Nanobioscience

From dancing supermolecules to the medicine of the future

LIFE’s emerging elite research area within nanobioscience and biophysics

Biological phenomena measuring 1-100 nanometres are the focal point of LIFE’s emerging elite research area within nanobioscience and biophysics. Research is, among other things, conducted into how cells communicate with each other and their surroundings to develop new and better options for diagnosing and treating diseases in future.

We have asked professor and anchorperson Knud J. Jensen eight sharp questions about LIFE’s emerging elite research area within nanobioscience and biophysics:

• Where is this research area currently heading as a field?
• How does LIFE contribute to research into nanobioscience and biophysics worldwide?
• Which other promising research projects would you like to mention?
• If the elite research area becomes the projected success in the coming years, what do you hope to achieve?
• How will LIFE students benefit from this emerging elite research area?
• What are your considerations in relation to collaborating with stakeholders such as companies, authorities or others that may have a particular interest in this specific elite research area?
• Is LIFEscienceUPDATE the only place where you can follow the emerging elite research area’s results?

Where is the nanobioscience research area currently heading as a field?

Anchorperson Knud Jensen answers:

“Nanobioscience is a huge and rapidly developing area because it offers endless possibilities within, among other things, the development of drugs, but also within testing for pathogenic organisms and medical diagnostics.

Revolutionising pharmaceutical research

We quite simply expect nanobioscience to revolutionise global pharmaceutical research. Within a number of years, we will thus be able to buy entirely new types of drugs. Nanobioscience is also expected to revolutionise the way we produce materials, e.g. within the plastics industry.

Special optical properties reveal diseases

Nanobioscience is extremely useful when testing a patient for a given disease as many types of nanoparticles have interesting optical properties which make it possible to see colour changes indicating potential diseases with the naked eye.

New potential types of insulin

Nanobioscience is also a very important tool for developing potential, new types of insulin treatment for diabetics. Based on nanobioscience principles, you can, for example, fine-tune the amount of insulin released, so that it – to a larger extent – resembles the blood sugar level of a healthy individual.

More and more businesses are thus becoming aware of the potential of nanobioscience, which will, in future, facilitate partnerships across universities and businesses for the purpose of developing nanomedicine.”

Cheaper and faster test methods benefiting developing countries

As mentioned above, nanobioscience also opens up numerous perspectives within disease testing. Testing is currently a resource-demanding process which often requires advanced equipment and a relatively large amount of blood from patients. It typically also takes a relatively long time before the test results are available.

With our good infrastructure and accessible health system, testing works fairly well in Denmark. In the developing countries, it is quite a different situation. People often have to wait for a very long time to obtain the result of, e.g., a blood sample – either because of a lack of technology or infrastructure or for financial reasons.

We hope that research in nanobioscience will provide faster, cheaper and more efficient test methods, so that people will only have to, e.g., press their finger against a small piece of paper and have their test result within 15 minutes.”

How does LIFE contribute to research into nanobioscience and biophysics worldwide?

“At LIFE, one of our core competencies is the production of molecules with biological activity, which is seen in, e.g., drugs. We combine this with advanced biophysics to understand how these molecules behave at nanoscale.”

Help on its way for diabetics

To name one example of our research activities, we are developing so-called hexamers, a kind of supermolecule, if you like. Here, several molecules have combined and obtained new properties. We would like to be able to control this process, because when two artificially produced insulin molecules, for example, combine they are more slow-acting and contribute to giving the patient a more stable blood sugar level which, to a larger extent, mimics the condition in a healthy individual. To make these insulin molecules combine, we apply a so-called ligand, a substance that controls molecular behaviour. How the ligand works is best described by the Lancers’ Quadrille: Everyone is dancing and the first couple joins hands with the second couple and so the dance continues – those hands illustrate how ligands work. They help us control how the molecules ‘dance’.

Most advanced laboratory equipment in Denmark

To analyse the processes, we have the most advanced laboratory equipment in Denmark, among other things an instrument based on X-rays. This instrument can, e.g., analyse whether the molecules are taking part in the ‘Lancers’ Quadrille’. It can also be used to examine the potential of new materials, e.g. plastics.

Which other promising research projects would you like to mention?
Knud Jensen answers: “We are working on new insulin variants. Our research does not translate directly into new drugs, but we create the knowledge required to develop these insulin supermolecules.

Gold nanoparticles for diagnostics
We are also working with gold nanoparticles to exploit their special optical properties in disease diagnostics. And we are conducting research into so-called nanodiscs, which can use a fragment of a cell membrane to reveal the behaviour of a specific protein.”

If the emerging elite research area becomes the projected success in the coming years, what do you hope to achieve?

“Well, in that case we will have created the new knowledge required to develop even better and more efficacious drugs. We have also developed new tools to understand nanoscale phenomena. We are expecting that this new knowledge base will also enable us to make a solid contribution to developing new smart materials and new diagnostics methods. We hope that we, also in future, we be able to attract even more attention and recognition for our work, so that we can continue to attract the most talented researchers and students to this research area. To this end, we will continue publishing our findings in the most recognised journals.”

How will LIFE students benefit from this emerging elite research area?

“In a number of ways. Through research-based teaching and projects which offer students the opportunity to participate in creating new knowledge in the area. Through our partnerships with industry, the students will also regularly be in close contact with the world outside academia. We will also continue to support the industrial PhD scheme and, at the same time, encourage our students to write their thesis in collaboration with a relevant company.”

What are your considerations in relation to collaborating with stakeholders such as companies, authorities or others that may have a particular interest in this specific emerging elite research area?

“We have already formed strong partnerships with businesses, both large and small. And we will focus on maintaining these partnerships and, preferably, extending them.”

Is LIFEscienceUPDATE the only place where you can follow the elite research area’s results?

“Yes, on our website at www.igm.life.ku.dk/Research/Nanobioscience , www.np3.life.ku.dk and on LIFE’s website.”

 

Facts on LIFEs elite research areas

 

LIFE is one of the world's leading university environments within life sciences. It has eight cross-disciplinary and cross-departmental elite research areas and six emerging elite research areas.