Towards MXenes’ biomedical applications by high-dimensional immune MAPping

The long-term goal of MX-MAP is to develop a functional pipeline for the immune characterization of new 2D nanomaterials of MXene family, for the qualitative and quantitative assessment of the human immune compatibility and immune activity towards biomedical applications.

The immune characterization of the tested materials on the basis of intrinsic physical-chemical and immunological properties, through the combination of the most innovative technologies such as single-cell mass cytometry (CyTOF), will open breakthrough perspectives for the development of new therapeutic approaches applying nanomaterials as immunomodulators, scaffolds for tissue engineering, cancer therapy, and antibacterial agents. MX-MAP will develop key chemistry and immune-based strategies for MXene medical applications. The implication of this project extends beyond the specific nanoscience program greatly advancing the engineering process of 2D materials and their use in biomedicine.

The MX-MAP project involves fourteen key players in European and non-European countries, including the United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and three partners from Ukraine, coming from academia and SMEs.

This program will provide strong support for the development of the careers of young brilliant scientists who want to grow towards an interdisciplinary vision of Science.

Chemistry, biology, immunology, engineering, and cancer research are the expertise of MX-MAP. The senior team members are among the most influential scientists, including Prof. Yury Gogotsi (H-index=168) - inventor of MXenes, Prof. Klaus Ley (H-index=147) - one of the most cited immunologists worldwide, and Prof. Husam N Alshareef (H-index=99). The Consortium is perfectly balanced in terms of equal gender presence; the project Coordinator Lucia Gemma Delogu is a female, and 2 out 4 of four WP leaders are female. The project embraces a large view of inclusiveness and diversity, including countries with smaller economies such as Ukraine.