Living
organisms
are
multi-scale
constructs.
However,
whether
we
consider
gigantic
mammals
or
unicellular
Paramecium
caudatum,
all
the
behaviours
they
present
are
to
some
extent
direct
effects
of
the
processes
that
occur
at
cellular
level.
It
is
at
the
nanoscale,
with
all
its
specification
and
limitations,
where
basic
activities
as
genome
proliferation,
breeding,
organ
formation,
tissue
maintenance
etc.
have
its
origin.
Because
this
world
is
alien
to
our
senses
and
intuition
humankind
had
a
little
curiosity
in
exploring
it.
Indeed,
our
interest
in
what
happens
at
the
nanoscale
started
recently
with
the
Richard
Feynman´s
famous
lecture
“There's
Plenty
of
Room
at
the
Bottom”
from
the
year
1959.
Visionaries
of
that
time
theorised
about
worlds
being
filled
with
nanoscale
robots
constantly
changing
man´s
environment.
Some
prophesied
“The
Diamond
Age”
-
as
Neal
Stephenson
titled
his
work.
Despite
the
passage
of
time,
nanosciences
are
still
regarded
as
the
ultimate
goal
of
control
over
matter.
It
is
not
yet
explored
entirely,
and
still
has
a
great
potential
for
research
development.
We
have
realised
that
“subduing
earth”
(Gen
1:28)
means
not
only
controlling
with
elan
vast
energies
and
amounts
of
matter,
but
the
challenge
lays
also
in
operating
with
painstakingly
precision
and
efficacy.
A
perfect
example
of
dealing
with
such
complexity
is
the
miniaturisation
trend
that
affected
consumers
electronics,
resulting
in
an
emergence
of
new
technologies
and
tools.
Nanotechnology
has
truly
gone
long
way
from
the
theory,
through
the
scientific
research,
to
its
application
in
our
daily
lives.
Electronic
devices
are
becoming
continuously
and
relentlessly
more
and
more
present
in
virtually
every
aspect
of
our
lives.
Little
by
little
these
innovations
are
arriving
also
into
the
field
of
medicine.
New
tools
originating
from
various
scientific
fields,
such
as:
material
science,
biotechnology,
chemistry,
physics,
engineering
or
medicine
are
appearing
and
find
their
real-life
application.
The
scientific
method,
applied
to
interdisciplinary
fields,
enables
studying,
taming
and
finally
utilizing
natural
biological
processes
to
cure
diseases,
extend
lifespan
and
enhance
the
quality
of
life.
The
work
presented
in
this
thesis
aims
to
contribute
to
these
efforts.
Within
its
scope
are
two
nanoscopic
systems
that
have
their
prospective
use
in
medicine.
They
are
nanometric
lipidic
vesicles
and
protein
nanoparticles
named
Inclusion
Bodies
(IBs).
In
the
first
part
of
the
thesis
we
will
focus
on
characterization
of
vesicular
systems
that
have
prospective
use
as
drug
delivery
systems
(DDS).
Proprietary
solutions
based
on
closed
compartments
made
of
lipidic
bilayer
already
exist.
However
this
rich
field
is
vast
and
there
is
still
plenty
to
discover.
Specifically,
we
will
focus
on
characterization
of
mechanical
properties
of
vesicles
comparing
two
systems:
liposomes
(based
on
phospholipids)
and
quatsomes
(based
on
quaternaty
ammonia
amphyphiles).
We
will
also
inquire
into
how
the
preparation
route
influences
their
mechanical
properties
studying
their
interactions
with
substrates
by
instrumental
analysis.
Those
properties
have
a
vital
impact
on
key
processes
that
determine
drug´s
efficacy:
assimilation,
circulation
and
internalization.
The
second
part
of
this
work
will
focus
on
a
novel
particulate
biomaterial,
Inclusion
Bodies
(IBs),
in
the
light
of
tissue
engineering.
This
new
material
is
very
promising,
as
IBs
are
pure,
highly
hydrated
and
mechanically
stable
protein
nanoparticles.
They
are
easy
to
produce
and
commonly
formed
in
recombinant
bacteria
enabling
production
on
a
scale
up
to
the
industrial
level.
They
are
porous,
highly
hydrated
and
insoluble
in
water.
Their
properties,
such
as
size
or
biological
activity
can
be
easily
fine
tuned
modifying
the
genetic
background
of
the
producing
bacteria.
As
it
is
a
fully
biocompatible
material
we
will
use
them
to
engineer
surfaces
and
explore
their
interactions
with
model
cells
by
quantifying
their
impact
on
various
aspects
of
cell
behaviour.
The
accomplishments
presented
in
this
thesis
may
be
considered
minor,
especially
in
comparison
with
the
visions
unfolded
in
the
first
paragraph
of
this
introduction.
Nevertheless,
the
progress
they
represent
is,
even
if
humbly,
yet
firmly
aiming
towards
the
foreseen
direction.