ESR 3 – Bioresorbable Antibacterial Polyesters
Lukas Gritsch – University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and Lucideon Limited
The Project: Bioresorbable polyesters (such as polylactic acid) acidify their surroundings during hydrolytic degradation. As literature has shown, low pH can have an inhibitory effect on the growth of a number of bacterial strains. This research project aims to tune and then successfully exploit this property. In second instance, polyesters will be coupled with natural polysaccharides (i.e. chitosan, heparin), to develop materials with a multi-strategy antibacterial action. The developed materials will be fully characterised for physico-chemical properties, antibacterial activity and biological compatibility to assess suitability for soft tissue engineering and wound healing applications.
The Researcher: Lukas Gritsch studied biomedical engineering at the polytechnic school of his hometown, Milan, Italy. He graduated with a thesis on Crosslinked Gelatin Hydrogels as Heparin Controlled Delivery Systems as part of an international collaboration with the École Polytechnique de Montréal (Canada). His main professional interests include biomaterials, tissue engineering, biomedical research in general and intellectual property issues. Free time, on the other hand, is all about singing, playing guitar and travelling adventures.