GENERAL OBJECTIVE of MacroMet project is to increase the capacity and quality of the research at ICMPP, opening a new research direction in the leading biomaterials field, and thus creating an excellence research group, contributing to the fulfilment of the objectives set out in the Romania’s National Research, Development and Innovation Plan 2022-2027, PNCDI IV. As such, the MacroMet proposal will undoubtedly boost the quality and enhance the scientific excellence of ICMPP to a noticeably superior level.

The OBJECTIVES of MacroMet project, according to PNCDI IV overall strategy:
    O1. Increasing the competitiveness of Romanian’s research at national and international level, by creating a research group with high-level scientific competence. Novel methods on synthesis, characterization and testing will be developed (subject for a PhD thesis).
   O2. Increasing the quality of the human resources, specializing the team at a high importance scientific field and ensuring optimal conditions for the development of top-level research activities (4 PhD students and 3 postdocs). Promoting of interdisciplinary research and training of the team members, developing thus new skills for experienced researchers in the project’s area (3 short research stages).
   O3. Increasing the team international visibility (6 scientific papers in Q1 ISI ranked journals, mainly in journals with open access) and dissemination of research results at national and international level (10 presentations at scientific meetings, project webpage, 1 workshop).

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES of MacroMet project, in terms of the proposed research strategy:
   SO1. Synthesis of complexes of NAT/Me by ion-exchange column method. Achieve controlled composition and structure of the obtained complexes. Elucidate their structural and self-organization characteristics.
    SO2. Obtaining micro/nanoparticles of NAT/Me complexes, reactors for in situ MNP synthesis. Design hybrid micro/nanostructures for manipulation, adaptation, and overall responsivity via environmental parameters, as in living tissue environments.
  SO3. Stabilization of NAT/Me complexes or NAT/MNP hybrids by their embedment into (hydro)gels or in calcium carbonate matrixes and enhancing their properties. Ambitiously, the project aims to develop materials for future biomedical applications, advancing the macromolecular chemistry know-how.
  SO4. Investigate the antimicrobial and antitumoral activities along with their drug loading/release, bioimaging capabilities mediated by interaction of the MNP with external factors, mainly by light in the Vis/NIR region, for synergistic therapy/diagnostic applications.

All specific objectives are related to the main scope of the project, are feasible and can be fully realised based on: (a) project director expertise in polyions utilization in (nano)materials synthesis and characterization, (b) valuable scientific results of the team members, (c) rigorous project activities planning, (d) previous experience of project director in projects management.