Unipi Team Leader: Prof. Vittoria Raffa, Dipartimento di Biologia 

Recent advances in nanotechnology have opened up a variety of applications in biotechnology and healthcare. Progress in the biocatalysis field relies on developing nanozymes – artificial enzymes with highly effective enzyme-like properties – with better catalytic performance. The challenge is to enhance enzymatic robustness and stability while retaining inherent aspects of enzymes such as high specificity and low toxicity.

Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the NESTOR project plans to synthesise single-atom nanozymes based on versatile iron-oxide materials. Theoretical modelling should allow scientists to investigate the microscopic mechanisms of the enzyme-like active sites. Ultimately, the project will assess the toxicological impact of the newly synthesised nanozymes.

Coordinator

UNIVERSIDAD DE ZARAGOZA, Spain

Other participants

• AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS, Spain
• UNIVERSITA DI PISA, Italy
• NACIONALNI INSTITUT ZA BIOLOGIJO, Slovenia

Start date: 1 October 2021
End date: 30 September 2025
Project cost: € 837 200
Project funding: € 837 200
Unipi quota: € 161 000
Call title: H2020-MSCA-RISE-2020
Unipi role: Partner