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      cell engineering and bioprinting

Bioprinting technology to develop 3D structures that mimic tissues is a fundamental tool to address both basic and applied research questions in areas such as tissue engineering and the search for pharmacological molecules. In this line of research, we work in a multidisciplinary manner, covering everything from the development of bioinks as bioprinting materials and the creation of specific tissue models, such as skin, retinal pigment epithelium (to study macular degeneration), cervical epithelium, neuroimmune model of Parkinson's disease and 3D systems for hematopoietic progenitor expansion, to the evaluation of pharmacological compounds, medical devices, and cosmetics.

Additionally, we use additional 2D and 3D cell culture platforms, accredited under ISO/IEC 17025:2017, specifically ISO 10993-5:2009 for cytotoxicity testing, ensuring high standards of precision and reliability in our assessments.

Another objective of our research line is the search for new pharmacological compounds from natural sources in the Colombian biodiversity as well as databases using artificial intelligence.

Projects in Bioprinting

The main focus of this line of research is to design and develop natural hydrogels, primarily based on extracellular matrix (ECM) from different porcine tissues such as intestinal submucosa, skin, and placenta. We mainly work on the physicochemical characteristics (printability and fidelity) and biocompatibility of these hydrogels/bioinks as a fundamental input for extrusion-based 3D bioprinting technology (BIOX-Cellink) and for the development of different tissue models.

Currently, in our group, we have been using our hydrogels to develop skin models, retinal pigment epithelium models, cervical models, neuroimmune models, and hematopoietic progenitor cell expansion models.

 

Patents 

Granted U.S. patent - EXTRUDABLE PHOTOCROSSLINKABLE HYDROGEL AND METHOD FOR ITS PREPARATION. US Patent 11,918,703. https://patents.google.com/patent/US11918703B2/en

 

Awards 

Valentina Jaramillo, Daniel Arévalo, Ana María Perdomo, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Expansion of hematopoietic and progenitor cells in 3D matrices: an innovative strategy to improve therapeutic transplants. Awarded by Pfizer Colombia Scientific Institute for Innovation in Research. 21st Research Day, Fundación Cardioinfantil. Fundación Neumológica Colombiana. November 2023.

 

Funding 

2022

Call for creating new connections between professors - 2022. Development and functional evaluation of an in vitro Parkinson’s disease model manufactured via 3D bioprinting.

2020

Joint project with the District Institute of Science, Biotechnology, and Innovation in Health - IDCBIS. Development of an in vitro system for expansion and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) using extracellular matrix-derived hydrogels and extrusion-based 3D bioprinting techniques.

Joint call by Hospital Militar-Uniandes. Development of a Bioprinted Model of Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium.

DAAD: RISE Worldwide Call. Development of a hydrogel from decellularized porcine placenta for bioink applications. Funding for German interns in Colombia - 2021.

 

2018

>Assistant Professors Support Fund. FAPA.Design and Evaluation of Hydrogel-Based Bioinks from Intestinal Submucosa and Porcine Placenta for the Fabrication of Human Skin Equivalents through Bioprinting.

 

Publications 

Selected Publications (full list on Google Scholar)

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

2024

Valentina Jaramillo, Daniel Felipe Arévalo, Martin González-Hernández, María T. Cortés, Ana María Perdomo-Arciniegas, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. "Conductive extracellular matrix derived/chitosan methacrylate/graphene oxide-pegylated hybrid hydrogel for cell expansion." METHODS article, Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., 16 June 2024, Sec. Biomaterials, Volume 12 - 2024. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2024.1398052.

2023

Laura Rueda-Gensini, Julian A. Serna, Daniela Rubio, Juan Camilo Orozco, Natalia I. Bolaños, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. "Three-dimensional neuroimmune co-culture system for modeling Parkinson's disease microenvironments in vitro." Biofabrication, Volume 15, Number 4, 2023. DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ace21b.

2022

Cifuentes, Javier, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz. "Reduced Graphene Oxide-Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds as a Multifunctional and Highly Biocompatible Nanocomposite for Wound Healing: Insights into Characterization and Electroconductive Potential." Nanomaterials 12, no. 16: 2857, 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12162857.

Daniela N. Céspedes-Valenzuela, Santiago Sánchez-Rentería, Javier Cifuentes, Saul C. Gómez, Julian A. Serna, Laura Rueda-Gensini, Carlos Ostos, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz. "Novel Photo- and Thermo-Responsive Nanocomposite Hydrogels Based on Functionalized rGO and Modified SIS/Chitosan Polymers for Localized Treatment of Malignant Cutaneous Melanoma." Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., 05 July 2022, Sec. Biomaterials, Volume 10 - 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2022.947616.

2021

Céspedes-Valenzuela DN, Sánchez-Rentería S, Cifuentes J, Gantiva-Diaz M, Serna JA, Reyes LH, Ostos C, Cifuentes-De la Portilla C, Muñoz-Camargo C, Cruz JC. "Preparation and Characterization of an Injectable and Photo-Responsive Chitosan Methacrylate/Graphene Oxide Hydrogel: Potential Applications in Bone Tissue Adhesion and Repair." Polymers (Basel). 2021 Dec 30;14(1):126. DOI: 10.3390/polym14010126. PMID: 35012148; PMCID: PMC8747203.

Serna, J.A.; Rueda-Gensini, L.; Céspedes-Valenzuela, D.N.; Cifuentes, J.; Cruz, J.C.; Muñoz-Camargo, C. "Recent Advances on Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels Based on Tissue-Derived ECMs and Their Components: Towards Improving Functionality for Tissue Engineering and Controlled Drug Delivery." Polymers 2021, 13, 3263. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13193263.

Laura Rueda-Gensini, Julian A. Serna, Javier Cifuentes, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. "Graphene oxide-embedded ECM-derived hydrogel as a multiresponsive platform for 3D bioprinting applications." International Journal of Bioprinting, 2021; 7(3): 353. DOI: 10.18063/ijb.v7i3.353.

2019

Serna J. A., Talero V.A., Flórez S.L, Briceño J.C, Muñoz-Camargo C., Cruz J. C. "Formulation and Characterization of a SIS based photocrosslinkable bioink." Polymers. Mar 26;11(3). pii: E569. DOI: 10.3390/polym11030569.

 

Conferences 

2024

Cristian F. Rodríguez, Valentina Quezada, Paula Guzman–Satoque, Luis H. Reyes, Johan F. Osma, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz. "Enhancing Biofabrication with Magnetic Fields: Advancing 3D Bioprinting through Multiphysics Simulations." Conference PPS39. May 2024.

María C. Rincón-García, Valentina Jaramillo, Valentina Quezada, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. "Decellularized Extracellular Matrix-Derived Hydrogel Embedded with Reduced Graphene Oxide Bioink for the Electrical Stimulation of Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells." Conference PPS39. May 2024.

2023

Valentina Jaramillo, Laura Rueda, Juan Carlos Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. "Advancements in Skin Tissue Engineering: Creating Dermo-Epidermal Skin Model Using an Extracellular Matrix Derived Bioink and 3D Bioprinting." 31 IMRC, 13-18 August 2023.

Valentina Jaramillo, Daniel Arevalo, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. "Revolutionizing Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cell Transplants: Expanding Cells in a Novel 3D Matrix for Improved Therapeutic Efficacy." ACS Fall 2023.

 

Conference Papers 

2021

CIIBBI 2021.Julian A Serna, Javier Cifuentes, Laura Rueda, Luis A Ruiz, Bernardo Quijano, Paula X Pavía, Camila A Camargo, Juan C Cruz ,Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Amniotic membrane-derived extracellular matrix-based hydrogels for the improved maturation of human retinal pigment epithelium in vitro models.

CIIBBI 2021.Laura Liliana Delgado-Murillo, Bellaneth Devia, Ana María Perdomo-Arciniegas, Juan Carlos Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Standardization of a 3D bioprinting platform for hematopoietic progenitor cells proliferation: conditions for a small intestinal submucosa based bioink.

