To address the core objectives the NanoBioMitig is organized into interrelated and interdisciplinary Tasks, divided into administrative: Management (coordinated by the PI), Dissemination & Outreach (Task 6); and research and development (R&D)-based: Design of phytochemical bioactive nano-agents (Task 1), Investigation into the relationship between nano-agents surface properties and their bioactivity (Task 2), Environmental compatibility of nano-agents (Task 3), Immobilization of nano-agents in coatings (Task 4) and Anti-biofouling performance of coatings (Task 5).
Primary tasks involving key participant institutions:
Primary Research & Development activities
Task 1 – Design of natural-based nano-agents
Aims to develop methodologies for nano-surface functionalization to design new environmentally friendly bioactive nano-agents, primarily targeting the prevention of pathogenic biofilm. This aligns with one of the core research goals of the project.
Task 2 – Bio-Nano surface interactions
It aims to assess the nano-surface physicochemical properties of the novel nano-agents and their correlation with bioactivity, to achieve a more profound understanding of the properties guiding nano-surface tailoring for bioactive functionality and their interaction with the coating matrices.
Task 3 – Environmental compatibility
Ensuring alignment with a non-toxic strategy, the environmental impact of the developed bioactive nano-systems is a crucial consideration. Despite the benign nature of the active agents, toxicological and environmental fate studies will be conducted using standard protocols to validate their harmlessness to aquatic environments.
Task 4 – Immobilization of nano-agents in coatings
Most promising bioactive nano-agents obtained from previous tasks will be used as functional additives for coating formulations to infer anti-biofouling effects on coated surfaces. Our goal is to deliver practical coatings, prioritizing physical-chemical properties for subsequent assessment of their antifouling potential, paving the way for ultimate application.
Task 5 – Anti-biofouling performance of coatings
Assess the anti-biofouling protection effects and physicochemical stability of the most promising coatings in both simulated and real-life scenarios. The versatility of various substrate materials allows for the designing and evaluation of these coatings across diverse industrial surfaces and applications. This journey involves validating innovative concepts in the field of antifouling coatings.
Task 6 – Dissemination & Outreach
Fosters the dissemination of ongoing activities and significant outcomes, directed towards the scientific and industrial communities, end-users, stakeholders, and the public.
Enhances awareness among the public, the scientific community, and industry regarding the NanoBioMitig project and its accomplishments.
Attract potential students and young researchers to this field. Additionally, it facilitates knowledge transfer through advanced training initiatives for both the project team and students, actively leveraging available networks within the team and their affiliations.