Green glycochemistry
To obtain these new smart biomaterials, eco-friendly chemistry is most often used, following the main principles of green chemistry. Starting with biosourced carbohydrates, direct and selective functionalization is favored to obtain building blocks capable of self-assembly in solution or as thin films.
New and existing methodologies are used and improved, enabling fast, efficient and scalable access to glycopolymers (block copolymers, glycoamphiphiles, glycoconjugates, polysaccharide derivatives).
Controlling glycopolymer self-assembly
The team has built up relevant expertise in the molecular design of carbohydrates to control their self-assembly properties in solution or as thin films. We have developed shaping processes to obtain glycostructures of various sizes and morphologies.
- Glyco-nanoparticles for encapsulating active or functional agents (drugs, colorants, fragrances, (bio)catalysts, etc.).
- Glyco-nanostructured thin films for (bio)nanoelectronics (nanolithography, OLEDs, transistor memories, photovoltaics, etc.).
- Supramolecular glyco-gels for matrix therapy, disease treatment and fat phase texturing (cosmetics, lubricants, food, dermopharmaceuticals, etc.).
- Electrospun glyco-fibers for stimuli-sensitive actuators, selective filtration membranes, etc.
These glycostructures are studied using tools applied to soft matter (radiation scattering, imaging techniques, etc.) such as elastic and quasi-elastic light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering and electron microscopy (TEM, cryo-TEM, SEM and AFM).
Recent research contracts
- Efficient chiral separation using electrospun cellulose membranes (ANR PRC -ChiralCell 2023-2027)
- New structural color biomaterials from self-assembly of biobased brush copolymers (ANR PRC – SugarColors 2023-2027)
- Laboratoire International France-Taiwan CNRS-UGA-NTU in Taipei – Green Material Institute (2021-2025)
- Stealth carbohydrates as antibacterial agents (EUR-CBH 2023-2026)
- Carbohydrate Block Copolymers for stretchable transistor memory devices (IDEX IRGA GLYCO_TRANSISTOR 2021-2024)
The A2G team (november 2023)
The A2G team (november 2023)
Permanent staff
- Redouane Borsali, Director of Research – CNRS (team leader) redouane.borsali[@]cermav.cnrs.fr
- Sami Halila, Research Scientist – CNRS sami.halila[@]cermav.cnrs.fr
- Issei Otsuka, Research Scientist – CNRS issei.otsuka[@]cermav.cnrs.fr
- Christophe Travelet, Research Enginner – CNRS christophe.travelet[@]cermav.cnrs.fr
