Lignin-based Materials for Biomedical Applications

Patrícia Figueiredo is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki, where she obtained her PhD in Pharmaceutical Technology with honors in 2020. Her research is focused on the development of lignin-based nanosystems with potential application in biomedicine and food science. She has authored/co-authored 37 publications, including reviews and book chapters, and 6 oral/poster presentations in international scientific meetings. She also has more than 800 citations and h-index=14. Prof. Santos (D.Sc. Tech., Chem. Eng.) is a Full Professor in Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Groningen. He is also Research Director at the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Pharmacy. Prof. Santos is also the co-founder of the startups Capsamedix Oy and Medixmicro Oy, and Coordinator of MSCA-ITN P4 FIT network in tendon repair (~4.1 m€). He holds Visiting Professorships at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and University of Tartu. Prof. Santos research interests include the development of nanoparticles/nanomedicines and biomaterials for biomedical applications, particularly cancer and heart diseases. His lab makes the unique bridge between medical engineering, pharmaceutical nanotechnology and tissue engineering by combining unique techniques to develop novel therapeutic formulations for translation into the clinic. He is also in Editorial board member of several international journals, and Associate Editor of Nano Select, Smart Materials in Medicine, and Drug Delivery and Translational Research, among others. Prof. Santos has received prestigious awards/grants, for example, the "Talent Prize in Science" in 2010 attributed by the Portuguese Government, ERC Starting Grant in 2013 and ERC Proof-of-Concept Grant in 2018, Young Researcher Award in 2013 attributed by Faculty of Pharmacy, the Academy of Finland Award for Social Impact in 2016, and the CRS Young Investigator Award 2021.

1 Introduction to lignocellulosic materials2 Lignin: an innovative, complex, and highly flexible plantmaterial/component3 Lignin extraction and isolation methods4 Types of lignin, properties, and structuralcharacterization techniques5 Chemical modifications of lignin6 Requirements and properties of biomaterials forbiomedical applications7 Development of lignin-based nanoparticles: fabricationmethods and functionalization approaches8 Lignin-based materials with UV-blocking property9 Lignin-based materials with antioxidant andantimicrobial properties10 Lignin-based materials for drug and gene delivery11 Fabrication of lignin-based hydrogels and theirapplications12 Present and future prospective of lignin-based materialsin biomedical fields