PhD Candidate

THOMAI LAZOU

Email

thlazou@materials.uoc.gr

Phone

Office

Personal web page

Title

Hybrid Protein-Polymer Proteinosomes

Supervisor

VELONIA KALLIOPI, Assistant Professor, Materials Science & Technology Dept. - UOC

Committee Members

ARMATAS GERASIMOS, Associate Professor, Materials Science & Technology Dept. - UOC

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Abstract

In Nature, (bio)molecules spontaneously form highly functional supramolecular assemblies through noncovalent interactions. The development of synthetic, hybrid supramolecular assemblies would without doubt be beneficial in numerous nanotechnological and biomedical applications however, remains challenging. The recently introduced amphiphilic protein-polymer conjugates - Giant Amphiphiles - integrate protein functionality with polymer material properties and self-assembly. While hydrophilic protein-polymer bioconjugates of diverse functionality have evolved, Giant Amphiphiles and their self-assembled superstructures -proteinosomes- remained largely unfathomed.This project aims to use acquired synthetic knowledge and lead biohybrid research to a conceptually new direction which allows an unprecedented control over the regulation of their adapting architectures for biotechnological and biomedical applications. This line of research is motivated by the increasing need to develop responsive soft nanostructures suitable for biomedical and biotechnological applications.