Person: González Burgos, Elena María
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First Name
Elena María
Last Name
González Burgos
Affiliation
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Faculty / Institute
Farmacia
Department
Farmacología, Farmacognosia y Botánica
Area
Farmacología
Identifiers
5 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
Item Leveraging 3D-printed microfluidic micromixers for the continuous manufacture of melatonin loaded SNEDDS with enhanced antioxidant activity and skin permeability(International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2024) Ongoren, Baris; Aytug, Kara; Casettari, Luca; Tiboni, Mattia; Lalatsa, Aikaterini; Sanz Pérez, Amadeo; González Burgos, Elena María; Romero Martínez, Manuel Alejandro; Juberías, Antonio; Torrado Durán, Juan José; Serrano López, Dolores RemediosVesicants are chemical warfare agents (CWAs) capable of causing severe skin damage and systemic toxicity. Melatonin, known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, can mitigate the effects of these agents. Self-nano-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) containing a high melatonin concentration (5 %, 50 mg/g) were optimized using a quality-by-design approach from biocompatible, non-irritant excipients with a particle size of about 100 nm. The melatonin-loaded SNEDDS showed a 43-fold greater permeability than a conventional melatonin cream. Chemical stability at ambient temperature (25 °C) was maintained for one year. The preparation of optimised melatonin-loaded SNEDDS using a simple mixing method was compared to microfluidic micromixers. Mixing was successfully achieved using a 3D-printed (fused deposition modeling or stereolithography) T-shaped toroidal microfluidic chip (with a channel geometry optimized by computational fluid dynamics), resulting in a scalable, continuous process for the first time with a substantial reduction in preparation time compared to other conventional mixing approaches. No statistically significant differences were observed in the key quality attributes, such as particle size and melatonin loading, between mixing method till kinetic equilibrium solubility is reached and mixing using the 3D-printed micromixers. This scalable, continuous, cost-effective approach improves the overall efficiency of SNEDDS production, reduces the cost of quality control for multiple batches, and demonstrates the potential of continuous microfluidic manufacture with readily customizable 3D-printed micromixers at points of care, such as military bases.Item Leveraging 3D-Printed Microfluidic Micromixers for the Continuous Manufacture of Melatonin Loaded SNEDDS with Enhanced Antioxidant Activity and Skin Permeability(International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2024) Ongoren, Baris; Kara, Aytug; Casettari, Luca; Tiboni, Mattia; Lalatsa, A.; Sanz-Perez, A.; González Burgos, Elena María; Romero Martínez, Manuel Alejandro; Juderías, Antonio; Torrado Durán, Juan José; Serrano López, Dolores RemediosVesicants are chemical warfare agents (CWAs) capable of causing severe skin damage and systemic toxicity. Melatonin, known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, can mitigate the effects of these agents. Self-nano-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) containing a high melatonin concentration (5%, 50 mg/g) were optimized using a quality-by-design approach from biocompatible, non-irritant excipients with a particle size of about 100 nm. The melatonin-loaded SNEDDS showed a 43-fold greater permeability than a conventional melatonin cream. Chemical stability at ambient temperature (25oC) was maintained for one year. The preparation of optimised melatonin-loaded SNEDDS using a simple mixing method was compared to microfluidic micromixers. Mixing was successfully achieved using a 3D-printed (fused deposition modeling or stereolithography) T-shaped toroidal microfluidic chip (with a channel geometry optimized by computational fluid dynamics), resulting in a scalable, continuous process for the first time with a substantial reduction in preparation time compared to other conventional mixing approaches. No statistically significant differences were observed in the key quality attributes, such as particle size and melatonin loading, between mixing method till kinetic equilibrium solubility is reached and mixing using the 3D-printed micromixers. This scalable, continuous, cost-effective approach improves the overall efficiency of SNEDDS production, reduces the cost of quality control for multiple batches, and demonstrates the potential of continuous microfluidic manufacture with readily customizable 3D-printed micromixers at points of care, such as military bases.Item Self-assembling, supramolecular chemistry and pharmacology of amphotericin B: Poly-aggregates, oligomers and monomers(Journal of Controlled Release, 2021) Raquel Fernández-García; Juan C. Muñoz-García; Matthew Wallace; Laszlo Fabian; González Burgos, Elena María; Gómez-Serranillos Cuadrado, María Pilar; Raposo González, Rafaela; Bolas Fernández, Francisco; Ballesteros Papantonakis, María De La Paloma; Anne Marie Healy; Yaroslav Z. Khimyak; Serrano López, Dolores RemediosAntifungal drugs such as amphotericin B (AmB) interact with lipids and phospholipids located on fungal cell membranes to disrupt them and create pores, leading to cell apoptosis and therefore efficacy. At the same time, the interaction can also take place with cell components from mammalian cells, leading to toxicity. AmB was selected as a model antifungal drug due to the complexity of its supramolecular chemical structure which can self-assemble in three different aggregation states in aqueous media: monomer, oligomer (also known as dimer) and poly-aggregate. The interplay between AmB self-assembly and its efficacy or toxicity against fungal or mammalian cells is not yet fully understood. