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Dr. José A. Martins

Dehydropeptide-based self-assembled hydrogels

Short Abstract:

Self-assembled peptide-based hydrogels are archetypical nanostructured materials with a plethora of foreseeable applications in nanomedicine. The Peptide Soft Materials Group at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Minho has contributed to this research field with various studies on minimalist dehydropeptide-based self-assembled hydrogels as nanocarriers for drug delivery applications. In this talk I will make an overview of the work developed by the research group on this topic. I will also discuss recent results on the preparation and characterisation of magnetic dehydropeptide-based hydrogels (with incorporated magnetic nanoparticles) as potential theranostic agents, allying MRI imaging to hyperthermia capabilities.

Short CV:

José Alberto Martins (JAM) graduated in Biochemistry from the University of Coimbra (Portugal) and obtained a PhD in Chemistry (Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry) from the University of Warwick (UK). JAM is, since the year 2000, a Lecturer at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Minho. JAM was a visiting academic at the Department of Chemistry at Bath University (UK) from 2013-14. JAM is a member of the Peptide Soft Materials Group at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Minho. His main research interests focus on metal complexes and self-assembled nanostructures and nanomaterials (micelles, vesicles, peptide hydrogels) containing metal complexes as medical imaging and theranostic agents. JAM has participated in various research projects funded by national agencies. JAM publishes regularly in academic journals (around 50 publications) and is co-inventor of two patents. JAM has (co)supervised various Masters and PhD students and Postdoc researchers.

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