Recently I had the chance to sit down with Louise Jefferies on her podcast Speaking up in English at Work for Introverts – and it turned into one of the most honest conversations I’ve had about science, communication, and the fears many of us quietly carry.
My main message was simple: Scientists are doing extraordinary work behind the scenes… but far too much of it never reaches the people who need it.
In the episode, we talked about something I see every day in our field: most scientists stay silent — not because they lack expertise, but because they doubt whether their voice matters. And that silence costs the industry more than we realise.
We unpacked a lot, including • why publishing papers is no longer enough • how misinformation fills the void when experts hold back • the visibility challenges introverts and multilingual scientists face • the fear of posting, presenting, or speaking up (and why our imagined catastrophes almost never happen) • why LinkedIn is actually one of the safest, kindest spaces to start sharing • and how having a purpose makes fear feel a lot smaller
If there’s one thing I hope listeners take away, it’s this: Your work can influence decisions, shape policy, and move our field forward — but only if your voice is heard.
You don’t need to be louder. You don’t need to perform. You just need to stop hiding expertise that genuinely matters.
If you’ve ever hesitated to post, present, or speak up in a meeting, this conversation might be exactly what you need.
Join us at the 2nd Bicyclos HEurope International School & Workshop (Feb 18–20, Seville) for expert seminars and hands-on training on cyclodextrin applications, AI-driven molecular design, IP, and scientific communication—tailored for PhD candidates, early postdocs, and industry R&I professionals.
Registration is mandatory and open until Jan 15, 2026—secure your spot to learn from leading experts, expand your network, and explore sustainable, next-generation approaches in cyclodextrin research.
🗓️ Dates
Feb 18–19: Expert seminars on cyclodextrin applications (from healthcare to environmental sciences)
Feb 19–20: Practical sessions on (i) research project preparation, (ii) AI for molecular design, data analysis & scientific writing, (iii) IP protection, and (iv) scientific communication & broadcasting
🧾 Registration
Mandatory (Bicyclos registration form)
Free for Bicyclos staff
€200 for external participants (includes event access, lunches Feb 18–19, and coffee breaks Feb 18–20)
Deadline:Jan 15, 2026
Industry:exhibition space available on request
📍 Venue Institute of Chemical Research (IIQ, CSIC – University of Seville), well connected to the city center (bus/taxi).
🏨 Accommodation tip Early booking recommended; Hotel Exe Macarena is suggested for convenient access and good value.
The School organised by CSIC, Sevilla, is aimed primarily at PhD candidates and early postdoctoral researchers, offering training on various aspects of cyclodextrin pharmacology, and biomedical applications, all within the broader context of sustainability.
In this context, advanced models in substitution of animal studies for drug development will be discussed. Scientific Masterclasses by external experts will be scheduled on the first two days. Extra classes in soft skills are planned on the third day. Check out the programme:
A key objective of the School is to foster networking opportunities among participants.
1. Be informed about possibilities The range of cyclodextrins you can use in pharma / nutra / cosmetic products are very different – always understand the full range that you can pick from
2. Check the administration route The regulatory status – especially in pharma – of the CDs differs. Depending on the admin route you pick, the applicable CDs will be shortlisted
3. Focus on your purpose and the active There are over a dozen technologies that you can use to create a cyclodextrin complex. Which one you pick should be driven by the characteristics of the active and further processing of the complex
4. Don’t think binary Cyclodextrin complexation is a sensitive equilibrium that you can influence to your advantage. Many additives can stabilize the complex and help you achieve a higher encapsulation rate and a reduction of cyclodextrin content.
5. Optimize Once you understand all the components, there are still many aspects of the formulation that favor the complex formation. Temperature, pH, and counterions may all play a crucial role here.
Let’s discuss the details so that you can create the best possible product.
“The chemistry works between us.” Have you ever felt that way?
Well, cyclodextrins certainly have. When they meet the right molecule, it’s more than just an interaction — it’s a connection.
At PODD 2025, our colleague Tamás Kiss, PhD, shared something truly close to CarboHyde’s heart: a story about chemistry, but not the kind you find only in a lab. His presentation told a love story between two molecules — one that perfectly captures the essence of what we do.
