Miriam Filippi - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Miriam Filippi

Nanomaterials, 2020

Nanomaterials have great potential for the prevention and treatment of cancer. Circulating tumor ... more Nanomaterials have great potential for the prevention and treatment of cancer. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cancer cells of solid tumor origin entering the peripheral blood after detachment from a primary tumor. The occurrence and circulation of CTCs are accepted as a prerequisite for the formation of metastases, which is the major cause of cancer-associated deaths. Due to their clinical significance CTCs are intensively discussed to be used as liquid biopsy for early diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. However, there are substantial challenges for the clinical use of CTCs based on their extreme rarity and heterogeneous biology. Therefore, methods for effective isolation and detection of CTCs are urgently needed. With the rapid development of nanotechnology and its wide applications in the biomedical field, researchers have designed various nano-sized systems with the capability of CTCs detection, isolation, and CTCs-targeted cancer therapy. In the present review, we summarize ...

Cancer Research, Aug 14, 2018

Annual Review of Control, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems

Soft robots’ flexibility and compliance give them the potential to outperform traditional rigid-b... more Soft robots’ flexibility and compliance give them the potential to outperform traditional rigid-bodied robots while performing multiple tasks in unexpectedly changing environments and conditions. However, soft robots have not yet revealed their full potential since nature is still far more advanced in several areas, such as locomotion and manipulation. To understand what limits their performance and hinders their transition from laboratory to real-world conditions, future studies should focus on understanding the principles behind the design and operation of soft robots. Such studies should also consider the major challenges with regard to complex materials, accurate modeling, advanced control, and intelligent behaviors. As a starting point for such studies, this review provides a current overview of the field by examining the working mechanisms of advanced actuation and sensing modalities, modeling techniques, control strategies, and learning architectures for soft robots. Next, we...

Methods in molecular biology, Sep 25, 2022

Materials

By permeabilizing the cell membrane with ultrasound and facilitating the uptake of iron oxide nan... more By permeabilizing the cell membrane with ultrasound and facilitating the uptake of iron oxide nanoparticles, the magneto-sonoporation (MSP) technique can be used to instantaneously label transplantable cells (like stem cells) to be visualized via magnetic resonance imaging in vivo. However, the effects of MSP on cells are still largely unexplored. Here, we applied MSP to the widely applicable adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) for the first time and investigated its effects on the biology of those cells. Upon optimization, MSP allowed us to achieve a consistent nanoparticle uptake (in the range of 10 pg/cell) and a complete membrane resealing in few minutes. Surprisingly, this treatment altered the metabolic activity of cells and induced their differentiation towards an osteoblastic profile, as demonstrated by an increased expression of osteogenic genes and morphological changes. Histological evidence of osteogenic tissue development was collected also in 3D hydrogel constructs. Thes...

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

The next robotics frontier will be led by biohybrids. Capable biohybrid robots require microfluid... more The next robotics frontier will be led by biohybrids. Capable biohybrid robots require microfluidics to sustain, improve, and scale the architectural complexity of their core ingredient: biological tissues. Advances in microfluidics have already revolutionized disease modeling and drug development, and are positioned to impact regenerative medicine but have yet to apply to biohybrids. Fusing microfluidics with living materials will improve tissue perfusion and maturation, and enable precise patterning of sensing, processing, and control elements. This perspective suggests future developments in advanced biohybrids.

Pharmaceutics

Targeted delivery of pharmaceuticals is promising for efficient disease treatment and reduction i... more Targeted delivery of pharmaceuticals is promising for efficient disease treatment and reduction in adverse effects. Nano or microstructured magnetic materials with strong magnetic momentum can be noninvasively controlled via magnetic forces within living beings. These magnetic carriers open perspectives in controlling the delivery of different types of bioagents in humans, including small molecules, nucleic acids, and cells. In the present review, we describe different types of magnetic carriers that can serve as drug delivery platforms, and we show different ways to apply them to magnetic targeted delivery of bioagents. We discuss the magnetic guidance of nano/microsystems or labeled cells upon injection into the systemic circulation or in the tissue; we then highlight emergent applications in tissue engineering, and finally, we show how magnetic targeting can integrate with imaging technologies that serve to assist drug delivery.

