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Development of modern generation technology of stable biological surface film for various bio-medical applications

dr Marcel Krzan
nckrzan@cyf-kr.edu.pl
Principal Investigator
National Science Center of Poland research project no. 2016/21/B/ST8/02107

"Soft Matter Nanostructures" research group
Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry
Polish Academy of Sciences
ul. Niezapominajek 8
30-239 Krakow
Poland

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dr Marcel Krzan
email: nckrzan@cyf-kr.edu.pl

I'm an experienced researcher in the fields of physico-chemistry of liquids and hydrodynamics. I am an author or co-author of: Chapter in the book "Bubble and Drops Interfaces" and over 30 peer-reviewed scientific publications ISI/JCR (Hirsch factor =12).
My main research topics are connected with: i) bubble motion in surface active agent solutions, ii) adsorption processes, state of adsorption layer at gas/liquid interface under dynamic conditions, iii) foam and emulsion stability and rheology, iv) surface activity of bio-polymers (proteins or polysaccharides, v) flotation and dynamic of three phase contact formation, vi) solid foam preparation and formation, vii) automatic digital image analysis.
I participated in numerous international fellowship programs, founded by European Tempus Erasmus (1998), DAAD Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (2003), the French Egide (2005) and the CNRS Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (2006), European exchange programs COST (2009, 2013, and 2014) and Erasmus (2014-2016). Between 2004-2007 I was one of scientific investigators in the European Space Agency project "Hydrodynamics of wet foams" (second and third tasks performed within the framework of post-doctoral internships at France and Belgium).
Since 2011 I am a Leader of the R@D Polish National Scientific Center project entitled "Development in technology for generation of stable and biodegradable aqueous foam for industrial and biomedical applications." I have more than 5 years of experience in Polish and European projects related to innovation, entrepreneurship, SMEs support, business development, infrastructure of research & higher education and technology transfer. My experiences in those areas is also supported by more than 20 specialized courses related to similar subjects organized in the framework of programs "Skills" by Foundation for Polish Science and "SIMS" Science Infrastructure Management Support by Polish National Center for Research and Development

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Dr. Marcel Krzan                             - Principal Investigator

Dr. Ewelina Jarek                           - main co-investigator

Prof. Piotr Warszynski                  - co-investigator / consultant

MSc Malgorzata Kabat               - PhD student / co-nvestigator

MSc Agnieszka Czakaj                - PhD student / co-investigator

Dr. Robert Socha                            - co-investigator

Project is executed in cooperation with:

Dr. Francesca Ravera, Institute of Condensed Matter and Technologies, National Research Council (ICMATE-CNR), Genoa, Italy

Prof. Elena Mileva, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IPC BAS), Sofia, Bulgaria

Team Project

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Project aims:

During the project we want to develop technology for generation and application of stable thin films of surface formulated from mixtures of hypoallergenic, non-toxic biological polymers, mainly biosurfactants (proteins, polysaccharides, glycolipids and phospholipids). The biological film compositions will be enhanced by the addition of biopolymers with huge biological (antibacterial, fungicidal or regenerative for skin) activity, such as chitosan, bacterial cellulose, hyaluronic acid or levan. Similar surface thin film could in the close future become basis of the cosmetic and dermatological composition of the multiple use products. Thanks for them the skin will be simultaneously protected, lubricated and regenerated. The medical impact of the biological film will be further strengthened by the addition of silver nanoparticles. Similar multicomponent film layer would be the first line of the skin body defense against a various pathogens. Similar thin surface film could be also used as a pathogen barrier in food industry as a natural preservatives. The same technology may be utilized in the agricultural production in natural green pesticides. The similar application of the technology let us in close future reduce the amount of synthetic surfactants incorporated into the natural environment.
We will study the adsorption process in multicomponent biological surface active agent solutions. Similar research hasn’t been presented yet in the literature of subject. The various scientific manuscript present the adsorption analysis of mono or two components biological systems. It could be assume, that due to high complexity of similar measurements and the need to perform of multiple intersection tests discourages scientists to conduct similar research. But it must be pointed that similar multicomponent system exist in the pharmaceutic and cosmetic technology. Unfortunately the technological knowledge aren’t supported by the scientific research and analysis. In the result the most of produced and used cosmetic products includes many times more surfactants (synthetic or biological) than it is necessary. In the result the problems connected with the skin allergies (caused by the cosmetics) and water pollution (from cosmetic wetting agents or detergents) still increase.
During the project we want to designate the minimum necessary concentrations of surface active or wetting agents in our composition. Even in the case of biosurfactants we want to use the minimum enough concentrations. To obtain it we must perform the long and accurate adsorption analysis for each study by us biopolymer. The adsorption properties in solutions of single biosurfactants and mixtures consisting its compositions will be studied by the dynamic and equilibrium surface tension, surface elasticity, surface viscoelasticity, bulk viscosity and by optical fluorescence microscopy methods. In the case of compositions with the proper surface active properties, the adsorption layer will be applied on the surface of specially designated solid plates gold, silica or mica) by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The plates would be covered before by the special layer of polydimethylsiloxane, which already is used to simulate the human skin. The obtained  thin surface layer (from studied solutions or mixtures composition) will be next analyzed by the quartz crystal microbalance (in the case of gold sensors), atomic force microscopy, contact angle (surface energy of solid), cryo-SEM microscopy, confocal microcopy and other new, innovative and sophisticated methods. Thanks for it we will be able to characterize the thickness of the layer, adsorption degree, its composition on the surface, the single biopolymer molecule size, shape and orientation over the PDMS layer.
We believe that our results solve many problem existing in the case of base research in the field of multicomponent biological surface layers. We also hope that our result in future could will have the strong impact on the cosmetic and pharmaceutic industry. The hypo allergic, non-toxic biological thin film can be a modern, innovative and green product of the XXI century.

