Biomaterials Research Group
Prof. dr. E. Schacht

Postdoctoral researchers
Silvia Bubenikova  
Jordi Girones Molera  
Monika Rymarczyk-Machal  
Veska Toncheva  
   
 
PhD students
Nele De Smet  
Tim Desmet  
Ana Do Amaral Cardoso dos Santos  
Evi Lippens  
Olivier Thomas  
Els Vanderleyden  
Tim Van Gijseghem  
Sandra Van Vlierberghe  
Vincent Vermeersch  
Other staff
Veerle Boterberg  
Carina Impens  
Roelant Myngheer  
Christel Swartelé  
   

Research areas
  • Synthesis of reactive polymers
    e.g. polysaccharides, polyaminoacids, polyethyleneoxide
  • Drug delivery systems for :
                    * trypanocidal drugs
                    * contraceptives
                    * anti-tumor agents
                    * peptides
                    * antibiotics
  • Synthesis and evaluation of macromolecular prodrugs
  • Synthetic vectors for gene delivery
  • Synthesis of biodegradable polymers (polyesters, polyphoshpazenes)
  • Hydrogels for drug delivery and burn wound treatment
  • Biocompatible polymers
  • Polymers for tissue engineering
  • Surface micro-patterning of polymer materials
  • Surface modification and surface characterization of polymer materials
Perspectives:

  • From polymer synthesis to materials and applications:

  • Applications: Drug Delivery Systems, Biomaterials

  • Materials science: surface modification

  • Polymer processing: on labscale

 
Equipment facilities
  • Chemical characterization of polymers
    Spectroscopy:  - 360 MHz, 500 MHz NMR; multiprobe
                         - FTIR, ATR-FTIR, UV, Fluorescence
                         - GC-MS, HPLC-MS
  • Molecular weight analysis and ananlysis of additives
    Chromatography: - HPLC : 5 complete sets
                             - GPC : 4 analytical systems
                                        4 preparative systems
                             - electrophoresis

          Static and dynamic light scattering

  • Evaluation of the thermal and mechanical properties

          Thermal analysis : - Differential Scanning Calorimetry
                                     - Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis
                                     - Thermogravimetric Analysis

          Tensile testing apparatus (Houndsfield)

          Melt flow index apparatus

          Rheometer (TA-Instruments)

          Texturometer (Lloyd)

  • Surface analysis of polymer materials

          Dynamic contact angle measurements (CDA; Cahn)

          Surface plasmon resonance (SPR; Biocore)

          Atomic force microscopy (AFM, Nanoscoop III; Digital)

          Advanced ATR-FTIR with microscope ( BioRad 575C + UMA 2000)

  • Polymer processing

          Film casting apparatus

          Lab scale injection moulding (Butler)

          Extrusion facilities (including coaxial extrusion) under GMP-conditions in clean room

 
Publications 2000-2005
click here for pdf-file
Theses


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