Interazioni tra Nanomateriali e Biomolecole: Fabbricazione, Caratterizzazione e Applicazione di Nanobiomateriali Ibridi

In recent decades, the rise of nanotechnology provided scientists with the unprecedented ability to manipulate and engineer materials at the nanoscale, revealing novel physical-chemical properties not observed in the respective bulk version. The study of the complex interplay between nanomaterials and biological molecules is central to these developments, and it is described as the study of nanomaterial-biomolecule interactions or nano-bio interactions. The understanding of these interactions is crucial for designing and fabricating novel nano-biohybrids with tailored functionalities. The present thesis reports on the doctoral three-year training that was focused on exploring the fabrication, characterization, and application of nano-biomaterials, with a particular attention dedicated to patented iron oxide nanoparticles called Surface Active Maghemite Nanoparticles (SAMNs) and developed at the University of Padova. The primary aim of this work was to investigate the role of SAMNs as versatile nanostructures for developing multifunctional nanohybrids, and to exploit their potential in different biotechnological applications. In addition, nucleic acid nanostructures were investigated for their role in DNA-nanoparticle interaction systems, and for advanced synthetic biology applications. This doctoral work contributed high-impact research papers, that address key challenges in nanotechnology, to the scientific community. To provide the reader with an overview on the complex topic of bio-nano-hybrids, this doctoral thesis is structured in different chapters. The introduction chapter (§1.) contains a general overview on nano-hybrids and the nanomaterial-biomolecule interactions that stabilize their assembly. The Material and Methods chapter (§2.) presents additional technical and theoretical information, while the core section of the work, i.e. the Results chapter, contains a description of the main results. In this section (§3.), the main outcomes of the three-year doctoral training, represented by eight scientific papers published on peer-reviewed international journals, are fully presented. The articles are ordered following their publication date. The Discussion section (§4.) reports an overview of the scientific papers, summarizing aims, results, major achievements, and future perspectives of each publication. Lastly, the Overall Conclusion chapter (§5.) summarizes all information gathered from the doctoral research work, in relation with current state of the art nanohybrid knowledge, to address future perspectives and developments in nano-biotechnology. This thesis provides an exploration of several interactions between nanomaterials and biological molecules, offering new insights into the design and applications of novel nano-biomaterials. The present research findings will contribute to the development of the next generation nanohybrids with wide-ranging applications, from targeted tumor therapies to advanced synthetic biology.