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Project results - publications

Chaper in book / papers in journals

M. Krzan, A. Kulawik-Pióro, B. Tyliszczak  „Foams stabilized by particles” chapter 15 in book “Foam Films and Foams: Fundamentals and Application” (D. Exerowa, G. Gochev, D. Platikanov, L. Liggieri and R. Miller (Eds.)), book in series of “Progress in colloids and Interfacial Science" in preparation, 2018, ISBN 9781466587724, pp. 279-294

M. Dabestani, M. Krzan, S. Yeganehzad, R. Miller, Characterisation of Egg White adsorption layers under equilibrium and dynamic conditions, Coll. Surf. A, 568 (2019) 29-35

E. Santini, E. Jarek, F. Ravera, L. Ligierri, P. Warszynski, M. Krzan, „Surface properties and foamability of saponin and saponin-chitosan systems”, Coll. Surf. B, submitted January 2019

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Project results - conference presentations

<>·Ewelina Jarek, Eva Santini, Agnieszka Czakaj, Małgorzata Kabat, Francesca Ravera, Libero Liggieri, Piotr Warszyński,

  • Agnieszka Czakaj, Małgorzata Kabat, Ewelina Jarek, Marcel Krzan, Piotr Warszyński, Foaming and emulsifying properties of cellulose nanofibers – lauroyl ethyl arginate, 61st Polish Chemical Society conference, 17-21 September 2018, Cracow, Poland (oral)

  • M. Krzan, , Formation and properties Starch-graphene oxide bionanocomposite films” Eufoam 2018, Liege, Belgium, 10-12 July 2018 (poster)

  • M. Krzan, M. Dabestani, S. Yeganehzad, R. Miller “Influence of pH variations on surface properties in saponin / egg white proteins / Persian gum solutions and their mixtures”, Eufoam 2018, Liege, Belgium, 10-12 July 2018 (oral)

  • E. Santini, F. Ravera, M. Krzan, E. Jarek, P. Warszynski, L. Liggieri, „Saponin and chitosan: Surface properties and foamability”, Eufoam 2018, Liege, Belgium, 10-12 July 2018 (oral)

  • E. Santini, F. Ravera, M. Krzan, E. Jarek, P. Warszynski, L. Liggieri, „Saponin and chitosan: Surface properties and foamability”, 16th International IACIS conference (International Association of Colloid and Interface Scientist), 21-25 May 2018, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, (poster)

  • M. Krzan, E. Santini, E. Jarek, F. Ravera, P. Warszynski, L. Liggierri, Surface properties and foamabilities of saponin / chitosan solutions and their mixtures, International Conference on Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 18-23 March 2018, Krakow, book of abstract p. 225, oral

  • M. Krzan, M. Dabestani, S. Yeganehzad, R. Miller, Influence of pH variation on bubble motion in saponin / egg white proteins solutions and mixtures, Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 18-23 March 2018, Krakow, book of abstract p. 397, poster,

  • M. Krzan, E. Rio, W. Drenckhan-Andreatta, D. Langvein, “Stability of whey protein foams generated in double-syringe device”, 7th Bubble and Drops international workshop, Lyon 26-30 June 2017, (poster A16),



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