Selenium-Based Compounds and Nanobiomaterials in Biomedical Applications

Prof. Santos (D.Sc. Tech., Chem. Eng.) is a Full Professor in Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Groningen. He is also Research Director at the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Pharmacy. Prof. Santos is also the co-founder of the startups Capsamedix Oy and Medixmicro Oy, and Coordinator of MSCA-ITN P4 FIT network in tendon repair (~4.1 m€). He holds Visiting Professorships at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and University of Tartu. Prof. Santos research interests include the development of nanoparticles/nanomedicines and biomaterials for biomedical applications, particularly cancer and heart diseases. His lab makes the unique bridge between medical engineering, pharmaceutical nanotechnology and tissue engineering by combining unique techniques to develop novel therapeutic formulations for translation into the clinic. He is also in Editorial board member of several international journals, and Associate Editor of Nano Select, Smart Materials in Medicine, and Drug Delivery and Translational Research, among others. Prof. Santos has received prestigious awards/grants, for example, the "Talent Prize in Science" in 2010 attributed by the Portuguese Government, ERC Starting Grant in 2013 and ERC Proof-of-Concept Grant in 2018, Young Researcher Award in 2013 attributed by Faculty of Pharmacy, the Academy of Finland Award for Social Impact in 2016, and the CRS Young Investigator Award 2021. Luigia has a Bachelor's and a Master’s Degrees in Medical Biotechnology (University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy). She completed a PhD in Chemical Sciences, in the discipline Organic Chemistry, University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy. Her thesis was focused on the design, synthesis and characterization of selenium containing glycoconjugates with antioxidant activity. Luigia has extensive experience as an industry-based researcher, she has co-founded a start-up in the digital health field and she is co-inventor of two European patents. After her PhD graduation, she was part of a multi-disciplinary research team and, in collaboration with a company, she developed a polymeric system for the transdermal, topical delivery of synthetized antioxidants. Luigia has recently been awarded a Marie Curie grant, and her current research focus is the development of multi-engineered selenium nanoparticles for gene therapy of BRAF-mutated melanoma.

• Part I: Selenium in human body and health1. The key role of selenium in human health2. Right intake/metabolism/biochemical pathways3. Selenium involvement in physio-pathological processes4. Organs’ development/functions/diseases (main focuses on: heart, brain, thyroid)Part II: the redox chemistry selenium and its involvement in biological processes5. Selenium as redox modulator (and its duality)6. Selenium status in chronic diseases7. Se in cancer àSe as anticancer, radio protective agent8. Selenium in inflammatory and immune response (virus-covid19)9. Involvement of Se in epigenetics and longevityPart III: Selenium based materials and biomedical applications10. Selenium supplementation as powerful diseases prevention tool àsupplementation/cosmetics11. Se-based materials and their therapeutic applications ànanoparticle/small molecules12. Clinical trials, future perspectives, and challenges of selenium supplementation and therapy