of packaging while being fully recyclable. For the above reasons, there have been significant investments in bioplastics research and development, both in small as well as large companies globally. This presentation will highlight some of these efforts and provide an insight into the future commercial applications of bioplastics. Examples of potential future commercial applications include PHA based compostable/biodegradable snack packaging (being developed by PepsiCo), as well as recyclable and biodegradable single-use cups (being developed by Starbucks/McDonald’s).

  • Crystallography of Novel Materials | Chemical Crystallography | Role of Polymers in Biological Systems | Recent Development in the X-ray Studies | Biodegradable Polymers | Biomaterials and Biopolymers
Location: Bucharest, Romania
Speaker

Chair

Nimrod Israely

Biofeed Environmentally Friendly Pest Control, Israel

Speaker

Co-Chair

Tasnim Kossentini Kallel

National School of Engineers of Sfax, Tunisia

Session Introduction

Nikolay PLUSNIN

FEB RAS-Institute of Automation and Control Processes, Russia

Title: Conjoint AES - EELS analysis of the subnanometric coatings

Time : 11:45-12:15

Speaker
Biography:

Nikolay Plusnin is currently working as the Chief Researcher in the Institute of Automation and Control Processes of FEB of the RAS, Vladivostok, Russia. He has completed the studies as Doctor of Physical-Mathematical Sciences. His research interests are in nanomaterials for electronics and their structure-phase analysis. He was a Visiting Professor in Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan. He is also a Member of the Advisory Board of the International journal, e-journal of Surface Science and Nanotechnology. He has published more than 35 scientific articles. His research was supported by Russian Ministry of Education and Science, Academy of Sciences and Government.
 

Abstract:

The purpose of the work is to show possibilities of a joint electron spectroscopy of Auger Electrons (AES) and of energy losses on valence electrons (EEES) for analysis of the structural-chemical and phase state of 2D or sub-nanometric coatings. The composition, thickness, growth mechanism and electronic energy structure of coatings were determined according to the AES data. In addition, the structural-phase state and the local electronic spatial structure of the coating were determined according to the EELS data. The choice of the optimal probing depth (0.25 nm) has been ensured the mutual additivity of analysis by two methods and its adaptation to the sub-nanometric thickness of coatings. It is shown that EELS is very sensitive method for analysis of local valence electron density of atoms and that the variation of the energy of the primary beam and of parameters the coating (the thickness of the coating, the arrangement of adatoms-markers, the coating deposition regimes), as well as the subtraction of the contribution from the substrate, make possible to increase informativity of the AES-EELS analysis of subnanometric coatings and structural state of their interface.
 

Bakti Berlyanto Sedayu

Victoria University, Australia

Title: Effects of glycerol incorporation on Semi-Refined Carrageenan film properties

Time : 12:15-12:45

Speaker
Biography:

Bakti B Sedayu is undertaking PhD research program in Victoria University, Australia. His project focuses on development of packaging material from seaweed.

Abstract:

Derived from renewable, abundant seaweed, carrageenan-based films are becoming popular as food packaging material. In this work, semi-refined carrageenan (SRC) plasticized with glycerol were developed and characterised. The mechanical strength, moisture content, and optical properties of the films generally increased significantly with increasing glycerol concentration, however, the water vapor permeability decreased. In particular, the tensile strength and elongation at break increased at plasticizer additions of up to 40% and 50% (w/w) respectively. The addition of glycerol also improved the thermal stability and surface morphology of the films. The results show that the properties of the SRC films were comparable with refined carrageenan films suggesting that SRC has potential to be furthered developed into less expensive food packaging materials.
 

Break: 12:45-13:45

Delia-Laura Popescu

University of Bucharest, Romania

Title: Structural properties and topological diversity of new ORGANOTIN(IV) cordination compounds

Time : 13:45-14:15

Speaker
Biography:

Delia-Laura Popescu has completed her BS in Chemistry from Faculty of Chemistry, University of Bucharest. She has competed both MS and PhD degrees from the Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA, under the guidance of Professor Terrence J Collins having worked in green chemistry field. She was a Postdoctoral Researcher in Professor Nicolay Tsarevsky’s group in the Department of Chemistry at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, USA. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Inorganic Chemistry at Faculty of Chemistry, University of Bucharest. Her research interests include porous materials (MOFs), supra-molecular hybrid metal-organic materials, poly-nuclear coordination systems with biological properties.
 

Abstract:

Organotin(IV) coordination compounds have been the subject of interest for some time due to their properties, structural aspects and potential biomedical, environmental and commercial applications. A new series of coordination compounds with different organotin(IV) subunits as nodes and organic bridging ligands as spacers were prepared. The combination of organotin(IV) building blocks with O- and N-donor ligands resulted in the formation of new extended structures with 0D, 1D (an example is given in figure-1), 2D and 3D dimensionalities and interesting topologies. The influence of the nature of organotin(IV) nodes and the bridging ligands on the structural properties of the new systems obtained was investigated. All the synthesized compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, standard spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, UV-Vis-NIR, NMR), thermal analysis, as well as by single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction. The ligands, metal precursors and their corresponding organotin(IV) complexes have also been screened for antimicrobial activities.

