Francesca Gamna

Visiting researcher (Polytechnic of Turin, Italy)

Biological characterization of Magnesium Alloys functionalized with a natural extract

 

Supervisor in Erlangen: Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

Supervisors in Turin: Prof. Silvia Spriano, Prof. Sara Ferraris

The work is based on a preliminary biological characterization of magnesium alloy samples functionalized with natural products, with the aim to investigate the eventual antibacterial effect and verify the cytocompatibility of the coated surfaces. With this purpose two activities will be carried out:

• Citocompatibility tests with hMSC cells
• Antibacterial tests with S. Aureus

Direct biological cell cultures will be performed by cultivating the cells and bacteria on the functionalized and control samples. Both the biofilm formation on the magnesium alloys and an eventual action, of the released products, on the planktonic cells and bacteria will be investigated. This investigation will be preceded by a collaborative research work among Politecnico di Torino, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, and Fraunhofer Dresden focused on a modulation of the corrosion, bio-resorption rate, and host response of two magnesium alloys for orthopaedic and vascular applications (AZ31 and AZ91). The idea is to use natural compounds able to create a protective coating on the alloys to modulate their corrosion rate to fit the health tissue growth.  This project was funded with a fellowship of the European Virtual Institute on Knowledge-based Multifunctional Materials AISBL (KMM-VIN).