Research conducted by Team 3 aims to design and develop innovative systems of pharmaceutical interest, progressing from the molecular level (active pharmaceutical ingredients) to supramolecular organisation (associative polymers, hydrogels, biopolymer complexes, etc.), ultimately leading to the creation of original systems (complex or hybrid gels, surfactant-free emulsified systems, etc.). This approach is grounded in the team’s strong expertise in physical crystallography and colloid and interface physico-chemistry. The originality and coherence of this research lie in its dual focus: addressing fundamental scientific challenges while maintaining a clear orientation toward therapeutic applications.

More specifically, the team develops three main research themes:

• Theme 1 – “Structures and properties of pharmaceutically relevant molecules” focuses on studying the physicochemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients in their crystalline forms. This theme relies on both experimental and theoretical modelling tools (including ab initio and periodic calculations) to investigate the structure, electron density, and electrostatic properties of pharmaceutical molecules in crystalline environments. Moreover, an original laser-induced non-photochemical nucleation method (NPLIN) has been developed to control the crystallisation of polymorphic forms (D. Mellah et al., Crystal Growth and Design, 2022). Part of this work is dedicated to the co-crystallisation of active ingredients to obtain novel crystalline forms with improved bioavailability. Theme 1 benefits from a long-standing collaboration between Team 3 of the Institut Galien Paris-Saclay and the SPMS Laboratory (Gif-sur-Yvette).

• Theme 2 – “Design and characterisation of polymer-based systems for pharmaceutical applications” aims to develop novel polymer-based systems in the form of hydrogels, films, or patches, with or without colloidal components (such as liposomes, exosomes, nanoemulsion droplets, or lactobacilli), to create more effective drug delivery systems or biomaterials for tissue regeneration. These systems are developed using both conventional formulation techniques and more advanced methods such as 3D printing. This research also explores the design of hybrid, intelligent (responsive to external chemical or physical stimuli), and bioactive biomaterials based on the supramolecular assembly of peptides.

• Theme 3 – “Emulsion-based systems” focuses on the formulation and characterisation of innovative emulsified systems for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. The originality of this approach lies in stabilising emulsions using biopolymers such as proteins or polysaccharides, or using nanoparticles and nanocrystals (Pickering emulsions), with the goal of reducing the use of potentially toxic or irritating synthetic surfactants.

Themes 2 and 3 particularly benefit from the rheology expertise and instrumentation available within the Unit’s Biophysics and Instrumentation Platform.

• Jaudoin C, Maue Gehrke M, Grillo I, Cousin F, Ouldali M,Arteni AA, Ferrary E, Siepmann F, Siepman J, Simelière F, Bochot A, Agnely F, Release of liposomes from hyaluronic acid-based hybrid systems: Effects of liposome surface and size. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2023, 648, pp.123560. ⟨10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123560⟩. ⟨hal-04317696⟩
• Beladjine M, Albert C, Sintès M, Mekhloufi G, Gueutin C, Nicolas V, Canette A, Trichet M, Tsapis N, Michel L, Agnely F, Huang N, Pickering emulsions stabilized with biodegradable nanoparticles for the co-encapsulation of two active pharmaceutical ingredients, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2023, 637, 122870. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.122870
• Jaudoin C, Grillo I, Cousin F, Gherke M, Ouldali M, Arteni A-A, Picton L, Rihouhey C, Simelière F, Bochot A*, Agnely F*   (* : same contribution), Hybrid systems combining liposomes and entangled hyaluronic acid chains: Influence of liposome surface and drug encapsulation on the microstructure, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2022, 628, 995-1007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2022.07.146
• Mellah D, Nicolaï B, Fournier B, Bošnjaković-Pavlović N, Legrand FX, Gemeiner P, Boemare V, Guiblin N, Assi A, Tfayli A, Konate S, Durand P, Spasojević-de Biré A, New Cocrystallization Method: Non-photochemical Laser-Induced Nucleation of a Cocrystal of Caffeine−Gallic Acid in Water, Crystal Growth and Design, 2022, 22(10), 5982–5995. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.cgd.2c00624
• Maaroufi Z, Cojean S,  Loiseau PM; Yahyaoui M, Agnely F, Abderraba M, Mekhloufi G, In vitro antileishmanial potentialities of essential oils from Citrus limon and Pistacia lentiscus harvested in  Tunisia, Parasitology Research, 2021, 120(4), 1455-1469. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-020-06952-5
• Jaudoin C,  Carré F, Gehrke M, Solgadi A, Steinmetz V, Hue N, Cailleau C, Tourrel G,  Nguyen Y,  Ferrary E,  Agnely F *, Bochot A *  (* : same contribution), Transtympanic injection of a liposomal gel loaded with N-acetyl-L-cysteine: A relevant strategy to prevent damage induced by cochlear implantation in guinea pigs?, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2021, 604, 120757. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120757
• N’Guessan Gnaman KC, Bouttier S,  Yeo A,  Aka Any-Grah AAS,  Geiger S, Huang N,  Nicolas V, Villebrun S,  Faye-Kette H,  Ponchel G,  Koffi AA,  Agnely F, Characterization and in vitro evaluation of a vaginal gel containing Lactobacillus crispatus for the prevention of gonorrhea, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2020, 588, 119733. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2020.119733
• Nicolaï B, Fournier B, Dahaoui S, Gillet JM, Ghermani NE, Crystal and Electron Properties of Carbamazepine−Aspirin Co-crystal, Crystal Growth and Design, 2019, 19, 1308−1321. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.cgd.8b01698
• Ghermani NE, Molecular Potential Energies from Experimental Electric Field and Electrostatic Potential at Nuclei, Physical Chemistry A, 2019, 123(10), 2018-2024. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpca.8b12305
• Ali A,  Le Potier I, Huang N, Rosilio V, Cheron M, Faivre V, Turbica I, Agnely F, Mekhloufi G, Effect of high pressure homogenization on the structure and the interfacial properties of b-lactoglobulin, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2018,  537, 111-121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2017.12.019
• Albert C, Huang N, Tsapis N, Geiger S, Rosilio V, Mekhloufi G, Chapron D, Robin B, Beladjine M A, Nicolas V, Fattal E, Agnely F, Bare and Sterically Stabilized PLGA Nanoparticles for the Stabilization of Pickering Emulsions, Langmuir, 2018, 34(46), 13935-13945. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b02558

BURCKBUCHLER Virginie
GERHKE Maria

ARAVYA Candice
JAUDOIN Céline
ROBIN Baptiste
MAAROUFI Zeineb
BELADJINE Mohamed Amine
N’GUESSAN-GNAMAN Kakwokpo Clémence
ALBERT Claire
ALI Ali
JOUANNY-BOUYER Eléonore

GHERMANI Nour Eddine – Professeur
SIMELIERE Fanny – Assistante Ingénieure
GROSSIORD Jean-Louis – Professeur – Ancien chef d’équipe
COUARRAZE Guy – Professeur – Ancien chef d’équipe – Fondateur de l’équipe