GENERAL SEMINAR: Prof. Dr. habil. Cecilia Cristea, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 4 Pasteur Street, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
ABOUT PROF. CRISTEA
Prof. Cristea is the Director of the Drugs Bioanalysis and Nanotechnologies Research Center – BioNanoMed and of the Department Pharmacy 1, from the Faculty of Pharmacy, „Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca. The Research center is using an interdisciplinary approach to identify and analyze drugs, metabolites, biomarkers, drugs of abuse, and pathogen bacteria from biological fluids, and environmental and food samples. In this regard, different analytical and physical techniques are used.
After graduating from the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Babes Bolyai University, she also graduates from the Faculty of Pharmacy from “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca. She received her Ph.D. in chemistry at the Rennes 1 University, France, and Babes Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Professor Cristea is a member of the Scientific Council of the Bioelectrochemical Society (BES) and Associate Editor of the Microchemical Journal. Her research interests are in the development and implementation of advanced molecular materials for electrochemical sensing devices for biologically relevant molecules and the design of new (bio)sensors and biomimetic approaches for biomedical applications, pharmaceutical, food, and environmental analysis. The selection of aptamers for biosensing purposes but also for targeted drug delivery is a new research direction of her interest.
ABOUT RESEARCH
From the selection process to the advancement of cutting-edge devices leveraging DNA nanotechnology
Cecilia Cristea, Magdolna Casian, Alexandra Pusta, Oana Hosu-Stancioiu, Mihaela Tertiș
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 4 Pasteur Street, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
ccristea@umfcluj.ro
Aptamers are short, single-stranded DNA or RNA sequences obtained from a random oligonucleotide library via systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) technology. They can bind to a wide range of targets with high affinity and specificity, including ions, small molecules, proteins, cells, and tissues. Often referred to as “chemical antibodies”, their improved thermal and chemical stability, small size, low immunogenicity, and little to no batch-to-batch variation by chemical synthesis make them promising biorecognition tools for numerous applications including diagnosis, drug delivery, therapeutics and pharmaceutical analysis [1].
This presentation introduces the universe of aptamers, highlighting the multiple pathways they can bring specificity to the table when designing biosensors or targeted delivery systems. Our recent advancements in aptamer selection through magnetic bead SELEX technology for glycopeptide antibiotics will be presented, with possible applications in therapeutic drug monitoring and personalized treatment. Other examples include various electrochemical platform designs that combine aptamers and nanomaterials as diagnostic tools for cancer. Moreover, the use of aptamers as targeting agents on the surface of magnetic nanocarriers will be shown, for the development of novel drug delivery systems for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment [2]. The advantages and future directions for the continued development of aptamer-based personalized medicine are also discussed.
References
- I. Manea, M. Casian, O. Hosu-Stancioiu, N. de-los-Santos-Álvarez, M.J. Lobo-Castañón, C. Cristea, Analytica Chimica Acta (2024) 1297, 342325.
- A. Pusta, M. Tertis, I. Crăciunescu, R. Turcu, S. Mirel, C. Cristea, Pharmaceutics (2023) 15(7), 1872.