Magdalena Gorska Ponikowska

Title : Nanotechnology as a sophisticated tool for cosmetic industry and medicine

Abstract:

Nanotechnology is a novel tool used in targeted therapies, e.g. anticancer treatment or in cosmetology for modification of active substances with carrier molecules. Cosmetic law is naturally very cautious about “nano-products”, taking care of consumer’s safety. The available literature provides information on the anticancer potential of graphene oxides (GO) and reduced graphene oxides (rGO) against various types of cancer. However, there are no approved graphene solutions on the market for application of such drugs in oncology. Up to date, GO and rGO have most often been used as a component of the composite with a chemically modified surface binding (via adhesive forces or covalently) specific nanoparticles (including magnetics), polymers as well as immobilized anticancer substances, primarily doxorubicin or its electrophilic derivatives, and cisplatin.  Scientific activity in the field of graphene biomedicine has been continually increasing both in Poland and worldwide, and as referred to by Graphene Flagship, the first graphene-based drugs will have been developed by 2030.

Audience take-away:

• Nanotechnology applied for modification of active substance in order to improve efficacy and bioavailability.
• Nanotechnology in cosmetic industry.
• Graphene nanoplates as drug carriers of the future.

Biography:

Dr. Magdalena Gorska Ponikowska, Associate Proffessor (born on December 26, 1984) is the Head & Chair of the Department of Medical Chemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland. She has been a visiting researcher at the University of Stuttgart, Germany since 2017 and also at the Institute 'Istituto Euro Mediterraneo di Scienza' (Palermo, Italy) since 2018. She is a creator and co-owner of the cosmetic brand Skin Science with her expert authorship.

Prof. Magdalena Gorska Ponikowska graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland. Consequently, she obtained her habilitation degree in 2018. She participated in numerous international scientific research internships, including University of Palermo (Italy), University of Stuttgart (Germany) and University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada). Prof. Magdalena Gorska-Ponikowska received a scholarship of the Minister of Science and Higher Education (2017), and was awarded the title of the ‘Muse of the City of Sopot’ (Poland) in the field of regional scientific activity (2017). Her research areas involve medical chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, oncology, cosmetology, nanotechnology and neurobiology. She is an author and co-author of 74 peer-reviewed articles in international journals.