Advanced Materials

Bio-hybrid technologies aim to replicate the unique capabilities of biological systems that could... more Bio-hybrid technologies aim to replicate the unique capabilities of biological systems that could surpass advanced artificial technologies. Soft bio-hybrid robots consist of synthetic and living materials and have the potential to self-assemble, regenerate, work autonomously, and interact safely with other species and the environment. Cells require a sufficient exchange of nutrients and gases, which is guaranteed by convection and diffusive transport through liquid media. The functional development and long-term survival of biological tissues in vitro can be improved by dynamic flow culture, but only microfluidic flow control can develop tissue with fine structuring and regulation at the microscale. Full control of tissue growth at the microscale will eventually lead to functional macroscale constructs, which are needed as the biological component of soft bio-hybrid technologies. This review summarizes recent progress in microfluidic techniques to engineer biological tissues, focusing on the use of muscle cells for robotic bio-actuation. Moreover, the instances in which bio-actuation technologies greatly benefit from fusion with microfluidics are highlighted, which include: the microfabrication of matrices; biomimicry of cell microenvironments; tissue maturation, perfusion, and vascularization. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A majority of MRI procedures requiring intravascular injections of contrast agents are performed ... more A majority of MRI procedures requiring intravascular injections of contrast agents are performed with paramagnetic chelates. Such products induce vascular signal enhancement and they are rapidly excreted by the kidneys. Unfortunately, each chelate is made of only one paramagnetic ion, which, taken individually, has a limited impact on the MRI signal. In fact, the detection of molecular events in the nanomolar range using T1weighted MRI sequences requires the design of ultra-small particles containing hundreds of paramagnetic ions per contrast agent unit. Ultra-small nanoparticles of manganese oxide (MnO, 6–8 nm diameter) have been developed and proposed as an efficient and at least 1000 more sensitive “positive” MRI contrast agent. However no evidence has been found until now that an adequate surface treatment of these particles could maintain their strong blood signal enhancement, while allowing their rapid and efficient excretion by the kidneys or by the hepatobiliairy pathway. In...

Dendrimersomes: a new vesicular nanoplatform for theranostic applications Miriam Filippi, Marisa ... more Dendrimersomes: a new vesicular nanoplatform for theranostic applications Miriam Filippi, Marisa Ferraretto, Gilberto Mulas, Jonathan Martinelli, Lorenzo Tei, Mauro Botta, Silvio Aime, and Enzo Terreno Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Turin, Italy, Department of Sciences and Technological Innovation, University of Eastern Piedmont 'A. Avogadro', Alessandria, Italy, Center for Preclinical Imaging, University of Turin, Colleretto Giacosa, Turin, Italy

Histology and histopathology, 2019

Bone and osteochondral defects represent one of the major causes of disabilities in the world. De... more Bone and osteochondral defects represent one of the major causes of disabilities in the world. Derived from traumas and degenerative pathologies, these lesions cause severe pain, joint deformity, and loss of joint motion. The standard treatments in clinical practice present several limitations. By producing functional substitutes for damaged tissues, tissue engineering has emerged as an alternative in the treatment of defects in the skeletal system. Despite promising preliminary clinical outcomes, several limitations remain. Nanotechnologies could offer new solutions to overcome those limitations, generating materials more closely mimicking the structures present in naturally occurring systems. Nanostructures comparable in size to those appearing in natural bone and cartilage have thus become relevant in skeletal tissue engineering. In particular, nanoparticles allow for a unique combination of approaches (e.g. cell labelling, scaffold modification or drug and gene delivery) inside ...

Advanced Materials, 2021

Design criteria for tissue‐engineered materials in regenerative medicine include robust biologica... more Design criteria for tissue‐engineered materials in regenerative medicine include robust biological effectiveness, off‐the‐shelf availability, and scalable manufacturing under standardized conditions. For bone repair, existing strategies rely on primary autologous cells, associated with unpredictable performance, limited availability and complex logistic. Here, a conceptual shift based on the manufacturing of devitalized human hypertrophic cartilage (HyC), as cell‐free material inducing bone formation by recapitulating the developmental process of endochondral ossification, is reported. The strategy relies on a customized human mesenchymal line expressing bone morphogenetic protein‐2 (BMP‐2), critically required for robust chondrogenesis and concomitant extracellular matrix (ECM) enrichment. Following apoptosis‐driven devitalization, lyophilization, and storage, the resulting off‐the‐shelf cartilage tissue exhibits unprecedented osteoinductive properties, unmatched by synthetic delivery of BMP‐2 or by living engineered grafts. Scalability and pre‐clinical efficacy are demonstrated by bioreactor‐based production and subsequent orthotopic assessment. The findings exemplify the broader paradigm of programming human cell lines as biological factory units to engineer customized ECMs, designed to activate specific regenerative processes.