CIIBBI 2021.Daniela N. Céspedes-Valenzuela, Santiago Sánchez-Rentería, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz. Chitosan methacrylate-based bioadhesive: towards a photoresponsive and extrudable material for bone fracture repair.

CIIBBI 2021.Cristian Felipe Rodríguez Ospino, Laura Ortiz Calderon, Kevin Alejandro Giraldo Rodríguez, Carolina Muñoz Camargo, Juan Carlos Cruz Jimenez. In silico study of spheroids fusion through magnetic field gradients.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Daniela Céspedes-Valenzuela, Santiago Sánchez-Renteria,Javier Cifuentes, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz. Development of a photo-crosslinkable bioadhesive based on methacryloyl-modified chitosan and functionalized reduced graphene oxide for the treatment of bone fractures.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Daniela Céspedes-Valenzuela, Santiago Sánchez-Renteria, Laura Rueda-Gensini, Julián Andrés Serna, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz. Novel photo- and thermo- responsive composite hydrogels based on functionalized rGO and modified SIS/chitosan polymers for localized treatment of malignant cutaneous melanoma.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Laura Delgado-Murillo, Isabella Muñoz, Ana María Perdomo-Arciniegas, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Decellularized porcine placenta bioink as a microenvironment for increasing hematopoietic cells proliferation in transplants.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Maria A. Rodriguez-Soto, Natalia A. Suarez V.,Alejandra Riveros, Andres J. Garcia-Brand,Mónica Cuellar, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Nestor Sandoval, Juan C. Briceño. Scaffolds with hierarchical bioactive properties through multilayered 3D configurations via tunable biodegradable PCL.

 

2019

Termis Annual Conference 2019.Alejandra Suarez-Arnedo, Sebastian Londoño, Julian A. Serna, Javier Cifuentes, Laura Muñoz, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. 3D Bioprinted Dermoepidermal Human Skin Equivalent as an Experimental in vitro Model for the Evaluation of Antibacterial Topical Treatments.

Termis Annual Conference 2019.Laura Rueda, Julian A. Serna, Javier Cifuentes, Alejandra Suarez-Arnedo, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Thermo-, Photo- and Electro-Sensitive ECM-Based Bioinks for 3D Bioprinting Applications.

8th International Conference on Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.Julián A. Serna, Javier Cifuentes, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Formulation, characterization and evaluation of a photocrosslinkable bioink for skin bioprinting based on decellularized SIS.

8th International Conference on Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.Paula Guerrero, Alejandra-Suarez Arnedo, Juan Carlos Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Decellularization of fetal porcine epidermal and amniotic membranes for the development of regenerative bioinks.

 

Conference Posters 

2018

Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Annual Meeting, October 17-20, 2018 in Atlanta.Serna J., Talero V., Florez S., Cruz J.C., Briceño J.C., Muñoz-Camargo C. High-Performance Bioprinting Strategies of Tunable and Photocrosslinkable SIS-dECM Bioinks by in silico and Experimental Evaluation of Key Extrusion Parameters.

 

Scientific Outreach 

2019

Muñoz-Camargo C, Cruz J C., Serna J. (2019) Bioimpresión 3D. Anales De Ingeniería (ISSN 0120-0429) Colombia.

 

Bothrops

Figure 1. Bioprinting process using porcine placenta SIS bioink and post-printing cell viability. Source: Formulation and Characterization of a SIS Based Photocrosslinkable Bioink. Serna et al. Polymers 11(3), 569:2019

 

Researchers 

Carolina Muñoz Camargo

Leader and Associate Professor

 

Juan C. Cruz

Co-Director y and Associate Professor

 

External Co-Investigators 

Luis Alberto Ruiz

Ophthalmologist at the Hospital Militar Central

 

Bernardo Quijano

Ophthalmologist at the Hospital Militar Central

 

Paula Pavia

Basic Research Coordinator at the Central Military Hospital

 

Ana María Perdomo

IDCBIS

 

Bellaneth Devia

PhD Student, National University - IDCBIS

 

Profesor afiliado 

Juan Carlos Briceño

Full Professor

 

Senior Researchers 

Javier Cifuentes

MSc Researcher

 

Graduate Students 

María Alejandra Castilla

PhD Student

 

Laura Delgado

MSc Student

 

Laura Rueda

MSc Student

 

Cristián Rodriguez

MSc Student

 

Simón Jaramillo

MSc Student

 

Graduated Students 

Alejandra Suarez Arnedo

Master's Graduate Student

 

Paula Andrea Guerrero

Master's Graduate Student

 

Exchange Students 

Nikolina Lipovcic

Undergraduate Student

München - Technische Universität München (Germany)

 

Sophia Conney

Online internship: Comsol and specifically the simulations of Graphene-Polymer systems.

Purdue-Uniandes SURGE program.

 

Projects in 2D and 3D Cellular Systems

Cellular systems are an essential tool for evaluating cellular responses to drugs, cosmetics, and materials that make up medical devices. These approaches can be 2D, as in the case of biocompatibility assays based on the ISO 10993 standard. Our group has extensive experience in cytotoxicity and hemocompatibility assays in 2D cellular systems, as well as in the use of 2D wound models based on keratinocytes. Additionally, we have developed a spheroid production system based on cancer cells (3D system) to evaluate drugs or new molecules.

 

Patents 

National Invention Patent - MULTILAYER POLYMERIC MATRIX. NC2020/0011554 (Submitted on September 21, 2020)

 

Awards and Honors 

María Paula Cardenas, Erika Díaz, Mónica Gantiva, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan Carlos Cruz. "Nanovehicles for Drug Delivery as a Potential Treatment for Melanoma and Breast Cancer." Awarded by Pfizer Colombia Scientific Institute for Innovation in Research. 20th Research Day, Fundación Cardioinfantil. Fundación Neumológica Colombiana. November 2022.

Daniela Rubio, Juana María Ayala, Sebastian Ortiz, David Bigio, Juan Carlos Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. "SAVECELL," Third Place in the Second National Innovation Award in Medical Devices. November 20-21, 2018, at the VI International Forum on Medical Devices by ANDI.

 

Funding 

2017

Call 777 Colciencias. Code No 120477757832. Evaluation of a Topical Treatment Based on Antimicrobial Peptides Against *S. aureus* MRSA in a Three-Dimensional In Vitro Human Skin Model.

Internal Call for Support in Strengthening Groups, Fundación CardioInfantil. Evaluation of the Use of Antimicrobial Peptides to Combat *S. aureus* MRSA Infections in an In Vitro Skin Wound Model.

Internal Call for Support in Strengthening Groups, Fundación CardioInfantil. Three-Dimensional In Vitro Model of Chronic Human Skin Wound for the Evaluation of a Combined Therapy of Electro-Stimulation and Three-Dimensional Dressings Based on Porcine Intestinal Submucosa and Graphene for the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers.

 

Publications 

Selected Publications (full list on Google Scholar)

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

2024

Paula Guzmán-Sastoque, Sebastián Sotelo, Natalia P. Esmeral, Sonia Luz Albarracín, Jhon-Jairo Sutachan, Luis H. Reyes, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Natasha I. Bloch. "Assessment of CRISPRa-mediated gdnf overexpression in an In vitro Parkinson’s disease model." Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., 07 August 2024, Sec. Nanobiotechnology, Volume 12 - 2024. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2024.1420183.

2023

David Arango, Javier Cifuentes, Paola Ruiz Puentes, Tatiana Beltran, Amaury Bittar, Camila Ocasión, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Natasha I. Bloch, Luis H. Reyes, Juan C. Cruz. "Tailoring Magnetite-Nanoparticle-Based Nanocarriers for Gene Delivery: Exploiting CRISPRa Potential in Reducing Conditions." Nanomaterials 13, no. 11: 1782. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13111782.

Eduardo Ravelo-Nieto, Javier Cifuentes, Paola Ruiz Puentes, Laura Rueda-Gensini, Valentina Quezada, Carlos Ostos, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Luis H. Reyes, Alvaro Duarte-Ruiz, Juan C. Cruz. "Unlocking cellular barriers: silica nanoparticles and fullerenol conjugated cell-penetrating agents for enhanced intracellular drug delivery." Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., 08 May 2023, Sec. Nanobiotechnology, Volume 11 - 2023. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2023.1184973.