Tasnim Kossentini Kallel

National School of Engineers of Sfax, Tunisia

Title: Assessment of biodegradation and biological properties of modified biopolymers

Time : 14:15-14:45

Speaker
Biography:

Tasnim Kossentini Kallel is an associate professor in the Materials Engineering Department in the National School of Engineers of Sfax (Sfax University; Tunisia). In 1998-1999 she was Senior Safety Engineer at the Association of Health and Security at Work of Sfax "ASSETS" and in 2000-2003 she was a Researcher Member in the Laboratory of Macromolecular Materials INSA Lyon: Institute National des Sciences Appliqués de Lyon (France). In the Laboratory of Advanced Materials, she currently supervises a research team investigating the areas of advanced polymer blends and composite materials. She has been interested in various research areas including, polymer blends and composites designed for recycling, processing control of nano-composites and bio-composites via solvent casting method and reactive extrusion. She has planned, managed and completed projects under collaboration agreements with several foreign laboratories and industrial businesses. She has published a patent and 27 research articles.
 

Abstract:

There has been a growing interest over the past few years in the development of biopolymers partly because of their renewable, sustainable and biodegradable properties. They generally display interesting properties such as biodegradability, biocompatibility and their generated products are not toxic. Therefore, they possess various biological activities such as antibacterial, antioxidant and antifungal activities. These advantages, in parallel with the recent technological developments in biopolymer production, have rapidly expanded their applications as a competitive commodity polymer in a variety of processes. However, because of their inherent brittle nature, biopolymers generally need to be modified to be suitable for use in various applications where mechanical properties are important. So it is very interesting to toughen them with the goal of balancing and increasing tensile strength, impact strength and modulus while retaining the biocompatible and biodegradable nature of the polymer. The study concentrates on the biological activity and biodegradation capability of biopolymer blends in the solid state and in the liquid phase under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. To this end, blends were processed by casting method and on a twin-screw extruder with a film die and to determine the efficiency of the biodegradation of polymers, quantitative (mass variations, BOD) and qualitative (DSC and SEM) analyses were made. Otherwise, biopolymers were evaluated for their biological, structural and thermal properties.
 

Ramin Zibaseresht

Maritime University of Imam Khomeini, Iran

Title: Synthesis, structural analysis and DNA interaction of Bis[4'-(4-methylphenyl)-2,2':6',2

Time : 14:45-15:15

Speaker
Biography:

Ramin Zibaseresht is a Professor in Chemistry at Maritime University of Imam Khomeini in Noshahr and Adjunct Professor at Aja University of Medical Sciences in Tehran. He has completed his BSc in Chemistry from Shiraz University and his MSc in Inorganic Chemistry from Pune University. He has completed his PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Canterbury. He is currently the Head of Biomaterials and Medicinal Chemistry Research Centre in Tehran. He has published more than 50 papers in reputed journals and some international conferences and more than 10 books in the area of chemistry and 4 patents. He has been serving as an Editorial Board Member of some peer-reviewed journals, academic book publishers, member of more than 10 academic committees, organizing committees and academic boards of international conferences.
 

Abstract:

There has been extensive studies of binding of chiral Ru(II) complexes to DNA backbone structures. J K Barton has studied the cationic coordination of a variety of chiral poly-pyridine Ru(II) complexes to demonstrate chiral discrimination in binding to different forms of DNA. Many experimental techniques have been applied to study the interaction of tris(phenanthroline) ruthenium(II) ([Ru(phen)3]2+) with DNA, but despite this, its binding mode and its effect on the DNA structure are uncertain and have been the subject of much controversy. In this study, bis[4’-(4-methylphenyl)-2,2’:6’,2’’-terpyridine]Co(III) tris(nitrate) complex was synthesized and characterized using conventional method such as 1H NMR, ES-MS, UV-vis spectrophotometry. The crystal structure of the complex was also determined. The complex was crystallized in the triclinic space group, PÄ« with two well separated complex molecules in the unit cell along with four hydrogen bounded water molecules and six nitrate groups. The Co ion was six coordinated, but the geometry was significantly distorted from that of an ideal octahedral. In this study, the terpyridine type ligand fragment appealed because the ligand structure ensures a meridional arrangement of the donor atoms, which reduces the number of possible isomers. Co(III) ion was attracted because of its higher positive charge compared to Ru(II) which will have more affinity towards the negatively charged DNA structure. Absorbance and fluorescence methods and circular dichroism were used to study the interaction of the Co(III) complex solution in water with DNA.
 

Francisco Fábio Oliveira de Sousa

Federal University of Amapa School of Pharmacy, Brazil

Title: Biopharmaceutical and functional activities improvement by drug-biopolymers association

Time : 15:15-15:45

Speaker
Biography:

Francisco Fabio Oliveira de Sousa has completed his PhD from University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain and Postdoctoral studies from Federal University of Ceara School of Dentistry, Brazil. He is the Director of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacy research group with 9 PhD and undergraduate students, coordinating different projects in pharmaceutical technology and biomaterials. He has published more than 10 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an Editorial Board Member for many journals. In 2018, he has been awarded the Scientific Yearly Prize by the Brazilian Council Research.
 