One of the molecules was a bit unstable, unpredictable, and easily lost its direction when left on its own. It needed balance, support… maybe even a partner.
And then, it met a cyclodextrin.
Inside the cyclodextrin’s cavity, everything changed. Stability improved, solubility increased, and performance reached new levels. Together, they became stronger, more functional, and far more impressive than either could ever be alone.
That’s the beauty of cyclodextrins — they don’t just interact, they transform relationships at the molecular level.
At CarboHyde, we believe in this kind of chemistry — the kind that turns potential into performance and makes science feel a little like magic.
The Cyclodextrin Masterclass series has become a cornerstone for education and science communication in the field, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration among researchers, students, and industry experts worldwide. Over its ten editions, it has helped bridge fundamental science and applied innovation, supporting the growth of the global cyclodextrin community and inspiring new generations of scientists.
As we approach the 10th edition, we invite researchers to present their cyclodextrin-related work in a 15-minute talk (10 min presentation and 5 min Q&A) at one of our upcoming Masterclasses.
The upcoming CarboHyde Cyclodextrin Masterclass will focus on the emerging role of cyclodextrins (CDs) as active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), highlighting how these versatile molecules are moving beyond their classical excipient role into the therapeutic spotlight. Through landmark examples such as Sugammadex, a CD-based neuromuscular blockade reversal agent, and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) in the treatment of Niemann-Pick Type C disease, participants will gain insight into how the unique host–guest chemistry of CDs translates into clinical efficacy.
The session will further explore next-generation applications of CDs, including their use as scavengers for drug overdose, and their potential in new therapies for widespread conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and atherosclerosis, as well as rare diseases including Kabuki syndrome and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). The discussion will cover mechanistic aspects—how CDs modulate biological pathways and molecular interactions—alongside chemical design strategies, drug discovery approaches, and regulatory and Chemistry–Manufacturing (CM) considerations essential for translation into approved therapies.
This Masterclass will provide researchers, developers, and industry professionals with a comprehensive perspective on cyclodextrins as therapeutic agents, bridging molecular innovation with real-world drug development challenges and opportunities.
Register now – before it’s too late to uncover how cyclodextrins are redefining therapeutics!
MOFs (Yaghi/Kitagawa/Robson; 2025 Nobel) provide the conceptual and practical foundation for porous, programmable materials.
Cyclodextrin-based MOFs translate that vision into renewable, water-grown frameworks ideal for encapsulation and delivery.
Stoddart’s OSMV™ technology carries supramolecular encapsulation into Noble Panacea’s skincare, echoing the CD-MOF ethos of protect–and-release for sensitive actives.
If you follow advanced materials, you’ve seen metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) go from academic curiosities to workhorses for gas capture, water harvesting, separations, catalysis—and, perhaps unexpectedly, skincare. This post traces that journey, with a special focus on the seminal roles of Omar M. Yaghi and Sir J. Fraser Stoddart, and how cyclodextrin-based MOFs helped inspire Noble Panacea, a luxury beauty brand built on Stoddart’s supramolecular chemistry.
What are MOFs—and why they matter
MOFs are crystalline scaffolds built by linking metal ions (or clusters) with organic ligands to create vast internal pore networks—imagine molecular Tinkertoys with football-field surface areas packed into a sugar cube. Over the last three decades, Yaghi, Kitagawa, and Robson established the foundations of the field, earning the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for MOFs’ design and impact. Their work enabled record porosities and practical functions like CO₂ capture and pulling water from desert air.
Enter cyclodextrins: edible rings as MOF building blocks
Cyclodextrins (CDs)—ring-shaped oligosaccharides derived from starch—are famous for hosting small molecules inside their hydrophobic cavities. The twist came when researchers realized that CDs could act as organic nodes in MOFs. By combining especially γ-cyclodextrin (eight glucose units) with benign alkali metals (K⁺, Rb⁺, Cs⁺, etc.), teams created cyclodextrin MOFs (CD-MOFs): renewable, biodegradable frameworks that crystallize from water and can store, separate, and release bioactives. Reviews now describe CD-MOFs as porous, renewable, and even “edible” materials with broad potential in pharma, food, and personal care.