2022

Riveros, A.; Garcia-Brand, A.J.; Rodriguez-Soto, M.A.; Sandoval, N.; Muñoz-Camargo, C.; Cruz, J.C.; Briceño, J.C. "Computational Characterization of Mechanical, Hemodynamic, and Surface Interaction Conditions: Role of Protein Adsorption on the Regenerative Response of TEVGs." Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23, 1130. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031130.

Torres, C.E.; Cifuentes, J.; Gómez, S.C.; Quezada, V.; Giraldo, K.A.; Puentes, P.R.; Rueda-Gensini, L.; Serna, J.A.; Muñoz-Camargo, C.; Reyes, L.H.; Osma, J.F.; Cruz, J.C. "Microfluidic Synthesis and Purification of Magnetoliposomes for Potential Applications in the Gastrointestinal Delivery of Difficult-to-Transport Drugs." Pharmaceutics 2022, 14, 315. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14020315.

2021

Rodriguez-Soto MA, Suarez Vargas N, Riveros A, Camargo CM, Cruz JC, Sandoval N, Briceño JC. "Failure Analysis of TEVG's I: Overcoming the Initial Stages of Blood Material Interaction and Stabilization of the Immune Response." Cells. 2021 Nov 12;10(11):3140. DOI: 10.3390/cells10113140.

David Arango, Amaury Bittar, Camila Ocasión, Natalia Esmeral, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C Cruz, Luis H Reyes, Natasha Bloch. "Understanding the potential of genome editing in Parkinson's disease." Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(17), 9241. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22179241.

Andres J. Garcia-Brand, María A. Morales, Ana Sofia Hozman, Andres C. Ramirez, Luis J. Cruz, Alejandro Marañon, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Alicia Porras. "Bioactive Poly(Lactic Acid) - Cocoa Bean Shell Composites for Potential Biomedical Applications: Preparation and Preliminary in vitro Characterization." Polymers 2021, 13(21), 3707. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13213707.

2020

Laura Rueda, Javier Cifuentes, M. Claudia Castellanos, Paola Ruiz, Julian Serna, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C Cruz. "Tailoring iron oxide nanoparticles for efficient cellular internalization and endosomal escape." Nanomaterials 2020, 10, 1816. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr809119810091816.

Riveros, A.; Cuellar, M.; Sánchez, P.F.; Muñoz-Camargo, C.; Cruz, J.C.; Sandoval, N.; Lopez Mejia, O.D.; Briceño, J.C. "Design and Characterization of a Fluidic Device for the Evaluation of SIS-Based Vascular Grafts." Processes 2020, 8, 1198. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8091198.

Alejandra Suarez-Arnedo, Felipe Torres Figueroa, Camila Clavijo, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. "An Image J Plugin for the High Throughput Image Analysis of In Vitro Scratch Wound Healing Assays." PLoS ONE 15(7): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.023256.

2019

Suarez-Arnedo, A., Narváez, D.M., Sarmiento, P., Bocanegra, L., Salcedo, F., Muñoz-Camargo, C., Groot, H., Cruz, J.C. "Tridimensional Alginate Disks of Tunable Topologies for Mammalian Cell Encapsulation." Anal Biochem. Jun 1;574:31-33. DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2019.03.008.

 

Conference Papers 

2021

CIIBBI 2021.Juanita Monje, Erika Diaz, Monica Gantiva, Carolina Muñoz, Juan Carlos Cruz. NLRP3 Inflammasome: Potential role on radiation dermatitis in breast cancer patients.

CIIBBI 2021.David Arango, Tatiana Beltrán, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Luis Reyes, Juan Carlos Cruz, Natasha Bloch. Delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 Editing Systems for the Treatment of Idiopathic Parkinson's.

CIIBBI 2021.Maria A. Rodriguez-Soto, Natalia A. Suárez, Alejandra Riveros, Andres J. Garcia-Brand, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Juan C. Briceño. Bio-molecular interactions: blood components, cells and biomaterials in the regeneration of acellular vascular grafts.

CIIBBI 2021.Maria A. Rodriguez-Soto, Natalia A. Suárez, Alejandra Riveros, Andres J. Garcia-Brand, Juan Cruz, Carolina Muñoz, Juan Carlos Briceno. Mechanical characterization of novel vascular grafts: approaching to the native vessel behaviour.

CIIBBI 2021.Laura Ellis-Aguilar, Laura Rueda, Javier Cifuentes, Juan C Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo and Rodrigo Cabrera. Mutagenicity and Cytotoxicity of Magnetite-BUFII-Cas9 Nanobioconjugates as Non-Viral Vehicles for Gene Editing: preliminary evaluation in HFF and HaCat Cell Lines.

CIIBBI 2021.Andres J. Garcia-Brand, Alejandro Maranon, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz and Alicia Porras. Potential Bone Fillers Based on Composites of Cocoa Bean Shells and Poly(Lactic Acid): Compression Molding Manufacturing.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Arango D, Beltrán T, Cifuentes J, Muñoz C,, Reyes L.H., Cruz J, Bloch NI. Delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 editing systems for the treatment of idiopathic Parkinson's.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Juan Sebastián Buitrago, Sabina Nieto, Fernando Gómez, Juan Carlos Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Role of progesterone receptor (PGR) as a master regulator genes in women's infertility: A bioinformatic approach.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Cristina González Melo, Javier Cifuentes, Laura Rueda Gensini, Paola Ruiz, Luis H Reyes, Carolina Muñoz Camargo, Juan C. Cruz. Chitosan and type B gelatin nanoparticles functionalized with BUF-II for highly biocompatible cell-penetrating vehicles.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Tatiana Carolina Beltran González David Arango Saavedra, Javier Cifuentes, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Luis H. Reyes, Juan C. Cruz. Functionalization of cell-penetrating magnetite-OmpA vehicles: Efficient delivery of linearized CRISPR/Cas9 editing systems.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Erika Alejandra Díaz Ramirez, Juanita Monje Dussán, Alejandro González, Emilio Muñoz. Sonia Luz Albarracín, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Paracrine effect of mesenchymal stem cells in an in vitro model of radiation-induced dermatitis.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Maria A. Rodriguez-Soto, Natalia A. Suarez V.,Alejandra Riveros, Andres J. Garcia-Brand,Mónica Cuellar, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Seungil Kim, Antonio DÁmore,William Wagner, Nestor Sandoval, Juan C. Briceño. Albumin adsorption over surface-modified tubular PEUU-COOH scaffolds: in silico and in vitro approaches.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Andrés J. Garcia-Brand, Alejandro Maranon,Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Alicia Porras. Novel sustainable, bioactive and mineralized Poly(Lactic acid)-cocoa bean shell composites: potential in bone filling applications.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Sabina Nieto-Ramon, Juan Buitrago, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Fernando Gómez. Role of progesterone receptor (PGR) as a master regulator genes in women’s infertility: A bioinformatic approach.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Andrés J. Garcia-Brand, Maria A. Rodriguez-Soto, Natalia A. Suarez V., Alejandra Riveros, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Seungil Kim, Antonio DÁmore,William Wagner, Nestor Sandoval, Juan C. Briceño. Macrophage polarization on electrospun poly (ester-urethane) urea gelatin tissue engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs): impact of physicochemical gradients and surface functionalization.

