Max Planck

Jahir Orozco Holguín. Group leader.

PhD in Chemistry, University of Barcelona and Institute for Microelectronics of Barcelona, 2008; Chemist, Universidad de Antioquia.

Research interest and expertise:

● Nano-bioengineering, nano-biotechnology, nanomotors, micro and nanocarriers.
● Chemical (bio)sensors and nano(micro)devices.
● Advanced nanoscale materials and methods for detection and separation of biomolecules.
● Development of functional materials by integration of nanostructures and biomolecules (DNA, aptamers, antibodies, proteins, peptides).
● DNA-based sensors for detection of pathogens.
● Nanomaterials-polymer composites for enhanced (bio)sensing.
● Surface and supramolecular chemistry.
● Electrochemistry and analytical chemistry.

Biography

Jahir Orozco Holguín is the Group Leader of the Max Planck Tandem Group in Nanobioengineering (MPTG-N) and Associate Professor at the University of Antioquia, Colombia. He is a chemist from the same University and has a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Barcelona and the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (Spain), 2008. He completed 3 postdoctoral stays for 7 years at the Banyuls -sur- Mer Oceanological Observatory (France), at the Department of Nanoengineering at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) (USA), and at the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Spain). He has been a corresponding member of Colombia's Academy of Natural, Physical, and Exact Sciences since 2023. He has been awarded the Beatriu de Pinós Spanish Scholarships (2010 and 2012) and the Severo Ochoa Excellence Fellow (2015); and awarded for his outstanding professional activity, Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences (University of Antioquia), Colombia (2017). He has been an editorial board member of the Molecules journal since 2019 and an Editorial Advisory Board​ member of Analytical Chemistry since 2024. His areas of interest include nano(bio)technology, nano(micro)carriers, nanomotors, nano(micro)devices, nanomaterials, (bio)sensors, electrochemistry, and the development of analytical tools for environmental and biomedical applications.

Researchers

Jennifer Paola Quinchía Cardona
Ph.D.,  Assistant Professor, Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences.
Background: Chemist (2017), Ph.D in Chemical Sciences (2024).
Line: Nanobiosensors and nanocarriers.
 

Maritza Fernández Culma
Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Nursing Faculty.
Background: Pharmaceutical Scientist (2010) with a PhD in Basic Biomedical Sciences (2017).
Line: Preclinical and clinical studies of drug formulations, pharmacokinetic modeling.
 

Postdoc

Dr. Susana Pamela Mejia de los Rios.
Background: Biologist (2006), MSc. Microbiology (2014), Ph.D. Biomedical, Basic Sciences (2023). 
Line: Nanoencapsulation, in vitro and in vivo studies.
 

Dr. Andrés Felipe Cruz Pacheco.
Background: Chemist (2016), MSc. Chemistry (2017), Ph.D. Chemical Sciences (2023).
Line: Nanostructured electrochemical biosensors.
 

Graduate students

Ph.D. student: Viviana Vásquez. 
Background: Biomedical Engineer, UdeA (2018), M.Sc. Materials Engineering (2022).
Project: Multiparametric chip for detecting viruses and biomarkers of infection: toward personalized medicine.   
 

Ph.D student: Elisa Hernández. 
Background: Engineer in Nanotechnology, UPB (2020); M.Sc. Materials Engineering (2023).
Project: Nanostructured platforms for early detection of a Fusarium species and coumarin encapsulation for fungal control in a tropical fruit model.
 

Ph.D. student: Adriana Barreto Santamaría 
Background: Chemistry educator (2015), M.Sc. Biochemistry (2019)
Project: Potential of new free or nanoencapsulated antimicrobial peptides as a therapeutic alternative against critical priority Gram-negative bacteria.

Master student: Cristian Stalyn Urrea Tavera
Background: Chemist (2022). 
Project: Peptide-based nanobioconjugates for cargo delivery against colon cancer cells.
 

Master student: Paula Andrea Vasco Gálvis
Background: Chemist (2021). 
Project: Biopolymer-based drug delivery system for parasporin transport and release at colon tumor microenvironment.

Master student: PamelaAlejandra Úsuga Méndez 
Background: Chemist (2023)
Project: Functionalized PLGA nanoparticle-encapsulated hybrid molecules for targeting colon cancer cells.

Master student: Laura Giraldo Arroyave 
Background: Chemist (2022)
Project: 2D Nanomaterial-based capacitive genosensors for specific detection of viruses.

Young Researchers

Juan Sebastián Avendaño Arcila (Biotechnologist, Colegio Mayor de Antioquia).

Undergraduates

Mariana Loaiza Carmona (Chemist, UdeA)
Santiago Montoya (Biotechnologist, Colegio Mayor de Antioquia)
Jesús David Tarazona Gutiérrez (M.D., UdeA)
Juan David León Rojas (Biotechnologist, Colegio Mayor de Antioquia)

Visiting Scholar

Cándido Gómez Lara (Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, 2025)

Alumni

Ph.D. Elkin Leandro Escobar Chaves (2025)
Ph.D. David José Pérez Cardona (2025)
Ph.D. Danilo Echeverri Hincapié (2024)    
Ph.D. Ingrid Dayana Soto Enríquez (2022)
Ph.D. Pedro Alejandro Mena Giraldo (2021)
M.Sc. Yeison Esteban Monsalve Garcia (2025)
M.Sc. Nestor Sebastián Cajigas Bastidas (2021) 
M. Sc. Arturo Sánchez Toro (2021)
M.Sc. Daniel Alzate Gutiérrez (2020)
Microb. Isabela Giraldo Badillo (2025)
Ing. Adriana Isabel Ríos Mazo (2024)
FQ, Camila Jiménez Valencia (2023)
Ing. Nocolás Montoya (2023)
Ing. Julián Lopera (2021)
Melissa Estrada Murillo (2019)
Ing. Susana Mejía Londoño (2019)
Ing. Yeraldín López García (2019)