Abstract:

Zein is a biodegradable protein found in the maize endosperm (Zea mays). In the pharmaceutical industry, it has been used as a coating agent in solid forms and in the composition of drug delivery systems, where it has shown the ability to entrap drugs, lipids and genetic material, promoting their controlled release. Its biological potential has gained attention lately. Thus, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of zein solely have been identified, but barely explored. The associations of biopolymers to drugs could result in synergistic or additive effects, depending on the structure, solubility, partition coefficient and chemical interactions to the other compounds, resulting in new outcomes. In view of the biological properties of zein, we assessed the improvement in the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of this biopolymer when associated to some phenolic bioactive, such as Ellagic Acid (EA). Their chemical association was accessed by 1H saturation Transfer-Difference Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (STD-NMR) to explain these outcomes. The micro dilution method was used to assess the minimum inhibitory and bactericide concentrations. The antioxidant activity was determined using the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazila free radical scavenging method. EA has shown inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and an antioxidant IC50 of 0.079 mg/mL. Zein has shown antimicrobial and antioxidant activities itself and enhanced synergically the antioxidant and the antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa when combined with EA. 1H STD-NMR experiment confirmed the formation of a complex between EA and zein that could be related with the improvement on its biological performance over the individual compounds. 

Break: 15:45-16:00

Denis Mihaela Panaitescu

National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry – ICECHIM, Romania

Title: Porous structures from nanocellulose and biopolymers for biomedical application

Time : 16:00-16:20

Speaker
Biography:

Denis Mihaela Panaitescu has completed her PhD from University Politehnica of Bucharest, Romania. She is a Senior Researcher at ICECHIM. She has published more than 70 papers in reputed journals and has managed several national projects.
 

Abstract:

Bacterial cellulose has attracted a lot of interest in the last years due to its extraordinary properties for biomedical applications, high purity, water-uptake capability, good biocompatibility, cell adhesion, proliferation, good mechanical properties and non-toxicity of itself and its degradation products. A key element in tissue engineering is the 3D biomaterial scaffold which mimics the architecture of the Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM). ECM provides structural support for cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation. For this purpose, the 3D scaffolds should possess a network of interconnected pores ensuring cell migration, diffusion of nutrients and clearance of wastes and promoting cell adhesion and cell growth. More than 80% porosity is requested for porous scaffolds to mimic native ECM. Many tissues like heart, cartilages or bones have a fiber-sponge complex architecture and the nanofibrillated network of bacterial cellulose is similar to native ECM as respects biocompatibility, fibers size and assembling. However, the pore size of the cellulose network is much too low than the recommended minimum pore size of 100 microns, which limits cell penetration and migration. Hear we propose new methods to obtain porous biocomposite scaffolds using bacterial cellulose and eco-friendly additives and processes. Bacterial cellulose was modified with different agents and crosslinkers and the properties of the new porous structures were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and dynamic mechanical analysis. This study has shown that highly porous cellulose structures that combine lightweight and stiffness may be obtained by using simple and eco-friendly methods.
 

Ioana Chiulan

The National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, Romania

Title: Influence of nanosilica content on the thermal and mechanical properties of liquid silicone elastomers

Time : 16:00-16:20

Speaker
Biography:

Ioana Chiulan has completed his PhD in 2011, from University Politehnica of Bucharest, in the field of thermoresponsive hydrogels. He has an experience of more than 10 years as researcher and her work is focused on different materials for biomedical or packaging applications. He is co-author in more than 19 papers and one book chapter. Raluca Gabor, Cristian Nicolae, Denis Panaitescu and Adriana Frone are highly skilled researchers, specialized in thermal, mechanical and morphological characterization. Elena Radu and Sergiu Stoian are recently graduated students from University Politehnica of Bucharest

Abstract:

Silicone rubbers are one of the most important polymers, because they possess important properties, such as biocompatibility, large degree of flexibility, hydrophobicity, high gas permeability, high thermal stability, good UV and oxidative resistance. However, pure silicone rubber has poor tensile strength, which limits its practical applications. To overcome this drawback, different inorganic fillers were incorporated such as nano-SiO2, carbon nanotube, nano-Al2O3, clay and so on. The aim of this work was to obtain composites based on liquid silicone rubber and hydrophilic nanosilica (HDK N20), with good flexibility and tensile strength, as potential biomaterials for pelvic prosthesis. Nanosilica particles were selected as reinforcing filler due its extraordinary properties, such as a very high specific surface area, biocompatibility, high elastic modulus, low density and low material cost. This paper reports the impact of the filler content and sample thickness on the morphology, rheological properties, thermal behavior and tensile strengths before and after flexing tests of the silicone-nanosilica composites. The addition of the nanosilica content up to 3% conducted to a significant increase of the young modulus and the tensile strength.