 

2020

2nd International Online-Conference on Nanomaterials.Juan Sebastian Bermudez, Maria A. Rodriguez-Soto, Alejandra Riveros, Natalia Suarez, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Nestor Sandoval, Juan C. Briceño. A Chemo-Mechanical Model of the Spreading of Endothelial Cells on the Lumen of Functionalized TEVGs. Section: Modeling and Simulation of Nanostructures. 15-30 Noviembre 2020. Mater. Proc. 2021, 4(1), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/IOCN2020-07833 (registering DOI)

2nd International Online-Conference on Nanomaterials.Cristina Gonzalez Melo, Juan Carlos Cruz, Luis Humberto Reyes, Carolina Muñoz. Synthesis, characterization and functionalization of chitosan and gelatin type B nanoparticles to develop novel highly biocompatible cell-penetrating agents. Section: Modeling and Simulation of Nanostructures. 2nd International Online-Conference on Nanomaterials.15-30 Noviembre 2020. Mater. Proc. 2021, 4(1), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/IOCN2020-07816

2nd International Online-Conference on Nanomaterials.Tatiana Beltran, Javier Cifuentes, María Claudia Castellanos, Paola Ruiz, Laura Ellis, David Arango, Carolina Muñoz Camargo, Luis H. Reyes, Juan C. Cruz. Delivery of linear gene-editing systems by cell-penetrating magnetite vehicles: synthesis, characterization and preliminary in vitro testing.Polymer Nanomaterials, Nanocoatings/Thin films and Nanostructured Surfaces. 2nd International Online-Conference on Nanomaterials. 15-30 Noviembre 2020. Mater. Proc. 2021, 4(1), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/IOCN2020-07927

AIChE Annual Meeting 2020.Tatiana Beltran, Javier Cifuentes, M. Claudia Castellanos, Paola Ruiz, Laura Ellis, David Arango, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Luis H. Reyes, and Juan C. Cruz. Delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing systems by cell-penetrating magnetite vehicles: synthesis, characterization and in vitro testing. AIChE Annual Meeting Noviembre 16-20 2020.

AIChE Annual Meeting 2020.Cristina González, Luis H. Reyes, Carolina Muñoz and Juan C. Cruz. Synthesis, characterization and functionalization of chitosan and gelatin type B nanoparticles with cell-penetrating capabilities. AIChE Annual Meeting Noviembre 16-20 2020

2nd International Online-Conference on Nanomaterials.Javier Cifuentes, Julian Andres Serna, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan Carlos Cruz*.Porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) and graphene oxide/reduced graphene oxide scaffolds for potential application in electrostimulation therapy: preliminary formulation and characterization.

2nd International Online-Conference on Nanomaterials.Juan Sebastian Bermudez, Maria A. Rodriguez-Soto*, Alejandra Riveros, Natalia Suarez, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz*, Nestor Sandoval, Juan C. Briceño. A Chemo-Mechanical Model of the Spreading of Endothelial Cells on the Lumen of Functionalized TEVGs.

ASAIO 66th Annual Conference-2020.María A. Rodriguez-Soto; Natalia A. SuarezV.; Alejandra Riveros C.; Mónica Cuellar ; Carolina Muñoz; Juan C. Cruz; Nestor F. Sandoval; William Wagner ; Erick Brey; Tatiana Segura; Juan C. Briceño.Rational Design of TEVG: surface modification.

 

2019

Termis Annual Conference 2019.Daniela Céspedes, Javier Cifuentes, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz. Preparation and in vitro Evaluation of a Chitosan-Based Photocrosslinkable Bioadhesive for Bone Tissue Regeneration.

Termis Annual Conference 2019.María A. Rodríguez, Natalia A. Suarez, Alejandra Riveros, Mónica Cuellar, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Lorena Castro, Nestor F. Sandoval, Juan C. Briceño. Multilayered scaffolds made from aliphatic polyesters for applications in the rational engineering of cardiovascular grafts: manufacture and preliminary biocompatibility assessment.

Termis Annual Conference 2019.Alejandra Riveros C, Mónica Cuellar, Paolo F. Sánchez, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan Carlos Cruz, Nestor Sandoval, Juan Carlos Briceño. Design, manufacture and in silico assessment of a novel bioreactor system for evaluation of SIS-based vascular grafts.

ASAIO 65th Annual Conference-2019.Natalia A. Suárez V., Mónica Cuellar, María A. Rodríguez S, Martha L. Medina, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz J, Néstor F. Sandoval, Juan C. Briceño. Evaluation of Decellularized Porcine Artery as Vascular Grafts with Sustained Endothelial Formation.

 

2018

IX International Seminar of Biomedical Engineering.Serna, J. Talero, V., Briceño J.C., Muñoz-Camargo C. Bioink design based on small intestinal submucosa extracellular matrix for 3D bioprinting.

IX International Seminar of Biomedical Engineering. IEEE Xplore.Suarez-Arnedo, A., Sarmiento, P., Cruz, J.C., Muñoz-Camargo, C. Salcedo, F., Groot, H. And Narvaez, D. 3D Alginate Hydrogels with Controlled Mechanical Properties for Mammalian Cell Encapsulation.

IX International Seminar of Biomedical Engineering. IEEE Xplore.Jaramillo, J., Talero, V.A., Cardenas, L.L., Pineda, M. Oliveros, J. Muñoz-Camargo, C and Briceño, J.C. in vitro Biological Evaluation of Small Intestinal Submucosa - Chitosan / Hyaluronic Acid Tridimensional Scaffols as Deep Wound Healing Dressings.

AICHE Annual Conference 2018.Vargas J.G., Gómez L.A., Serna, J., Cruz J.C., Muñoz-Camargo, C., and Briceño J.C. Microscopic and in vitro Testing of a Chitosan-Based Bone Adhesive.

 

2017

Termis Annual Conference 2017.Pineda, M., Jaramillo, J., Talero, V., López, R., Muñoz-Camargo, C. Briceño, J.C. Small Intestinal Submucosa-Chitosan Hydrogel as a Deep Wound Healing Material. Tissue Engineering: Part A. Vol. 23 Supl.1.

Termis Annual Conference 2017.Jaramillo, J., Pineda, M., Talero, V., López, R., Muñoz-Camargo, C. Briceño, J.C. In vivo Deep Wound re-epithelialization through Small Intestinal Submucosa/Chitosan Tridimensional Scaffolds.Tissue Engineering: Part A. Vol. 23 Supl.1.

 

Conference Posters 

2019

8th International Conference on Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.Alejandra Suarez-Arnedo, Laura Bocanegra-Gómez, Daniel García Olivares, Juan Carlos Cruz y Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Paracrine response of MSCs on 3D SIS scaffolds: assessment by a wound healing assay.

Research Day 2019, Fundación Cardio Infantil -IC.Javier F. Cifuentes, Julián A. Serna, Daniel Garcia, Fredy Mesa, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Mario A. Valderrama, Juan C. Cruz. Characterization of the Cellular Response of Diabetic Foot Fibroblasts: Electrical Stimulation Mediated by SIS/Reduced Graphene Oxide Matrices for Applications in Diabetic Foot Ulcer Regeneration.

Research Day 2019, Fundación Cardio Infantil -IC.Guerrero-Barragán, Paula A., Serna, Julián A., Rueda Gensini, Laura, Nikolina Lipovcic, Suárez, Alejandra, Cruz, Juan C., Muñoz-Camargo, Carolina. Development and Evaluation of Bioinks Based on Decellularized Extracellular Matrices from Amniotic Membrane and Porcine Intestinal Submucosa: Applications in 3D Bioprinting of Human Skin Equivalent Models.

 

2018

Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Annual Meeting, October 17-20, 2018 in Atlanta.Serna J., Cárdenas L., Cruz J.C, Muñoz-Camargo C, Briceño J.C. SIS/Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites for 3D Regenerative Scaffolds with Potential Application in Electrostimulation Therapy for Diabetic Ulcer Treatment.

Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Annual Meeting, October 17-20, 2018 in Atlanta.Cárdenas L., Jaramillo J., Cruz J.C., Muñoz-Camargo C., Briceño J.C. Fast Healing of diabetic foot Ulcers using SIS-based Regenerative Therapy and Antimicrobial 3D scaffolds.

Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Annual Meeting, October 17-20, 2018 in Atlanta.Vargas J.G., Serna J. Sarmiento P., Cruz J.C., Muñoz-Camargo C., Salcedo F., Casas J.P., Briceño J.C. Mechanical and Preclinical Evaluation of a Chitosan Based Bio-Adhesive for Bone with Potential Use at Comminute Fractures.

 

Bothrops

Figura 1.Fluorescence Microscopy and Hematoxylin-Eosin Staining of a 3D Dermo-Epidermal Skin Model. Source: 3D Skin Equivalent (Dermoepidermal) by the Culture of Fibroblasts and Keratinocytes.Master's Thesis by Alejandra Suarez-Arnedo, Uniandes, 2019.

 

Researchers 

Carolina Muñoz Camargo

Leader and Associate Professor

 

Juan C. Cruz

Co-Director and Associate Professor

 

Affiliate Professor 

Juan Carlos Briceño

Full Professor

 

Senior Researchers 

Javier Cifuentes

MSc Researcher

 

Andres García Brand

MSc Researcher

 

Graduate Students 

Maria Alejandra Castilla

PhD Student

 

Erika Diaz

PhD Student

 

Mónica Gantiva

PhD Student

 

Valentina Jaramillo

PhD Student

 

Valentina Quezada

MSc Student

 

Juanita Monje

MSc Student

 

Undergraduate Students 

Andrés Hernández

Microbiology Student

Projects in Biomedicine and Pharmaceutical Engineering

We focus on the search for new pharmacological agents from natural sources, aiming to combine them with nanomaterials and translocating biomolecules to achieve effective delivery. In this context, we are using sugarcane, leveraging its abundance, to prepare extracts and assess whether the contained molecules exhibit antioxidant and/or immunomodulatory activity. We are also working with essential oils, naturally derived peptides, and peptides identified using artificial intelligence algorithms.

We have identified and, in some cases, described possible mechanisms of action for antioxidant, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory molecules, among others.

 

Founding 

Convocatoria 937 Minciencias. Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Guided Unveiling of Novel Antimicrobial Peptides: Exploring the Mechanistic Aspects of Membrane Interactions for Therapeutic Advancement.

 

2020

Agrosavia-Uniandes Umbrella Project Phase II: Development of Agro-Industrial Processes to Obtain Higher Value-Added Products from Sugarcane

 

2019

Colciencias Call 828. Innovation between Universities and Companies - Cundinamarca Department - Second Round. Pilot Study for the Development of Higher Value-Added Panela: Functional Potential with In Vitro Antioxidant and Immunomodulatory Activity.

National Call for Support in Filing Patents via National and PCT Routes and Intellectual Property Management Support No. 857. The Game Factory - Computational Model and Architecture for Assisted Generation of Educational Mobile Games.

 

2018

DAAD: RISE Worldwide Call for Applications.Pharmacological Compounds from Sugarcane with Potential for Parkinson's Treatment: Isolation, Characterization, and Preliminary Biological Testing. – Funding in 2019 for German Interns in Colombia.

Colciencias Call: "Strengthening Research Programs and Projects in Medical and Health Sciences, with Young Talent and Regional Impact.Pilot Study for the Development of Higher Value-Added Panela: Functional Potential with In Vitro Antioxidant and Immunomodulatory Activity.

Colciencias Call 811. Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Colciencias Training Beneficiaries in SNCTeI Entities. Pharmacological Principles Derived from Sugarcane: Isolation, Characterization, and Release of Molecules with Potential for Parkinson's Disease Treatment.

Agrosavia-Uniandes Umbrella Project. Phase I: Development of Agro-Industrial Processes to Obtain Higher Value-Added Products from Sugarcane.

 

Publications 

Selected Publications (full list on Google Scholar)

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

2024

Muñoz-Camargo, C., Cruz, J.C. "From inside to outside: exploring extracellular antimicrobial histone-derived peptides as multi-talented molecules." J Antibiot 77, 553–568 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41429-024-00744-0.

Javier Cifuentes, Paola Ruiz Puentes, Pablo Arbeláez, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Luis H. Reyes. "Chapter 19 - Antimicrobial activities of casein," In: Mamdouh El-Bakry, Bhavbhuti M. Mehta, Casein, Academic Press, 2024, Pages 331-353, ISBN 9780443158360. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-15836-0.00001-9.

2023

Camargo, Fidias D. González, Mary Santamaria-Torres, Mónica P. Cala, Marcela Guevara-Suarez, Silvia Restrepo Restrepo, Andrea Sánchez-Camargo, Miguel Fernández-Niño, María Corujo, Ada Carolina Gallo Molina, Javier Cifuentes, et al. "Genome-Scale Metabolic Reconstruction, Non-Targeted LC-QTOF-MS Based Metabolomics Data, and Evaluation of Anticancer Activity of Cannabis sativa Leaf Extracts." Metabolites 13, no. 7: 788. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo13070788.

Jaramillo, Valentina, Erika Díaz, Laura N. Muñoz, Andrés Fernando González-Barrios, Jader Rodríguez-Cortina, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. "Enhancing Wound Healing: A Novel Topical Emulsion Combining CW49 Peptide and Lavender Essential Oil for Accelerated Regeneration and Antibacterial Protection." Pharmaceutics 15, no. 6: 1739. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15061739.

2022

Laura N. Muñoz, Valentina Jaramillo, Mónica Gantiva-Diaz, Javier Cifuentes, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Andrés Fernando González Barrios. "Formulation of a Novel Antibacterial Topical Treatment Based on Magnetite-Buforin-II-Silver Nanobioconjugate." Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., 27 October 2022, Sec. Nanobiotechnology, Volume 10 - 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2022.1003004.

Ruiz Puentes, Paola, Maria C. Henao, Javier Cifuentes, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Luis H. Reyes, Juan C. Cruz, Pablo Arbeláez. "Rational Discovery of Antimicrobial Peptides by Means of Artificial Intelligence." Membranes 12, no. 7: 708. https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12070708.

Riveros, A.; Garcia-Brand, A.J.; Rodriguez-Soto, M.A.; Sandoval, N.; Muñoz-Camargo, C.; Cruz, J.C.; Briceño, J.C. "Computational Characterization of Mechanical, Hemodynamic, and Surface Interaction Conditions: Role of Protein Adsorption on the Regenerative Response of TEVGs." Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23, 1130. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031130.

2021

Gómez SC, Quezada V, Quiroz I, Muñoz-Camargo C, Osma JF, Reyes LH, Cruz JC. "Design and Manufacture of a Low-Cost Microfluidic System for the Synthesis of Giant Liposomes for the Encapsulation of Yeast Homologues: Applications in the Screening of Membrane-Active Peptide Libraries." Micromachines (Basel). 2021 Nov 10;12(11):1377. DOI: 10.3390/mi12111377.

2020

Paola Ruiz Puentes, Natalia Valderrama, Cristina Gonzalez, Laura Daza, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Pablo Arbelaez. "PharmaNet: Pharmaceutical Discovery with Deep Recurrent Neural Networks." PLOS ONE 16(4): e0241728. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0241728.

 

Preprints 

2019

Laura Andrea Barrero-Guevara, Natalia Bolaños, Miguel Parra, John Mario González, Helena Groot, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. New peptides with immunomodulatory activity in macrophages and antibacterial activity against multiresistant Staphylococcus aureus. Preprint BioRxiv doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/838201.

 

Artículos en Conferencias 

2021

Congress of Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering (CIIBBI).Laura Rueda-Gensini, Julian A Serna, Natalia Bolaños, Jader Rodriguez, Juan C Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo.Evaluation and Characterization of Antioxidant and Immunomodulatory Activities of Colombian Sugar Cane-derived Extracts.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Daniela Rubio Olaya, Javier Cifuentes, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Luis H. Reyes, Juan C. Cruz. Study of the interactome of Buforin II with Escherichia coli: Revealing the mechanistic details of its antibacterial activity.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Laura Muñoz, Javier Cifuentes, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz. Magnetite-buforin II nanobioconjugates as active components of novel antimicrobial topical treatment.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Valentina Jaramillo Mejía, Laura Muñoz, Juan C Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Emulsions of lavender essential oil and CW49 peptide for healing assays in a 2D monolayer of human keratinocytes.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Javier Cifuentes, Julián Serna, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C Cruz. Antimicrobial graphene oxide-silver nanocomposite hydrogel with enhanced potency against antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains.

