Engineered Particles for Chemical Communication

Introduction

This project aims to develop communication at the nanoscale and to advance the understanding of how abiotic micro/nanoparticles can communicate among themselves and how micro/nanoparticles can communicate with living systems.

Approach to Communication

In this context, an approach for establishing communication at the nanometric level is to mimic how nature communicates.

Chemical Communication

Chemical or molecular communication, based on transmitting and receiving information by means of molecules (chemical messengers), is one of the communication forms used by living organisms.

Stigmergy in Nature

Moreover, many swarm systems found in nature communicate by modifying the environment using a concept called stigmergy.

Advantages of Communicating Nanoparticles

The advantages of nanoparticles that communicate with each other are immediately obvious; they constitute the basis of a dynamically interacting network, eventually resulting in a certain autonomy of the system.

Potential Applications

If we could establish the basis for communication between micro/nanoparticles and between micro/nanoparticles and cells, the potential future applications in the biomedical field, environmental research, and industrial technology are almost unlimited.

Project Goals

The project will establish firm handholds for the use of nanoparticles able to communicate with one another and with cells in different applications.

Implementation Strategy

The project will trace, optimize, and adapt all single steps from the idea to its implementation into applicable final systems with the aim of targeting issues that are difficult to address with conventional single particles.

Work Packages

The project is divided into three work packages (WPs):

1. WP1: Create the basic elements for chemical communication.
2. WP2: Use the tools of WP1 to develop systems able to establish communication between nanoparticles and living systems.
3. WP3: Generate nano-systems integrating gated nanoparticles and up-to-date electronics to develop new communication structures.