Project Portugal 2030

Summary

Our mission is to unlock the full potential of SLPs by developing a comprehensive, application-driven library, from a vast list of designs that will be narrowed down throughout project evolution. This groundbreaking project will empower the development of revolutionary formulations for hair and skin health, while simultaneously enabling the design of cutting-edge drug delivery systems and scaffolds. Ultimately, the development of greener biosurfactants will be achieved. In summary, the scientific and technological objectives of PepPOWER comprise: i) to understand the structure, interactions and assembly of a wide library of SLPs at a molecular level, through modelling techniques, ii) to efficiently express and purify SLPs in fungi strains, iii) to manufacture nanoformulations: nanoemulsions or filled SLPs nanostructures, iv) to test their efficiency as hair and skin formulations in vitro and ex vivo as well as to address the compounds’ delivery, v) to indicate the most promising SLPs formulations able to replace current surfactants/emulsifiers and vi) to evolve peptides research and nanotechnology fields. The need for solutions that are both more successful in their action and safer for people and for the environment started the research and development of bio-based formulations. Traditionally, in bio-based emulsions, the surfactants comprehend an assorted group of compounds synthesized by microorganisms, such as lipopeptides, glycolipids, phospholipids, fatty acids, particulate biosurfactants and polymeric surfactants[9]. The SLPs emerge as a new attractive option to produce stable and less costly emulsions since they are biodegradable, biocompatible, versatile, and flexible building blocks. One strong reason behind the choice of SLPs is the green seal of these peptides in substitution of common surfactants in personal care products. Most commercial surfactants are from petrochemical sources and represent a health and environmental concern due to the massive amount of compounds released to wastewater on a daily basis [10,11]. Traditional surfactants are non-biodegradable and usually toxic to the environment due to bioaccumulation[12]. Notably, they are many times harsh for skin and hair/scalp structures. Regarding applications in medicine and pharmaceuticals, we reinforce that this same class can generate remarkable supramolecular structures to be used as drug-delivery systems or as scaffolds, and we can particularize it for cancer research, by using surface strategies, which favour interaction and targeting towards cell membranes or overexpressed enzymes. We ultimately aim at the development of new biomaterials and nanotechnology arising from this project. Our bioengineering strategy, which gathers in silico and experimental domains will efficiently unlock this class of peptides, proposing novel and innovative solutions with the potential to impact several industries.