ACS Fall. 22-26 agosto 2021.Laura Rueda-Gensini, Julian A. Serna, Javier Cifuentes, Maria Alejandra Castilla-Bolaños, Jader Rodríguez, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Munoz-Camargo. Antioxidant and immunomodulatory Colombian sugar cane extracts as therapeutic agents for immune-related diseases: systemic and central nervous system evaluation.

 

2020

Bogotá Microbial Meeting (BoMM) 27-28 noviembre 2020.Laura Muñoz, Jessica Pérez, Alejandra Suarez-Arnedo, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Andrés González. Formulación y Caracterización de un tratamiento tópico antibacteriano en nanobioconjugados de magnetita BUF-II.

Bogotá Microbial Meeting (BoMM) 27-28 noviembre 2020.Nathaly Rangel, Alejandra Suarez-Arnedo, Johann Osma, Ester Boix, Vivian Salazar, Juan C Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Magnetite Nanoparticles Functionalized with Rnases against Intracellular Infection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

AIChE Annual Meeting 2020. Monica Cuellar, Julian A. Serna, Juan C. Cruz, Sebastián Escobar, Jader Rodríguez, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo.Biocompatibility and Potential Regenerative Effects of Sugarcane Derivatives in a 2D Skin Wound Model.

AIChE Annual Meeting 2020. Salazar, M. Claudia Castellanos, Javier Cifuentes, Monica Cuellar, Jader Rodríguez, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz. Demonstrated neuroprotective and antioxidant effects of sugarcane derivatives: in vitro rotenone-induced oxidative stress on neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y).

International Conference on Infectious Disease 2018. Muñoz-Camargo C., Barrero-Guevara L., Camargo S. Mitrani E. Groot H. Frog antimicrobial peptides in combination: a new strategy against Staphylococcus aureus.

 

Posters en congresos 

1er Congreso Internacional de Ingeniería Biomédica y Bioingeniería- Manizales-2019. Cuellar, Monica; Cruz Jimenez, Juan Carlos; Rodriguez, Jader; Muñoz-Camargo, Carolina. Evaluación De La Citotoxicidad De Derivados De Caña Panelera Para Su Potencial Uso Como Agente Regenerativo En Un Tratamiento Tópico De Piel. Universidad de los Andes y Agrosavia.

Día de la investigación 2019, Fundación Cardio Infantil -IC. Laura Rueda, Sebastián Londoño, Mónica Cuellar, Sabrina Hartmann, Vivian A. Salazar, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Extractos de caña de azúcar para el desarrollo de nuevos enfoques terapéuticos en la regeneración y el tratamiento de la enfermedad de Parkinson.

 

Bothrops

Figure 1. 2D Wound Assay in Human Keratinocytes. Schematic of the Wound Creation Process and Microscopic Observation (created by Alejandra Suarez-Arnedo). Images show cell migration after wound induction and subsequent regeneration when exposed to sugarcane derivatives obtained during panela production. Results from the Uniandes-Agrosavia collaboration.

 

Researchers 

Liders 

Carolina Muñoz Camargo

Leader and Associate Professor

 

Juan C. Cruz

Co-Director and Associate Professor

 

Co-investigadores externos 

Jader Rodríguez

Researcher-AGROSAVIA

 

Profesores Afiliados 

Andrés González

Associate Professor IQUI

 

Johann Osma

Associate Professor IEE

 

Mario Linares

Associate Professor ISIS

 

Jorge Duitama

Associate Professor ISIS

 

Posdoctoral researchers 

Vivian Salazar

Investigadora PhD

 

Senior researchers 

Javier Cifuentes

MSc researcher

 

Estudiantes de Posgrado 

Laura Rueda

MSc Student

 

Valentina Jaramillo

MSc Student

 

Mónica Gantiva

MSc Student

 

Exchange students 

Sabrina Hartman

Technische Universität Kaiserslautern (Germany)

 

Dynamics of a family of glyphosate adjuvants in herbicides used in aerial spraying.

The objective of this research is to study the temporal dynamics of the adjuvants in herbicides used to spray illegal coca plantations in Colombia. This aims to demonstrate the influence that the initial concentrations of the adjuvants have on the persistence of certain chemical compounds in the environment.

We modeled an environment sprayed with glyphosate-based herbicides using a compartmental model with four compartments: Air (A), Soil (T), Water (W), and People (P). A family of glyphosate adjuvants was considered: POE-15.

 

dinamica

Figure 1. Dynamics of accumulation in the four compartments considered for different initial concentrations of the adjuvant POE-15. A) Initial concentration of POE-15: 0.27% w/w. B) Initial concentration of POE-15: 4.8% w/w. C) Initial concentration of POE-15: 11.07% w/w. D) Initial concentration of POE-15: 34% w/w. E) Initial concentration of POE-15: 78% w/w.

 

equilibrio

Figure 2. Behavior at equilibrium of the accumulated mass in each compartment of the adjuvant POE-15 as a function of different initial concentrations of the adjuvant.

 

Researchers

Juan Manuel Cordovez

IBIO Director

 

Mauricio Santos

Postdoctoral Researcher

 

William Valero

Undergraduate Student

 

Contact

William Valero

Write to the email here.

Mathematical model of infection by the myxoma virus in cancer cells

Oncolytic virotherapy is an innovative alternative to more conventional cancer therapies, based on the ability of oncolytic viruses to specifically target and destroy tumor cells. This therapy can activate the body's innate and adaptive immune response, leading to the destruction of cancer cells by the immune system.

The myxoma virus is a poxvirus that infects European rabbits and can replicate in a variety of human cancer cell lines, making it an ideal candidate for oncolytic virotherapy. However, the dynamic mechanisms between the virus and cancer cells are not fully understood. Mathematical models are a useful tool for providing relevant insights into the dynamics governing the interaction between normal and cancerous cells and their viral parasites.

In this study, murine melanoma cancer cells were infected with a myxoma virus expressing GFP (vMyx GFP) at a low multiplicity of infection, and images were taken using a fluorescence microscope every 30 minutes to determine the infected cells. To understand the infection process, specifically the susceptibility to infection conversion rates and the spatial effects of cell culture, we developed a mathematical model parameterized with the aforementioned experiments that spatially explicitly simulates the infection process. The model is a spatially explicit stochastic formulation of SI that considers cancer cells and viral particles. With the model, we were able to quantify and better understand this complex network of interactions. We hope that the model will contribute to accelerating the development of a functional and effective oncolytic virotherapy using the myxoma virus.

This project is being developed in collaboration with the Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccinology, and Virotherapy at the Biodesign Institute of Arizona State University (ASU)

 

Viroterapia1

Figure 1. Cell culture of B16f10 melanoma muscle cells.

 

Researchers:

 

Juan Manuel Cordovez

Associate Professor at Uniandes

 

Grant McFadden

Professor at ASU

 

Lina Franco

Egresada Uniandes / Investigadora ASU

 

Contact:

 

Juan Manuel Cordovez

Write to the email here.

Coupling of infectious diseases with social dynamics: how cooperation modulates the strength of infection

Epidemics create a social dilemma, as individual responses to a disease affect the dynamics of the disease. Social dilemmas such as proper water storage, social distancing, and the appropriate use of masks are individual decisions that will impact the disease dynamics at a macro level. The inclusion of behavior-based decisions within epidemiological models has provided new perspectives on epidemic modeling. In fact, studies have indicated that the course of an epidemic can be substantially changed by including adaptive behaviors. In this approach, we propose a model that combines epidemic dynamics with game theory to capture individual strategies in response to disease spread and the cooperation of other individuals. To represent these individual dynamics, the epidemic and social processes are embedded in heterogeneous graphs that represent "real-world" social networks. These networks form a hierarchical organization, where the connectivity level of each individual (or node) follows a power-law distribution. Consequently, few nodes can act as hubs, while the rest will have few interactions. With this work, we aim to explore how cooperation among individuals modulates the strength of infection and thus decreases the spread of the epidemic.

