Development of composite particles for pulmonary delivery

In this work, biocompatible and biodegradable poly(D-L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microparticles with the potential for use as a controlled release system of vaccines and other drugs to the lung were manufactured using supercritical CO2, through the Supercritical Assisted Atomization (SAA) technique. After performing a controlled variance in production parameters (temperature, pressure, CO2/solution flow ratio) PLGA microparticles were characterized and later used to encapsulate active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was chosen as model protein and vaccine, while sildenafil was the chosen drug to treat pulmonary artery hypertension and their effect on the particles characteristics was evaluated. All the produced formulations were characterized in relation to their morphology (Morphologi G3 and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM)), to their physical-chemical properties (X-ray diffraction (XRD, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR)) and aerodynamic performance using an in vitro aerosolization study – Andersen cascade impactor (ACI) - to obtain data such as the fine particle fraction (FPF) and the mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD). Furthermore, pharmacokinetic, biodegradability and biocompatibility tests were performed in order to verify the particle suitability for inhalation. The resulting particles showed aerodynamic diameters between the 3 and 5 μm, yields up to 58% and FPF percentages rounding the 30%. Taken as a whole, the produced microparticles do present the necessary requests to make them appropriate for pulmonary delivery.

Gold nanoparticles for plasmid delivery

Gene therapy presents an ideal strategy for the treatment of genetic as well as acquired diseases, such as cancer and typically involves the insertion of a functioning gene into cells to correct a cellular dysfunction or to provide a new cellular function. Gene delivery vectors are based in two models: viral and non-viral. Viral vectors have high transfection efficiency but their major barrier is immunogenicity. Since the non-viral vectors have no immunogenicity, these have been widely studied. Gold nanoparticles have been proposed as optimal delivery systems of genetic material, due their small size, high surface-to-volume ratio and the ability to be functionalized with multiple molecules. In the present work, an AuNP-based formulation was developed to deliver a plasmid in a colorectal cancer cell line, containing as reporter gene the gene encoding to EGFP. The delivery system resulted from the functionalization of 14 nm AuNP with a PEG layer (4300114 PEG chains/AuNP), which increases stability and biocompatibility of AuNPs; quaternary ammonium groups which provide positive charges that allow electrostatic binding of plasmid, which is considered the therapeutic agent to be transported into cells. The system developed was characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, DLS, TEM and by electrophoretic mobility, yielding a formulation with 113.5 nm.Transfection efficiency of the formulation developed was evaluated through PCR and through EGFP expression by fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. The internalization was observed 3h post transfection; however a low level of EGFP expression was achieved. After 24h of incubation, EGFP expression increases just 3 times compared to non-transfected cells. The commercial system (Lipofectamine) expressed EGFP 5 times more than the system developed AuNP@PEG@R4N+@pEGFP. This difference could be related to lower translocation to the nucleus.

Development of cyclodextrin-hydrogel polymeric systems in scCO2 for drug delivery

Thesis for the Degree of Master of Science in Bioorganic Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Development of electrospun Ion jelly fibers® for drug delivery

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Biotecnologia

Development of molecularly imprinted polymers using supercritical fluid technology

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Química Sustentável

Heuristics and policies for online pickup and delivery problems

Master Thesis

Preparation of gas-filled porous microparticles (GPPs) and microbubbles (MBs) by PGSS method

Dissertation to obtain the Master Degree in Biotechnology

Development of chitosan-based microparticles for pulmonary drug delivery

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química e Bioquímica

Overexpressing BDNF in Neural Stem Cells using non-viral gene delivery strategies

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Biotecnologia

Physical and chemical assessment of lime–metakaolin mortars: Influence of binder:aggregate ratio

Cement & Concrete Composites 45 (2014) 264–271

Cancer theranostics: multifunctional gold nanoparticles for diagnostics and therapy

Doctorate in Biology, Specialty in Biotechnology

Ratio Studiorum, do ensino tutorial ao ensino em sala de aula

Dissertação apresentada para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Ensino da Filosofia no Ensino Secundário

Texts prepared for delivery at Paul Krugman's honorary doctorate by three Lisbon universities on 27 February, 2012

Three texts were prepared for delivery at the first honorary doctorate awarded simultaneously by three Lisbon universities on 27 February, 2012: an introduction, a lecture and a comment. The event included the award of member of the Lisbon Academy of Science (ACL) by Manuel Jacinto Nunes, dean of the economics and finance section of ACL who proposed his name and Olivier Blanchard’s on the 30th anniversary of James Tobin receiving an honorary doctorate from Nova University. On 24 February , Paul Krugman visited ACL and participated in a session of the project dubbed “Letter to the lusofonia Queen”. Since this project is promoted by Nova SBE’s Center for Globalization and Governance and has been featured in some of the graduate courses, a short note on the meeting is included in annex. On 15 June, the three universities authorized an edition in Portuguese and donated the copyrights to a student award on “Krugman economics”, in a way still to be determined by the editor. The lecture and the comment will be translated as soon as a suitable publisher is found. Since a lot of the teaching at Nova SBE is in English, it seemed appropriate to reproduce the original texts in the order in which they were presented. A lively question and answer period was also recorded by Nova TV and should be made available in the book, together with highlights of the media coverage. Introduced as a “militant economist”, he speaks about a crisis “his mind loves but does not let the heart forget the poor and the unemployed”. The Nobel prize winner described as a“progressist pessimist of the world economy” concludes with a severe indictment of the profession. “In normal times, when things are going pretty well, the world can function reasonably well without professional economic advice. It’s in times of crisis, when practical experience suddenly proves useless and events are beyond anyone’s normal experience, that we need professors with their models to light the path forward. And when the moment came, we failed”. The comment, by the official responsible for Paul Krugman’s mission to Portugal in 1976, contains an equally dire prediction: “I would very much like to see in the near future the weakening of the influence not only of freshwater economists but also of their conservative European followers. But I fear that this will not happen until we find ourselves in a more calamitous situation than at present”. Fortunately Silva Lopes closes in the hope “that the ideas of Paul Krugman will soon have more influence in policy makers than at present seems to be the case”.

Business development in Siemens global shared services delivery center Portugal

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Drivers and barriers to value creation in mobile service delivery

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics