Projekti
MARILIA - YOUR SAFE WATER DROP We are building novel pathogen detection test for the analysis of water samples
The state-of-the-art in water testing is based on cultivation-based techniques that require one or more days until results are obtained. In classical approaches, water is filtered using a membrane that retains bacteria cells. The membrane is subsequently incubated on selective media. Commercial reporter enzyme-based assays such as the Colilert and Enterolert are also used to identify single types of species. Due to the high economic pressure, other, more sophisticated molecular techniques such as PCR are rarely used for routine tests. As a result, the cost-effective, cultivation-based identification of pathogens using selective media is more frequently applied.
In MARILIA, we aim to develop a breakthrough pathogen detection assay for monitoring water safety that significantly increases the speed and assay performance. Especially the number of pathogenic species that can be detected with a single test will be increased, making it possible to use only a single assay for water safety testing.
The reduction of labour-intense cultivation-steps that, up to now, have to be conducted separately for every target species will also massively reduce personnel cost and the amount of required consumables. In addition to advances concerning cost, speed and the multiplexing capability, our most ambitious goal is the development of a quantitative method that enables the detection of even single cells. The prototype that will be developed during this project can transform the water testing market. However, we foresee a very high potential of the detection technology also for other products and markets.
The fast, sensitive, and cost-effective detection of pathogens is also highly important in many other sectors, such as the food, agricultural, and healthcare sector. Once the detection system is established using water samples, alternative sample sources will be targeted after the end of the project. The technology and consumables of the pathogen detection assay will remain the same because the pathogens are the same.
Due to cost-intensive regulation requirements in the healthcare sector, we have decided to develop products for less regulated markets such as the water and food sector first.
After establishing successful products in these sectors, a start-up will also explore options to enter the human diagnostic market due to its huge potential.
Molekularno prepoznavanje DNA:RNA hibridnih i višelančanih struktura u bioanalitičkim i in vitro sustavima
HrZZ Istraživački projekt IP-2018-01-4694
Višekromoforne probe za prepoznavanje pojedinih struktura DNA, RNA i proteina (BioMultiChromoProbes)
HrZZ projekt br. 5475
"Višekromoforne probe za prepoznavanje pojedinih struktura DNA, RNA i proteina"
Multifunctional molecular sensing of DNA/RNA secondary structure by chemical sensors - DNA/RNA-MolSense
Molecular recognition of nucleic acids is of fundamental importance e.g. for gene transcription and regulation, protein synthesis or cell-division. Small molecules selectively targeting specific DNAs or RNAs are therefore highly interesting not only to understand such processes in more detail on a molecular level but also for potential medicinal applications, as sensors or probes for fluorescence based bioimaging as well as for analytical purposes in isolated biosamples.
HAMAG-BICRO Program provjere inovativnog koncepta: PoC6_11_47 "Nova dijagnostička metoda za demenciju Alzheimerovog tipa"
Ovim projektom provjerit će se validnost nove dijagnostičke metode za demencije Alzheimerovog tipa. Na projektu sudjeluju znanstvenici LBIS i Laboratorija za molekularnu neuropsihijatriju (LMNP), partneri su specijalisti i znanstvenici Zavoda za biologijsku psihijatriju i psihogerijatriju, Klinike za psihijatriju Vrapče
Europski socijalni fond ESF - HR.3.2.01-0254 "Jačanje kapaciteta u medicinskoj kemiji i istraživanju bioaktivnih sustava".
Projektni tim Instituta Ruđer Bošković sastavljen od pet mladih istraživača i poslijedoktoranada provesti će konkurentno znanstveno istraživanja u područja medicinske kemije relevantno za farmaceutsku industriju Republike Hrvatske i sektor zdravlja. Jačanje upravljačkih i istraživačkih kompetencija mladih istraživača i poslijedoktoranada provest će se edukacijom na odabranim stručnim radionicama. Diseminacija rezultata projekta provest će se u cilju ostvarenja suradnje sa znanstvenicima u Europskom istraživačkom prostoru i s poslovnim sektorom Republike Hrvatske.
Cyanine derived dyes – new nucleic acid probes and bioprobes with antitumor and antibacterial activity, CyaBioProbe
The application of molecular probes for visualizing biomolecules and biological samples is gaining importance in biochemical and biomedical research. Besides biological target detection, some probes display antitumor and antibacterial effects. This feature is particularly significant given the rise of antibiotic resistance and the escalating incidence of various cancer types.
Among numerous non-covalent small molecule probes, cyanine dyes are known as excellent nucleic acid probes and agents for in vitro and in vivo visualization and therapeutic use. Monomethine and polymethine cyanine dyes make excellent molecular probes due to their distinctive features, such as high extinction coefficients, deeper tissue penetration, reduced background autofluorescence and sensitivity to their molecular environment.
The project is expected to result in new bioprobes with monomethine and polymethine (tri-, penta-, and mainly heptamethine) cyanine structures with the possibility of target recognition, their visualization, and/or biological effect. This will be achieved by fulfilling the following goals: synthesis of new compounds, investigating their interactions with biomacromolecules, and studying the biological effect in vitro and in vivo. Nanosized hydrogels as delivery systems for therapeutic applications will also be explored.
The project will contribute to the enrichment of field research and the synthetic library of our laboratory with a new generation of cyanine-based probes with the potential for visualization and selective recognition of biological targets and therapeutics. It will enable the publication of research results in quality journals, and strengthen inter-institutional collaboration. New cyanine derivatives can be applied in molecular medicine for the detection of specific molecules/biomolecules, drug research and development and the monitoring of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in environmental samples, food products and animal feed.
Sinekološka STEM EDUKAcija u Klinči
Projektom "Sinekološka STEM EDUKAcija u Klinči" se planira pojačati kapacitet udruge EDUKA - centra lokalnog razvoja općine Klinča Sela sa svrhom popularizacije prirodoslovnih znanosti za krajnje korisnike djecu, mlade te opću populaciju s posebnim naglaskom na nadarenu djecu.
ZNANSTVENA AVANTURA
Projektom se unaprjeđuju kapaciteti EDUKE te partnerskih obrazovnih organizacija za razvoj i implementaciju STEM aktivnosti kroz studijska putovanja, konferencije, STEM sajmove te izobrazbom sa mentorstvom tijekom koji će 18 zaposlenika i volontera razvijati nova znanja i metode rada. Organizirati će se i provesti STEM radionice iz područja fizike, znanosti o mozgu, astronomije, okolišu i zaštiti okoliša, kemije, biologije, biomedicina, GLOBE programa, agronomije, meteorologije, virtualne stvarnosti za učenike osnovnih škola i vrtića, a u svrhu popularizacije te povećanja prilika i dostupnosti kvalitetnih STEM programa. U 120 radionica godišnje biti će uključeno 700 učenika godišnje uz 12 javnih predstavljanje STEM aktivnosti godišnje.
Novi peptid-oligonukleotid-kromofor konjugati za biokemijsku dijagnostiku I bioaktivnost
HrZZ IP-2022-10-9829; „Novi peptid-oligonukleotid-kromofor konjugati za biokemijsku dijagnostiku I bioaktivnost“