Building knowledge and tools for the sustainable microbial fighting through sensing and responsive polysaccharide-based materials

The worldwide pollution triggered by non-biodegradable plastics requires alternative sustainable/eco-friendly materials for all applications. On the other hand, pathogenic microbial resistance is demanding the development of materials that accurately detect and actuate against pathogenic microorganisms. To exploit an approach that answer both these issues, NET4MAT will bring together experts with complementary skills, building an interdisciplinary and intersectoral consortium between academia/research institutes/industry. NET4MAT network will explore the feasibility of combining microbial sensing lanthanide-glycoclusters and antimicrobial porphyrinoids with biodegradable and biocompatible polysaccharide-based formulations. With UAveiro focused on synthesizing porphyrinoids and processing 3D structures using the functional polysaccharide-based formulations; CSIC dedicated in extruding bionanocomposites; and DTU focused on electrospinning of NET4MAT materials, it will be created knowledge for developing microbial sensing and responsive biodegradable materials. In a complementary way, UCD will be focused on the synthesis of lanthanide-glycoclusters; GINP, pioneers in using nanocarbohydrates as biocomposites fillers, will improve the materials processability; and HUJI will evaluate the materials antimicrobial activity, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. All together with NOFIMA, SPARTHA, BLAFAR, COLFEED, BEEVC, and COMPONIT will define pathways to scale-up/demonstrate the NET4MAT prototypes, generating skills in different interconnected fields. HISEEDTECH will help NET4MAT partners to create value from knowledge through technology entrepreneurship and open innovation. This is a consortium involving early-stage/senior researchers that by sharing know-how will optimize the best strategies for developing microbial sensing/responsive polysaccharide-based materials, raising up a disruptive breakthrough towards on-demand development antimicrobial biodegradable plastics.