A 2011 patent family laid out the concept explicitly—nanoporous carbohydrate frameworks built from cyclodextrins and alkali metals—with structures featuring large central pores (~1.7 nm) and smaller channels, ideal for guest uptake and release. Subsequent studies from Stoddart’s community showed molecular separations (terpenes, aromatics) and drug loading (e.g., ibuprofen) inside CD-MOF crystals.
Stoddart’s supramolecular route to skincare
Nobel laureate Sir Fraser Stoddart pioneered mechanically interlocked molecules and host–guest systems (cyclodextrins loom large in his toolkit). Building on that supramolecular platform, Stoddart co-developed OSMV™ (Organic Super Molecular Vessel)—a programmable delivery architecture designed to protect actives and time-release them where skin can best use them. Noble Panacea, the brand he founded, centers its formulations on OSMV technology, describing it as constructed from biodegradable carbohydrates and fatty acids, with vessels far smaller than a skin cell and “molecular-precision” delivery.
If you like these brief communications, subscribe to join 5100 cyclodextrin enthusiasts and gain and share knowledge on current and novel applications, challenges, and possibilities.
How does this tie to CD-MOFs? While Noble Panacea’s own materials emphasize OSMV as a proprietary supramolecular capsule platform, cyclodextrin-based porous materials are frequently cited in the broader narrative linking Stoddart’s academic advances to real-world encapsulation and release in cosmetics. Commentary within the cyclodextrin community has highlighted γ-CD MOFs as part of this lineage, and related patents from affiliated entities (e.g., PanaceaNano) cover fragrance/active delivery using CD-MOFs—underscoring a technical bridge from carbohydrate-MOFs to consumer delivery systems.
Bottom line: Whether the commercial OSMV capsules are literally CD-MOFs or an evolved, proprietary supramolecular construct, the design logic is shared: carbohydrate-based hosts assembling into porous or compartmentalized architectures that stabilize, protect, and program the release of sensitive actives.
Why CDs (and MOFs) make sense for beauty and biomedicine
Safety & sustainability: CDs are starch-derived and widely used in pharma/food; CD-MOFs inherit this favorable profile and can be crystallized from water with benign cations.
Stability & solubility: Encapsulation mitigates light/oxygen sensitivity and boosts the solubility of hydrophobic actives—critical for retinoids, peptides, and fragrances.
Programmable release: Framework pores/capsules enable staged, time-controlled delivery, aligning with circadian skincare claims (e.g., night serums tuned to skin rhythms).
Precision separations: On the industrial side, CD-MOFs separate complex mixtures—handy for purifying actives or tailoring fragrance accords.
The Yaghi effect: platform thinking
Yaghi’s MOF vision—reticular chemistry that assembles modular, predictable architectures—set the cultural blueprint for translating porous materials into real products (carbon capture, water harvesters, purification media). That platform mindset helped normalize the idea that frameworks built from everyday chemistries (even carbohydrates like CDs) can do sophisticated jobs in health, environment, and consumer goods—a through-line that runs from MOF-based water harvesters to elegant skin-delivery capsules.
Where this is heading
Cleaner INCI lists via smarter carriers: Expect more biodegradable, sugar-based hosts and MOF-inspired capsules to reduce stabilizers and solvents.
Personalized release kinetics: Tunable pore sizes/chemistries could match release profiles to individual skin needs, echoing pharma’s controlled-release playbook.
Fragrance & actives 2.0: Patented CD-MOF fragrance systems point toward longer-lasting scents and layered notes on skin—without heavy fixatives.
The Cyclodextrin Masterclass series has become a cornerstone for education and science communication in the field, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration among researchers, students, and industry experts worldwide. Over its ten editions, it has helped bridge fundamental science and applied innovation, supporting the growth of the global cyclodextrin community and inspiring new generations of scientists.
As we approach the 10th edition, we invite researchers to present their cyclodextrin-related work in a 15-minute talk (10 min presentation and 5 min Q&A) at one of our upcoming Masterclasses.
If you’d like to share your research, please send a short abstract to tamas.sohajda@carbohyde.com.
