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Review
. 2022 Mar 30;14(7):1420.
doi: 10.3390/polym14071420.

Contributions of Women in Recent Research on Biopolymer Science

Unnimaya Thalakkale Veettil  1   2 , Sheila Olza  1   2   3 , Nelly Brugerolle de Fraissinette  1   2 , Elodie Bascans  1   2   4 , Natalia Castejón  1   2 , Amandine Adrien  1   2 , Rut Fernández-Marín  5 , Corinne Nardin  1 , Susana C M Fernandes  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Contributions of Women in Recent Research on Biopolymer Science

Unnimaya Thalakkale Veettil et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

Nowadays, biopolymers are playing a fundamental role in our society because of the environmental issues and concerns associated with synthetic polymers. The aim of this Special Issue entitled 'Women in Polymer Science and Technology: Biopolymers' is highlighting the work designed and developed by women on biopolymer science and technology. In this context, this short review aims to provide an introduction to this Special Issue by highlighting some recent contributions of women around the world on the particular topic of biopolymer science and technology during the last 20 years. In the first place, it highlights a selection of important works performed on a number of well-studied natural polymers, namely, agar, chitin, chitosan, cellulose, and collagen. Secondly, it gives an insight into the discovery of new polysaccharides and enzymes that have a role in their synthesis and in their degradation. These contributions will be paving the way for the next generation of female and male scientists on this topic.

Keywords: agar; cellulose; chitin; chitosan; collagen; marine CAZymes; marine polysaccharides; natural polymers.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Extrusion of a network of bacterial cellulose nanofibrils with associated (nano)fibril cross-sectional morphology. (b) Mechanical disintegration of plant matter to produce NFC with associated cross-sectional morphology that corresponds to a bundle of individual cellulose microfibrils. Cellulose microfibrils are present in the cell wall of wood, along with hemicelluloses, protein, and lignin. (c) Biomechanical hotspots occur at junctions between two or more microfibrils, or upon close cellulose–cellulose contact, mediated by matrix polysaccharides, such as coiled xyloglucan. Reprinted from ref. [126].
Figure 1
Figure 1
Chemical structure of (A) agarose, (B) cellulose, (C) chitin, (D) chitosan, and (E) collagen.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Applications of biopolymers. Reprinted from ref. [14].
Figure 4
Figure 4
Chemical structure of marine exopolysaccharides: (A) GY785, and (B) HE800 EPS (adapted from refs. [147,148,150]).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Chemical structure of marine exopolysaccharides: (A) GY785, and (B) HE800 EPS (adapted from refs. [147,148,150]).
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