The increasing demand for sustainable and efficient solutions in agriculture and human health has driven significant interest in nanoparticle-based delivery systems for bioactive compounds. Nanoparticles have been shown to enhance efficacy by reducing the required dosage of bioactives while simultaneously protecting them from degradation, improving their stability, bioavailability, and controlled release.
However, many conventional nanomaterials raise concerns due to their environmental persistence, potential bioaccumulation, and uncertain long-term ecological impact. In this context, bio-based carriers offer a safer and more sustainable alternative, as they are inherently biodegradable, non-toxic, and derived from renewable resources. Protein-based nanomaterials are particularly attractive because they can naturally degrade into harmless byproducts.
This project aims to develop biodegradable, protein-based nanoparticles loaded with antifungal and bioactive peptides for applications in agriculture and human health. Within the BIOnanoDELY project, formulations will be optimized, and peptide release profiles and functional performance will be systematically evaluated. Antifungal assays and simulated digestion studies will provide insights into their efficacy and suitability for the intended applications.
The project also places strong emphasis on sustainability, dissemination, and collaboration, with the ultimate goal of delivering scalable, environmentally friendly solutions that integrate sustainable materials with advanced delivery nanotechnologies.
The project is expected to contribute to more sustainable solutions in agriculture and human health by reducing the required dosage of active compounds and minimizing environmental impact. It will also support the development of scalable, eco-friendly delivery systems and promote the adoption of bio-based nanotechnologies.
stefania.marzorati@unimi.it
Dr. Stefania Marzorati is a Tenure Track Assistant Professor at the University of Milan, specializing in sustainable materials and green chemistry. Her research focuses on bio-based innovation, transforming agro-industrial waste into biomaterials, nanoparticles, and sustainable polymers for environmental, biomedical, and packaging applications. She also develops green extraction techniques, particularly using supercritical CO₂, to recover high-value bioactive compounds. She has authored around 55 scientific publications and holds two patents. Her work promotes sustainability by combining interdisciplinary research and collaboration with industry and society.
Daniela Maggioni is an Associate Professor enrolled at the Chemistry Department of Università degli Studi di Milano. Her primary research interest deals with the study of different types of nanoparticles such as gold, iron oxide, halloysite nanotubes as well as polymeric ones for biomedical purposes. Her second interest is related to organometallic complexes with diagnostic or therapeutic properties, which can be associated to the nanoparticles affording teranostic nanohybrids. Their study is principally carried out by the use of NMR spectroscopy. She is a member of GIDRM (Italian group of discussion on magnetic resonances). In addition to a course on General and Inorganic Chemistry for biotechnologists, she holds two master's courses on nanoparticles and one on NMR spectroscopy in inorganic chemistry for Chemists.
patricia.estrada@food.ku.dk
Her research focuses on understanding how processing methods impact in vitro plant protein digestibility, antinutrients, and protein oxidation markers.
m.dziurzynski@uw.edu.pl
Mikołaj Dziurzyński is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Poland. In his research, he primarily focuses on in silico systems biology and uses it to investigate fungi-bacteria and fungi-plants interactions. His work centers on the application of metabolic modeling to optimize microorganism cultivation and enhance the production of valuable biological compounds.