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that investigates the role of excipients in the supramolecular chemistry of AmB and the impact on its biological activity and toxicity. The monomeric state was obtained by complexation with cyclodextrins resulting in the most toxic state, which was attributed to the greater production of highly reactive oxygen species upon disruption of mammalian cell membranes, a less specific mechanism of action compared to the binding to the ergosterol located in fungal cell membranes. The interaction between AmB and sodium deoxycholate resulted in the oligomeric and polyaggregated forms which bound more selectively to the ergosterol of fungal cell membranes. NMR combined with XRD studies elucidated the interaction between drug and excipient to achieve the AmB aggregation states, and ultimately, their diffusivity across membranes. A linear correlation between particle size and the efficacy/toxicity ratio was established allowing to modulate the biological effect of the drug and hence, to improve pharmacological regimens. However, particle size is not the only factor modulating the biological response but also the equilibrium of each state which dictates the fraction of free monomeric form available. Tuning the aggregation state of AmB formulations is a promising strategy to trigger a more selective response against fungal cells and to reduce the toxicity in mammalian cells.Item Higher education vs. professional opportunities: the value of Ph.D. studies(Education Sciences, 2023) Fraguas Sánchez, Ana Isabel; Serrano López, Dolores Remedios; Medina Sánchez, María Ángeles; González Burgos, Elena María; Liu, XinqiaoThe Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is a doctoral research degree that represents the highest level of academic qualification awarded by universities. It is expected that professionals holding a Ph.D. degree can target higher-paying jobs. However, little is known about the real correlation between Ph.D. holders and professional career development. For the first time, a study was undertaken among Ph.D. graduates from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), one of the largest universities in Spain, to understand the value of the Ph.D. on students’ satisfaction and career prospects. Methods: An anonymous questionnaire, created through Google Forms with three sections (sociodemographic data, academic data about doctoral studies, and employment status), was sent to Ph.D. graduates from UCM between 2015 and 2022. Results: A total of 107 Ph.D. graduates participated in this study. Responders felt that the Ph.D. degree has positively impacted their soft skills development and capability for constant learning but has minimal impact on their overall employability, although the employment rate was 94%. Most of the jobs undertaken by the Ph.D. holders were linked to academic research areas and were located in Spain, with salaries ranging between 14,000 and 50,000 EUR. Conclusions: Universities should implement novel policies at the Ph.D. level to ensure students are not only exposed to the scientific environment but are also prepared and qualified for highly skilled jobs. It is key to creating a community along with the private sector and providing the necessary tools for fostering Ph.D. students’ satisfaction and career prospects.Item Mental health and drug use in college students: should we take action?(Journal of Affective Disorders, 2023) Pérez Pérez, Teresa; Pardo Llorente, M. Del Carmen; Cabellos, Yolanda; Peressini Álvarez, Melina; Ureña Vacas, Isabel María; Serrano López, Dolores Remedios; González Burgos, Elena MaríaBackground College students are vulnerable to suffering from anxiety and depression. Moreover, mental disorders can contribute to drug consumption or inappropriate use of prescribed drugs. Studies on this topic in Spanish college students are limited. This work analyses anxiety and depression and psychoactive drug intake pattern in the post-COVID era in college students. Methods An online survey was conducted among college students from UCM (Spain). The survey collected data including demographic, academic student perception, GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scales, and psychoactive substances consumption. Results A total of 6,798 students were included; 44.1% (CI95%: 42.9 to 45.3) showed symptoms of severe anxiety and 46.5% (CI95%: 45.4 to 47.8) symptoms of severe or moderately severe depression. The perception of these symptoms did not change after returning to face-to-face university classes in the post-COVID19 era. Despite the high percentage of cases with clear symptoms of anxiety and depression, most students never had a diagnosis of mental illnesses [anxiety 69.2% (CI95%: 68.1 to 70.3) and depression 78.1% (CI95%: 77.1 to 79.1)]. Regarding psychoactive substances, valerian, melatonin, diazepam, and lorazepam were the most consumed. The most worrying issue was the consumption of diazepam, 10.8% (CI95%: 9.8 to 11.8), and lorazepam, 7.7% (CI95%: 6.9 to 8.6) without medical prescription. Amongst illicit drugs, cannabis is the most consumed. Limitations The study was based on an online survey. Conclusions The high prevalence of anxiety and depression aligned with poor medical diagnosis and high intake of psychoactive drugs should not be underestimated. University policies should be implemented to improve the well-being of students.