 

Members

Juan Manuel Cordovez

BIOMAC Director

 

Mauricio Santos

Postdoctoral Researcher

 

Jaime Cascante

Master's Student

 

Samuel Torres

Undergraduate Student

 

Once intervention occurs, the details matter even more.

We are currently investigating how the structure of the local contact network within a large city like Bogotá modulates the spread of SARS-CoV-2, and how we can use that contact network dynamic to create and design indicators to identify which nodes are high-risk and could have a direct effect on the number of new infections. In this way, we will demonstrate whether specific non-pharmaceutical measures focused on isolation could achieve the same success as strict quarantines in helping to reduce the risk of an outbreak in Bogotá while maintaining economic activity.

 

Members

Juan Manuel Cordovez

BIOMAC Director

 

Mauricio Santos

Postdoctoral Researcher

 

David Suárez Salazar

Master's Student

 

 

carolina muñoz


Carolina Muñoz, PhD

Group Director - Associate Professor

 

juan carlos cruz


Juan Carlos Cruz, PhD

Co-Director - Associate Professor

javier cifuentes


Javier Cifuentes, MSc.

Researcher

andrés julián garcía


Andrés Julián García

Researcher

daniela rubio


Daniela Rubio, MSc.

Researcher

laura rueda


Laura Rueda

Researcher

alejandra castilla


María Alejandra Castilla, PhD

PhD Student in Engineering

simon jaramillo


Simón Jaramillo, MSc.

Master's Student in Biomedical Engineering

valentina jaramillo


Valentina Jaramillo, MSc.

Master's Student in Biomedical Engineering

cristian rodríguez


Cristian Rodríguez, MSc.

Master's Student in Biomedical Engineering

juanita monje


Juanita Monje Dussan

Master's Student in Biomedical Engineering

mónica gantiva


Mónica Gantiva

Master's Student in Biomedical Engineering

erika díaz


Erika Díaz

Master's Student in Biomedical Engineering

juan buitrago


Juan Sebastián Buítrago

Master's Student in Computational Biology

2022

publicacion Cifuentes, J.; Muñoz-Camargo, C.; Cruz, J.C. Reduced Graphene Oxide-Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds as a Multifunctional and Highly Biocompatible Nanocomposite for Wound Healing: Insights into Characterization and Electroconductive Potential. Nanomaterials 2022, 12, 2857. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12162857

publicacion Ruiz Puentes, P.; Henao, M.C.; Cifuentes, J.; Muñoz-Camargo, C.; Reyes, L.H.; Cruz, J.C.; Arbeláez, P. Rational Discovery of Antimicrobial Peptides by Means of Artificial Intelligence. Membranes 2022, 12, 708. https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12070708

publicacion Rodriguez-Soto, M.A.; Garcia-Brand, A.J.; Riveros, A.; Suarez, N.A.; Serrano, F.; Osma, J.F.; Muñoz Camargo, C.; Cruz, J.C.; Sandoval, N.; Briceño, J.C. Blood-Vessel-Inspired Hierarchical Trilayer Scaffolds: PCL/Gelatin-Driven Protein Adsorption and Cellular Interaction. Polymers 2022, 14, 2135. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14112135

publicacion Rodriguez-Soto, M.A.; Riveros, A.; Suarez Vargas, N.; Garcia-Brand, A.J.; Camargo, C.M.; Cruz, J.C.; Sandoval, N.; Briceño, J.C. Failure Analysis of TEVG’s II: Late Failure and Entering the Regeneration Pathway. Cells 2022, 11, 939. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11060939

publicacion Paola Ruiz Puentes, Laura Rueda-Gensini, Natalia Valderrama et al. Modeling Protein-Ligand Interactions with Graph Convolutional Networks for Interpretable Pharmaceutical Discovery, 02 February 2022, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1262123/v1]

publicacion Céspedes-Valenzuela DN, Sánchez-Rentería S, Cifuentes J, Gómez SC, Serna JA, Rueda-Gensini L, Ostos C, Muñoz-Camargo C, Cruz JC. Novel Photo- and Thermo-Responsive Nanocomposite Hydrogels Based on Functionalized rGO and Modified SIS/Chitosan Polymers for Localized Treatment of Malignant Cutaneous Melanoma. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2022 Jul 6;10:947616. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.947616. PMID: 35875496; PMCID: PMC9300866.

publicacion Riveros, A.; Garcia-Brand, A.J.; Rodriguez-Soto, M.A.; Sandoval, N.; Muñoz-Camargo, C.; Cruz, J.C.; Briceño, J.C. Computational Characterization of Mechanical, Hemodynamic, and Surface Interaction Conditions: Role of Protein Adsorption on the Regenerative Response of TEVGs. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23, 1130. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031130

publicacion Torres, C.E.; Cifuentes, J.; Gómez, S.C.; Quezada, V.; Giraldo, K.A.; Puentes, P.R.; Rueda-Gensini, L.; Serna, J.A.; Muñoz-Camargo, C.; Reyes, L.H.; Osma, J.F.; Cruz, J.C. Microfluidic Synthesis and Purification of Magnetoliposomes for Potential Applications in the Gastrointestinal Delivery of Difficult-to-Transport Drugs. Pharmaceutics 2022, 14, 315. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14020315

publicacion Laura Rueda-Gensini, Julian A Serna, Natalia I Bolaños, Jader Rodriguez, Juan C Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Evaluating the impact of thermal processing on the anti-inflammatory activity of non-centrifugal cane sugar: implications on cytokine secretion and TLR4 signaling. Front. Pharmacol. 2022, 13:905347. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.905347

publicacion Ruiz Puentes, P., Rueda-Gensini, L., Valderrama, N. et al. Predicting target–ligand interactions with graph convolutional networks for interpretable pharmaceutical discovery. Sci Rep 12, 8434 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12180-x

 

2021

 

publicacion Céspedes-Valenzuela DN, Sánchez-Rentería S, Cifuentes J, Gantiva-Diaz M, Serna JA, Reyes LH, Ostos C, Cifuentes-De la Portilla C, Muñoz-Camargo C, Cruz JC. Preparation and Characterization of an Injectable and Photo-Responsive Chitosan Methacrylate/Graphene Oxide Hydrogel: Potential Applications in Bone Tissue Adhesion and Repair. Polymers (Basel). 2021 Dec 30;14(1):126. do: 10.3390/polym14010126. PMID: 35012148; PMCID: PMC8747203.

publicacion Serna, J.A.; Rueda-Gensini, L.; Céspedes-Valenzuela, D.N.; Cifuentes, J.; Cruz, J.C.; Muñoz-Camargo, C. Recent Advances on Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels Based on Tissue-Derived ECMs and Their Components: Towards Improving Functionality for Tissue Engineering and Controlled Drug Delivery. Polymers 2021, 13, 3263. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13193263

publicacion Rodriguez-Soto MA, Suarez Vargas N, Riveros A, Camargo CM, Cruz JC, Sandoval N, Briceño JC. Failure Analysis of TEVG's I: Overcoming the Initial Stages of Blood Material Interaction and Stabilization of the Immune Response. Cells. 2021 Nov 12;10(11):3140. doi: 10.3390/cells10113140.

