Dr. Emilio Castro Otero, lecturer and researcher in the Department of Bioengineering at Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, has served as editor of the third volume of The Great World of Nanotechnology, published by Editora Artemis. The book offers a comprehensive overview of how nanotechnology is transforming contemporary science, presenting cutting-edge solutions ranging from the design of new biomaterials to applications in environmental sustainability and health.
As Dr Castro explains, “This compilation seeks to ensure that science at the smallest scale translates into solutions with large-scale impact.” He also notes that “the publication highlights the quality of research initiated within our undergraduate programmes and demonstrates the ability of students on the Bachelor’s Degree in Bioengineering to make significant contributions to international scientific literature”. A clear example of this can be found in the sixth chapter of the book, which draws directly on the research conducted by Sara Estruch-Sotoca, a graduate of the Bachelor’s Degree in Bioengineering and currently a student on the Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine, as part of her bachelor’s degree final project. “Seeing my bachelor’s degree final project become a chapter in an internationally published book is hugely satisfying. It is recognition that strengthens my commitment to research and science,” the former student says.
The research addresses one of the major current challenges in cardiovascular surgery: the creation of substitutes for small-diameter blood vessels, where conventional prostheses often fail. Using an innovative triple-coaxial-nozzle technique, the research team has developed alginate and collagen scaffolds enhanced with conductive nanoparticles. These materials not only improve the mechanical strength of the graft but also support the adhesion and proliferation of cardiac smooth muscle cells. The chapter was co-written by Emilio Castro together with Román Pérez, vice-rector of Research, Innovation and Knowledge Transfer at UIC Barcelona and director of the Bioengineering Institute of Technology (BIT), and Èlia Bosch, co-supervisor of the bachelor’s degree final project the research is based on.
