Javier CARRASCOSA TEJEDOR

Controlling Reservoir Formation at the Air/Water Interface by Nanoparticle Design: a bridge from Biocompatible Model Systems to Lung Surfactant Function

This PhD project at the interface between physical chemistry and physical pharmacy combines the use of several interfacial tools including ellipsometry, Brewster angle microscopy and neutron reflectometry to understand and control the formation of extended structures in polyelectrolyte/surfactant films spread at the air/water interface. The aims of this project are:

1. To improve the fundamental understanding of the controlled formation of extended structures in polyelectrolyte/surfactant films at the air/water interface, from synthetic to biocompatible systems.
2. To study the possibility of activating the formation of extended structures in those films that do not have them by doping with nanoparticles.
3. To bridge the knowledge gap in reservoir formation from model phospholipid systems to lung surfactants substitutes

In collaboration with  Prof.  Jayne Lawrence and Dr Richard A. Campbell (University of Manchester, UK)