publicacion David Arango, Amaury Bittar, Camila Ocasión. Natalia Esmeral, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C Cruz, Luis H Reyes, Nastasha Bloch. 2020 Understanding the potential of genome editing in Parkinson's disease. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(17), 9241; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22179241

publicacion Andres J. Garcia-Brand *, María A. Morales, Ana Sofia Hozman, Andres C. Ramirez, Luis J. Cruz, Alejandro Marañon, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Alicia Porras. Bioactive Poly(Lactic Acid) - Cocoa Bean Shell Composites for Potential Biomedical Applications: Preparation and Preliminary in vitro Characterization. Polymers 2021, 13(21), 3707; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13213707

publicacion Gómez SC, Quezada V, Quiroz I, Muñoz-Camargo C, Osma JF, Reyes LH, Cruz JC. Design and Manufacture of a Low-Cost Microfluidic System for the Synthesis of Giant Liposomes for the Encapsulation of Yeast Homologues: Applications in the Screening of Membrane-Active Peptide Libraries. Micromachines (Basel). 2021 Nov 10;12(11):1377. doi: 10.3390/mi12111377

publicacion Javier Cifuentes, Vivian A. Salazar, Maria Claudia Castellanos, Mónica Cuellar, Jader Rodríguez, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. Antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of non-centrifugal cane sugar and other sugarcane derivatives in an in vitro induced Parkinson's model. Antioxidants 2021, 10(7), 1040; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10071040

publicacion Paola Ruiz Puentes, Natalia Valderrama, Cristina Gonzalez, Laura Daza,Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C. Cruz, Pablo Arbelaez. 2021.PharmaNet: Pharmaceutical discovery with deep recurrent neural networks PLOS One 16(4): e0241728. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0241728

publicacion Laura Rueda-Gensini, Julian A. Serna, Javier Cifuentes, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. 2021. Graphene oxide-embedded ECM-derived hydrogel as a multiresponsive platform for 3D bioprinting applications. International Journal of Bioprinting 2021; 7(3): 353. doi: 10.18063/ijb.v7i3.353

 

2020

 

publicacion Laura Rueda, Javier Cifuentes, M. Claudia Castellanos, Paola Ruiz, Julian Serna, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan C Cruz. 2020. Tailoring iron oxide nanoparticles for efficient cellular internalization and endosomal escape.Nanomaterials 2020, 10, 1816. doi.org/10.3390/pr809119810091816

publicacion Riveros, A.; Cuellar, M.; Sánchez, P.F.; Muñoz-Camargo, C.; Cruz, J.C.; Sandoval, N.; Lopez Mejia, O.D.; Briceño, J.C. Design and Characterization of a Fluidic Device for the Evaluation of SIS-Based Vascular Grafts. Processes 2020, 8, 1198.doi.org/10.3390/pr8091198

publicacion Alejandra Suarez-Arnedo, Felipe Torres Figueroa, Camila Clavijo, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. An image J plugin for the high throughput image analysis of in vitro scratch wound healing assays. PLoS ONE 15(7): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.023256

publicacion Riveros, A.; Cuellar, M.; Sánchez, P.F.; Muñoz-Camargo, C.; Cruz, J.C.; Sandoval, N.; Lopez Mejia, O.D.; Briceño, J.C. Design and Characterization of a Fluidic Device for the Evaluation of SIS-Based Vascular Grafts. Processes 2020, 8, 1198. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8091198

publicacion Paola Ruiz Puentes, María C. HenaO, Carlos E. Torres, Saúl C. Gómez, Laura A Gómez, Juan C Burgos, Pablo Arbeláez, Johann F Osma, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Luis H. Reyes, Juan C. Cruz. Design, screening, and testing of non-rational peptide libraries with antimicrobial activity: in silico and experimental approaches. Antibiotics 2020, 9(12), 854; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics9120854

publicacion Andrés Aranguren, Carlos E. Torres, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Johann F. Osma, Juan C. Cruz. 2020. Synthesis of nanoscale liposomes via low-cost microfluidic systems. Micromachines 2020, 11(12), 1050; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi11121050

publicacion Alejandra Suarez-Arnedo, Felipe Torres Figueroa, Camila Clavijo, Juan C. Cruz, Carolina Muñoz-Camargo. An image J plugin for the high throughput image analysis of in vitro scratch wound healing assays. PLoS ONE 15(7): e0232565. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0232565

publicacion Rangel Muñoz, Nathaly; Suarez, Alejandra; Anguita, Raúl; Osma, Johann F.; Muñoz-Camargo, Carolina; Prats, Guillem;. Cruz Jiménez, Juan Carlos,Boix B, Ester; Salazar Montoya, Vivian A. Antibacterial activity of magnetite nanoparticles functionalized with RNases proteins toward intracellular infection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pharmaceutics 2020, 12(7), 631; doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics12070631

publicacion Spinelli R, Barrero Guevara LA, López JA, Muñoz-Camargo C, Groot de Restrepo H, Siano AS. 2020. Cytotoxic and antiproliferative activities of amphibian (anuran) skin extracts on human acute monocytic leukemia cells. Toxicon. 177: 25-34 doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.01.008.

 

2019

 

publicacion Muñoz-Camargo C, Cruz J C., Serna J. (2019) Bioimpresión 3D. Anales De Ingeniería (ISSN 0120-0429) Colombia.

publicacion Suarez-Arnedo, A., Narváez, D.M. , Sarmiento, P., Bocanegra, L., Salcedo, F., Muñoz-Camargo, C., Groot, H., Cruz, J.C. 2019. Tridimensional alginate disks of tunable topologies for mammalian cell encapsulation. Anal Biochem. Jun 1;574:31-33. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2019.03.008

 

2018

 

publicacion Muñoz-Camargo C., Salazar V.A. Barrero-Guevara L., Camargo S., Mosquera A., Groot H., and Boix E. 2018. Unveiling the Multifaceted Mechanisms of Antibacterial Activity of Buforin II and Frenatin 2.3S Peptides from Skin Micro-Organs of the Orinoco Lime Treefrog (Sphaenorhynchus lacteus) Int J Mol Sci. 19(8): 2170. doi: 10.3390/ijms19082170.

 

2020

financingDEVELOPMENT OF A BIOPRINTED MODEL OF HUMAN RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIUM. Joint Call for Projects by Military Hospital-Uniandes. 2020

financingPhase II development of agro-industrial processes to obtain higher-value products derived from sugarcane for panela production.

PI: Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Co-investigators: Juan Carlos Cruz, Jader Rodriguez Agrosavia.

 

2019

financingPilot study for developing panela with added value: Functional potential with nutraceutical purposes in vitro. 828-2019 Innovation between Universities and Companies-Department Cundinamarca-Second Call.

PI: Jader Rodriguez, Carolina Muñoz, and Juan Carlos Cruz.

 

2018

financingPilot study for developing panela with added value: Functional potential with antioxidant and immunomodulatory activity in vitro. Colciencias Call: "Strengthening programs and research projects in medical and health sciences, with young talent and regional impact.

PIs: Carolina Muñoz-Camargo, Juan Carlos Cruz, and Jader Rodriguez.

 

financingDesign and evaluation of bio-inks based on intestinal submucosa and porcine placenta hydrogels for the manufacture of human skin equivalents by bioprinting.

PI: Carolina Muñoz C. Assistant Professor Support Fund.

 

financingDevelopment of agro-industrial processes to obtain higher-value products derived from sugarcane for panela production. Umbrella Project Agrosavia-Uniandes.

PI Agrosavia: Jader Rodriguez.

PI Uniandes: Carolina Muñoz. Agreement # AV17-06TV18-04

 

2017

financingEvaluation of a topical treatment based on antimicrobial peptides against S.aureus MRSA in a three-dimensional in-vitro human skin model. PI: Juan Carlos Cruz. Call 777 Colciencias. Code No 120477757832.

 

financingEvaluation of the use of antimicrobial peptides to combat infections caused by S. aureus MRSA in an in-vitro cutaneous wound model. PI: Juan Carlos Briceño. Participation as co-investigator. 2017, Internal Call for Support in Strengthening FCI Groups. Funded.

julian serna


Julián Serna, MSc.

monica cuellar


Mónica Cuellar, MSc.

BioTissue (Tissuetech Inc.)

alejandra suarez


Alejandra Suarez, MSc.

PhD student at Duke University

laura ellis


Laura Ellis, MSc.

daniela cespedes


Daniela Céspedes, MSc.

Boston Scientific

paula guerrero


Paula Guerrero, MSc.

Medtronic

sabina nieto


Sabina Nieto

Undergraduate Student

santiago sanchez


Santiago Sánchez

Master's Student in Chemical Engineering

juliana casas


Juliana Casas

isabella munoz


Isabella Muñoz

maria ximena forero


Maria Ximena Forero