Research themes of the PPB research group
Research Themes Phosphates, Pharmacotechnics, Biomaterials
The research group PPB ("Phosphates, Pharmacotechnics, Biomaterials" of the CIRIMAT Institute gathers physico-chemists and pharmacists (galenics) around multidisciplinary themes. The research activity is centered on the synthesis, the processing, the characterization and the reactivity of materials for biomedical applications.
The group is located on 2 geographic sites of the Toulouse unive rsity Campus : the ENSIACET and the Faculty of Pharmacy of Toulouse, with also the intervention of colleagues from the university technological institute (IUT) of Castres.
Our activities, ranging from the elaboration of innovative (nano)materials and medical devices up to technological transfer are developed in interaction with various socio-economical partners (SME, large industrial groups, medical clusters…) or academic, to a regional, national and international level.
Part of the research activities concerns the synthesis, the thorough characterization and the reactivity of the calcium phosphates, and especially of biomimetic nanocrystalline apatites analogous to bone mineral ; and to the development of various biomedical applications baed on these compounds : bone tissue engineering, drug delivery, setup of nanoprobes for medical imaging, bioactive coatings…
A large domain of activity is dedicated to the fine characterization of nanocrystalline calcium phosphates, including of their hydrated surface features (e.g. hydrated layer on biomimetic apatite nanocrystals). Various methods are used, often in collaboration with other labs (vibrational spectroscopies and microscopies IR and Raman, solid state NMR, XPS…).
Another part of the research activities of the group is dedicated to the study of biopolymer-based systems and their applications in medicine (e.g. for the preparation of innovative patches, stimuli-responsive matrices, foams…) both for hard tissue and soft tissue repair.
These multidisciplinary research activities are often led in collaboratiobn with biologists, surgeons and dentists.
The study of natural cacifications is also a focus of the group.
Our research leads to numerous applications in the field of biomaterials : new formulations of bone cements, setup of low-temperature bioactive and resorbable bioceramics, bioactive coatings, setup of nanoprobes for medical imaging, elaboration of biocompatible (nano)composites, possibly stimuli-responsive…
All these applications have raised the interest of numerous companies (Teknimed, Rhodia, Transystème…) as well as of Academic laboratories, for example in the scope of national, european or international programs (EBFR, PORELEASE, AUTOBONE…).
Our group interacts with competitiveness clusters (e.g. Cancer-Bio-Health (CBS)), the Advanced Galenics platform GALA or else medical clusters such as the AFIRM Association (ASSOCIATION FRANCE INNOVATION EN RECHERCHE MEDICALE).