PhD Candidate: Eduardo Lanzagorta Garcia
Project title:
Biocompatible Polymer System Development with Enhanced Antimicrobial Properties Using the Additive Effect of Triangular Silver Nanoplates and Curcumin
Project Overview:
In this project, Dr. Eduardo Lanzagorta Garcia investigated integration of triangular silver nanoplates (TSNP) as Ag+ nanoreservoirs within polymeric materials and biomaterials intended for a wide spectrum of applications was developed, demonstrating effective antimicrobial action and a cost-competitive fabrication process. Moreover, curcumin was introduced into the best-performing polymers as a supplementary antimicrobial compound. The combination of these antimicrobials was shown to potentially lead to increased antimicrobial effectiveness compared to currently commercially available antimicrobial systems. A detailed analysis of polymers incorporating anti-microbial agents was performed in order to assess the induced antimicrobial effect and their biocompatibility using various in vitro and in vivo systems.