Materials Today, 2020

Chicken egg white is an abundant, inexpensive and natural source of important proteins such as ov... more Chicken egg white is an abundant, inexpensive and natural source of important proteins such as ovalbumin and lysozyme. Thanks to its bioactivity, easy handling, anti-bacterial activity and biodegradability, egg white is being used since centuries as excipient of poultices for the treatment of various disorders. Owing to unique thermal and electrical features, egg white is currently used in bioplastic development and in fabrication of field-effect transistors, but it could also contribute to various biomedical applications in the future. Indeed, egg white and some of its byproducts were shown to improve tissue engraftment and to stimulate angiogenesis, making it particularly attractive in wound healing and tissue engineering applications. Moreover, egg white can be manipulated to obtain versatile platforms for tridimensional in vitro tissue models or drug delivery systems. This review describes the structure and physicochemical properties of egg white as well as its biological features. It also summarizes fabrication methods from egg white for the generation of functional platforms, and provides a comprehensive overview of the role and performance of egg white in various biomedical applications. Finally, new perspectives for future studies in health with this ancient material are critically discussed.

Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 2020

Despite considerable advances in microsurgical techniques over the past decades, bone tissue rema... more Despite considerable advances in microsurgical techniques over the past decades, bone tissue remains a challenging arena to obtain a satisfying functional and structural restoration after damage. Through the production of substituting materials mimicking the physical and biological properties of the healthy tissue, tissue engineering strategies address an urgent clinical need for therapeutic alternatives to bone autografts. By virtue of their structural versatility, polymers have a predominant role in generating the biodegradable matrices that hold the cells in situ to sustain the growth of new tissue until integration into the transplantation area (i.e., scaffolds). As compared to synthetic ones, polymers of natural origin generally present superior biocompatibility and bioactivity. Their assembly and further engineering give rise to a wide plethora of advanced supporting materials, accounting for systems based on hydrogels or scaffolds with either fibrous or porous architecture. The present review offers an overview of the various types of natural polymers currently adopted in bone tissue engineering, describing their manufacturing techniques and procedures of functionalization with active biomolecules, and listing the advantages and disadvantages in their respective use in order to critically compare their actual applicability potential. Their combination to other classes of materials (such as micro and nanomaterials) and other innovative strategies to reproduce physiological bone microenvironments in a more faithful way are also illustrated. The regeneration outcomes achieved in vitro and in vivo when the scaffolds are enriched with different cell types, as well as the preliminary clinical applications are presented, before the prospects in this research field are finally discussed. The collection of studies herein considered confirms that advances in natural polymer research will be determinant in designing translatable materials for efficient tissue regeneration with forthcoming impact expected in the treatment of bone defects.

New Journal of Chemistry, 2020

Dendritic phosphonates are versatile coatings of several nanomaterials for health applications ra... more Dendritic phosphonates are versatile coatings of several nanomaterials for health applications ranging from implants to nanoparticles and microbubbles.

Nanoscale, 2019

Functionalization of dendronized iron oxide nanoparticles with the bioreductive compound metronid... more Functionalization of dendronized iron oxide nanoparticles with the bioreductive compound metronidazole for magnetic resonance imaging of hypoxic tissues.

Biomaterials, 2019

Magnetic fields and materials regulate several cell biological responses. • Magnetized nanocompos... more Magnetic fields and materials regulate several cell biological responses. • Magnetized nanocomposites are generated from hydrogel and magnetic nanoparticles. • The constructs are seeded with stromal vascular fraction cells (SVFs). • Static magnetic fields stimulate osteo-vasculogenic properties of the SVFs. • Implanted constructs produce more mineralized and vascularized tissues in vivo.

Journal of Biophotonics, 2019

Indocyanine Green labeling for optical and photoacoustic imaging of Mesenchymal Stem Cells after ... more Indocyanine Green labeling for optical and photoacoustic imaging of Mesenchymal Stem Cells after in vivo transplantation.