Faculty seminar "Designing and Obtaining New Carriers Based on Raw Materials from Biorefineries; Process Scaling and Commercialization"
On February 6, 2024 at 11:15 a.m. in Auditorium 1.4. a faculty seminar will take place. Dr. Agnieszka Lewińska (University of Wrocław) will give a speech entitled: "Designing and Obtaining New Carriers Based on Raw Materials from Biorefineries; Process Scaling and Commercialization"
The increasing complexity of the modern world results in a growing number of challenges related to its functioning. This significantly impacts the dynamic nature of scientific research, justifying the pursuit of interdisciplinary topics. Globally, there is a strong advocacy for the development of a sustainable economy that encourages responsible behavior, limiting excessive consumption, and promoting the efficient use of raw materials. That is why designing processes based on the philosophy of "green chemistry" and obtaining biodegradable products that are safer for humans and the environment and using them more effectively, especially those that are expensive or difficult to access, is so important. Consequently, the results that are the basis for my habilitation achievement are a reaction to socio-economic and psychological changes. At the intersection of these aspects, a topic that interests me arose - carriers of active substances based on raw materials of natural origin obtained in a biorefinery.
Initiating my scientific exploration, I designed a waste-free process utilizing probiotic bacteria to produce green chemistry products, specifically a biosurfactant (surfactin) and a biopolymer (levan) with aggregation properties. The introduction of centrifugal partition chromatography for surfactin secretion proved instrumental, enabling the use of reagents with lower purity and reduced quantities compared to traditional chromatography methods, thus enhancing ecological and economic aspects. Tests conducted on levan demonstrated the ability to obtain high-purity and homogeneous fractions, revealing differences in properties based on its structure and origin. Notably, variations were observed in characteristics such as water retention, solubilization degree, and antioxidant properties. This research facilitated the use of novel natural raw materials in constructing carriers of active substances through self-assembly methods. The resulting carriers, named self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEEDS), hybrids, and polymers functionalized with surfactin or constructed from levan, exhibited favorable biodistribution and active penetration through the skin stratum corneum layer. The development of a scalable micronization technique, employing two-stage high-pressure homogenization, led to the production of stable and effective carriers under industrial conditions. Motivated by the potential applications, research conducted on subjects demonstrated the effectiveness of the tested raw materials in cosmetic formulations. Knowledge gained from basic research was successfully translated into scale-up and industrial implementation. The innovative development and implementation of carriers based on renewable raw materials, derived from a waste-free biorefinery, earned recognition with the prestigious international award, "The Cosmetic Victories."