We are pleased to announce that Kinga Ślusarczyk, a fourth-year student of Chemical Technology at the Faculty of Chemistry of the Rzeszów University of Technology Rzeszowskiej (Chmielarz Research Group) has been awarded a grant of 25,000 PLN funded by Fundacja Empiria i Wiedza to further development of her research work on surface modification of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP).
‘Talenty Jutra’ grant programme is adressed to young scientists aged 15-25 with outstanding achievements in the fields of science and medicine, who are carrying their research work and projects in one of five disciplines:
- biotechnology,
- computer and engineering sciences,
- biological sciences and medicine,
- chemical and environmental sciences,
- physical sciences and astronomy.
From 92 projects, the jurors – specialists in the abovementioned fields, selected 20 winners, who received the main prize of a grant of 25,000 PLN to develop their research projects.
One of the winners was Kinga Ślusarczyk, a member of the Chmielarz Research Group (https://pchmielarz.v.prz.edu.pl/en/group-members) and vice-secretary of the Student and Doctoral Scientific Society of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering IPSUM (https://ipsum.prz.edu.pl/). Her project entitled „Development of an innovative and biocompatible bone implant precursor using atom transfer radical polymerization techniques” will be carried out under the supervision of Professor Paweł Chmielarz, Head of the Department of Physical Chemistry. The aim of this project is synthesis of copolymer bottlebrushes from the surface of polyetheretherketone, used for the formation of personalised bone implants, using ATRP methods to reduce its high hydrophobicity and accelerate the osteointegration process, which is necessary for effective integration of the implant with the surrounding tissues. The unique structure of the bottlebrushes will ensure a high grafting density, while the presence of specific functional groups will increase the rate of formation of the hydroxyapatite, one of the main components of bone matrix, on its surface, which will be verified by biomineralisation tests.
For more information about this programme, visit:
https://empiriaiwiedza.pl/konkursy/talenty-jutra
https://www.facebook.com/fundacjaempiriaiwiedza
https://forumakademickie.pl/zycie-akademickie/wyloniono-talenty-jutra/
