PEÑAHERRERA PAZMIÑO, ANA BELÉN

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Main Affiliation

Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Eugenio Espejo

CENBIO - Centro de Investigación Biomédica

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Scopus Author ID

57666063100

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7

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Advances in green synthesis of nanoparticles for biomedical applications: Antimicrobial, antiviral, and cancer therapies
(Elsevier BV, 2026-03)
HESAM, KAMYAB
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Elham Khalili
;
Tayebeh Khademi
;
Ali Yuzir
;
Mohammad Mahdi Taheri
Green synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) has garnered a considerable amount of attention lately due to its low production expenses, simplicity of manufacturing, safety, and environmental friendliness. It is a dependable method for creating a variety of nanostructures from fungal, plant, and bacterial extracts as well as hybrid materials, including metal salts. A viable and sustainable substitute for traditional synthesis methods is the green synthesis of NPs. According to recent research, NPs have very promising antiviral and antimicrobial capabilities. This article highlights the progress made in the green method for manufacturing NPs utilizing natural substances, including fruit juices, plant extracts, and other pertinent sources. A thorough understanding of these NPs' anticancer, antiviral, and antimicrobial abilities was presented. Numerous opportunities are presented by these NPs to combat potentially fatal viral and other antimicrobial diseases. This review provides readers with a grasp of the latest data and a variety of tactics for designing and developing advanced green nanomaterials using a more environmentally friendly approach. A summary is provided of the present difficulties, critical analysis, and prospects for the green synthesis of NPs as well as the potential for their innovative and successful investigation for biomedical applications.
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Bioactive Phenolic Compounds from Rambutan - Nephelium lappaceum L. - Shell: Encapsulation, Structural Stability, and Multifunctional Activities
(MDPI AG, 2025-11-09)
Carlos Barba Ostria
;
Orestes López
;
Alexis Debut
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MAYORGA RAMOS, ARIANNA CAROLINA
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ZÚÑIGA MIRANDA, JOHANA JANINA
Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) shell, an agro-industrial by-product, is a rich source of phenolic acids and minor anthocyanins, but its direct use is limited by instability and low bioavailability. We extracted phenolic-rich fractions and produced maltodextrin microcapsules by spray drying, then confirmed chemical entrapment and amorphization by FTIR, SEM, and XRD. The formulation showed high encapsulation efficiency and high antioxidant capacity (DPPH), selective bactericidal activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia, and strong inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes biofilms, while exhibiting negligible hemolysis (<2%) across tested concentrations. Antitumor effects were moderate with low selectivity in vitro, indicating that phenolic-acid-driven redox modulation may require fractionation or delivery optimization for oncology applications. Overall, spray-dried microcapsules provided structural stability and safety while concentrating multifunctional activities relevant to food and biomedical uses. By valorizing a tropical waste stream into a bioactive, hemocompatible ingredient, this work aligns with societal goals on health and sustainable production (SDG 3 and SDG 12) and offers a scalable route to deploy underutilized phenolic resources.</jats:p>
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AQSA—Algorithm for Automatic Quantification of Spheres Derived from Cancer Cells in Microfluidic Devices
(MDPI AG, 2024-11-20)
PEÑAHERRERA PAZMIÑO, ANA BELÉN
;
Ramiro Fernando Isa-Jara
;
Elsa Hincapié-Arias
;
Silvia Gómez
;
Denise Belgorosky
Sphere formation assay is an accepted cancer stem cell (CSC) enrichment method. CSCs play a crucial role in chemoresistance and cancer recurrence. Therefore, CSC growth is studied in plates and microdevices to develop prediction chemotherapy assays in cancer. As counting spheres cultured in devices is laborious, time-consuming, and operator-dependent, a computational program called the Automatic Quantification of Spheres Algorithm (ASQA) that detects, identifies, counts, and measures spheres automatically was developed. The algorithm and manual counts were compared, and there was no statistically significant difference (p = 0.167). The performance of the AQSA is better when the input image has a uniform background, whereas, with a nonuniform background, artifacts can be interpreted as spheres according to image characteristics. The areas of spheres derived from LN229 cells and CSCs from primary cultures were measured. For images with one sphere, area measurements obtained with the AQSA and SpheroidJ were compared, and there was no statistically significant difference between them (p = 0.173). Notably, the AQSA detects more than one sphere, compared to other approaches available in the literature, and computes the sphere area automatically, which enables the observation of treatment response in the sphere derived from the human glioblastoma LN229 cell line. In addition, the algorithm identifies spheres with numbers to identify each one over time. The AQSA analyzes many images in 0.3 s per image with a low computational cost, enabling laboratories from developing countries to perform sphere counts and area measurements without needing a powerful computer. Consequently, it can be a useful tool for automated CSC quantification from cancer cell lines, and it can be adjusted to quantify CSCs from primary culture cells. CSC-derived sphere detection is highly relevant as it avoids expensive treatments and unnecessary toxicity.
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Microdroplet Systems for Gene Transfer: From Fundamentals to Future Perspectives
(MDPI AG, 2025-10-31)
Criollo, Mishell
;
Gina Layedra
;
Camilo Pérez Sosa
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Gustavo Rosero
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PEÑAHERRERA PAZMIÑO, ANA BELÉN
