Among a consortium of laboratories called the "Structure Fédérative Toulousaine en Chimie Moléculaire" localized at the University Paul Sabatier in Toulouse (France), three teams have joined forces to establish a Marie Curie Early Stage Training Site called Nanotool. Those internationally recognized research teams are working on metal nanoparticles, dendrimers and the aggregations of surfactants and polymers.

The Nanotool site gives young researchers access to interdisciplinary knowledge and training focused on the elaboration and properties characterization of those nano-objects:

• METAL NANOPARTICLES:

The main challenge in this field is to get well-defined chemical compositions in the volume and at the surface of the nanoparticles as well as a control of the shape and size distribution of the nano-objects. Besides the control and the understanding of the particle formation and growth, stabilization, self-organization and catalytic properties of those objects are intensively studied. Applications of those particles to sensors and catalytic processes result in many interactions with industrial companies.

• DENDRIMERS:

Using the chemistry of heteroelements, especially phosphorus, many architectures (such as dendrons, dendrimers ...) are obtained with controlled functionalities in the core, within the branches or at the surface of those polymers. Tuning their exact structures and compositions open a large set of applications of those compounds, from catalysis to healthcare with the development of new anti-HIV vectors.

• SURFACTANTS AND POLYMERS:

Controlled formation of nano-objects (unilamellar or multilamellar vesicles, spherulites,...) based on the aggregation of surfactants or amphiphilic polymers requires the design and the synthesis of new amphiphiles. Elaboration of associative polymers, macromolecules for molecular imprinting, modified hyperbranched polymers ... also leads to various nano- materials. All those soft organized systems are used to control chemical reactions or to resolve some of the most important biological or medical problems.

This training provides to the fellows the common technical and methodological background on three complementary aspects of those nano-objects:

1. the chemical synthesis leading to size and shape controlled nano-objects,
2. the control of their organization and mesostructure in volume or along a surface
3. their properties in catalysis, biology and material science.

The training will combine laboratory work focused on a research project and lectures (selected academic courses), weekly seminars, talks given by invited scientists and lectures dedicated to the EST fellows). Through the multidisciplinary research project, the fellows will be trained in various chemical syntheses (organic chemistry, chemistry of heteroelements, surfactant chemistry), in the characterization of the nano-object mesostructures (they will have access to the most advanced characterization techniques) and in applications of the nano-objects in connection with societal issues (catalysts for green chemistry, environmental sensors, drug carriers, transfection, anti-HIV agents for health care issue ...).