The results of the study conducted by Prof. Luca Santi on the production of biopharmaceuticals in plant and realized thank to the liberal contributions supplied by the Gianni Benzi Pharmacological Research Foundation are published on the website of the Foundation.
Prof. Santi teaches at the Università degli Studi della Tuscia in Viterbo, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie per l’Agricoltura, le Foreste, la Natura e l’Energia (DAFNE).
In this research activity a plant viral system was developed for the creation of bion-particles with techniques of genetic engineering. In particular, the Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) was used as viral vector, while plants of tobacco was used as guest.
The experimental activity was divided in the following phases:
a) Genetic engineering of the virus
b) Check of the infectivity of chimeric viruses
c) Check of the correct assembly of chimeric particles
d) Finalization of the protocol of the purification of the bio-nanoparticles
e) Check and calculation of the performance in the productive phase
This research opens the way to the development of multifunctional nanoparticles which are able to address towards a specific tissue or kind cellular, bringing inside them a contrast agent or therapeutic molecules which could revolutionize the present approaches of the traditional medicine.