Microfluidics enables precise control of fluid movement within microchannels, facilitating the generation of microdroplets at high frequencies. This technology provides a unique platform for conducting biological and chemical experiments, enhancing throughput and sensitivity, particularly in single-cell analysis. The microdroplet environment enhances interactions between cells and gene delivery materials, resulting in greater contact area, higher reagent concentration, and improved diffusion for both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. This review discusses the advantages and limitations of transfection and transformation within microdroplet technologies, highlighting their potential to improve gene editing efficiency while addressing challenges related to delivery mechanisms and cellular uptake rates. The integration of microdroplet technology with advanced gene editing tools, such as CRISPR/Cas9, promises to streamline processes and improve outcomes in various applications, including therapeutic interventions, vaccine development, regenerative medicine, and personalized medicine. These advancements could lead to more precise targeting of genetic modifications, resulting in tailored therapies that better meet individual patient needs. Overall, the integration of gene delivery in microdroplets represents a significant leap in biotechnology, enhancing the efficacy of gene delivery systems and opening new avenues for research and development in precision medicine.
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Phytochemical nanoencapsulation and microfluidics drive gene and tumor microenvironment modulation
(Frontiers Media SA, 2025-09-29)
PEÑAHERRERA PAZMIÑO, ANA BELÉN
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Criollo, Mishell
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GONZALEZ PASTOR, REBECA EUGENIA
Phytochemicals are plant-derived bioactive compounds with promising anticancer properties, but their clinical use is limited by poor solubility, instability, rapid metabolism, and restricted tumor penetration. Nanoencapsulation strategies address these barriers by enhancing bioavailability, stability, and tissue-specific delivery, thereby improving therapeutic efficacy and reducing systemic toxicity. This mini-review summarizes recent progress in nanoscale phytochemical delivery systems engineered for gene modulation and tumor microenvironment targeting, including lipid-based, polymeric, hybrid, and biogenic nanocarriers that improve biodistribution and enhance cellular uptake. Notably, the functional performance of nanoscale delivery systems depends on precisely controlled physicochemical characteristics. Consequently, microfluidics has emerged as a powerful tool to fine-tune and fabricate phytochemical-based nanocarriers in a reproducible manner. Beyond fabrication, microfluidic lab-on-a-chip platforms recreate physiological and tumor-specific microenvironments, providing dynamic, real-time assessment of drug transport, metabolism, and tumor–vascular interactions in biomimetic conditions that surpass conventional static models. These innovations expand mechanistic understanding and support more predictive preclinical evaluations. Remaining challenges include variability of natural sources, limited pharmacokinetic and toxicological data, and hurdles in scale-up and standardization. By integrating nanoscale engineering with microfluidic innovation, phytochemical-based nanomedicine is positioned to advance toward more effective, safer, and clinically translatable cancer therapies.
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Activation and Expansion of Human T-Cells Using Microfluidic Devices
(MDPI AG, 2025-04-25)
PEÑAHERRERA PAZMIÑO, ANA BELÉN
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Gustavo Rosero
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Dario Ruarte
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Julia Pinter
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Vizuete, Karla
Treatment of cancer patients with autologous T-cells expressing a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) is one of the most promising therapeutic modalities for hematological malignancy treatment. For this treatment, primary T-cell expansion is needed. Microfluidic technologies can be used to better understand T-cell activation and proliferation. Microfluidics have had a meaningful impact in the way experimental biology and biomedical research are approached in general. Furthermore, microfluidic technology allows the generation of large amounts of data and enables the use of image processing for analysis. However, one of the major technical hurdles involved in growing suspension cells under microfluidic conditions is their immobilization, to avoid washing them out of the microfluidic chip during medium renewal. In this work, we use a multilevel microfluidic chip to successfully capture and immobilize suspension cells. Jurkat cells and T-cells are isolated through traps to microscopically track their development and proliferation after activation over a period of 8 days. The T-cell area of four independent microchannels was compared and there is no statistically significant difference between them (ANOVA p-value = 0.976). These multilevel microfluidic chips provide a new method of studying T-cell activation.
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In vitro gut-models to elucidate how human milk oligosaccharides shape the gut microbiota
(Elsevier BV, 2025-10)
PEÑAHERRERA PAZMIÑO, ANA BELÉN
;
Gustavo Rosero
;
Mishell Criollo
;
Julio Patricio Peñaherrera
This review explores the important role of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). It highlights remarkable properties of HMOs as they act as decoys for disease-causing microbes and prevent their adhesion to the gut epithelium enabling its expulsion from the intestine. The role of HMOs has been researched by conventional methodologies, such as cellular cultures and animal experimentation, yielding significant understanding; however, they are constrained in their ability to accurately emulate the intricacies of human pathology and evoke ethical concerns. Herein, in vitro gut-models (IVGM) applied in studies to elucidate how HMOs shape microbiota are presented. The majority of studies related to HMOs effect on gut microbiota are performed in bioreactors. This review presents a concise overview of this rapidly advancing technology, a cost analysis, an examination of contemporary applications and potential challenges associated with their implementation, and proposes recommendations for future trajectories over the forthcoming decade.

PEÑAHERRERA PAZMIÑO, ANA BELÉN

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