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Dr Giuseppe Tronci

Dr Giuseppe Tronci

Profile

I joined the University of Leeds in 2011 as a Research Fellow within the WELMEC Centre of Excellence in Medical Engineering. Working with colleagues in the Schools of Dentistry and Design, I developed a Hydrogel of Functionalised ateloCollagen (HyFaCol) technology for advanced wound management, which has been patented in the US. In 2013, I was appointed in the School of Design as a Senior Research Fellow of the Clothworkers' Centre for Textile Materials Innovation for Healthcare (CCTMIH), where I developed protein-friendly fibre spinning approaches for integrated medical devices. During this appointment, I secured a Wellcome Trust-ISSF award to support a three-month research visit at the University of Michigan Department of Chemical Engineering (US), where I worked on new orthogonal photochemistries for skeletal repair. In 2016, I started my Lectureship in Healthcare Materials (CCTMIH, School of Design) with a joint appointment with Leeds School of Dentistry (since 2018), prior to being promoted to Associate Professor in 2020. I currently serve as the Deputy Director of CCTMIH, where I am pursuing the translation of HyFaCol for human use and developing new material-based concepts for oral care, bone regeneration and infection control.

I gained my bachelor's (Laurea 2003) and master's (Laurea Magistrale 2005) degrees in Biomedical Engineering, both at Polytechnic University of Turin (IT). As part of my master's degree program, I carried out my final dissertation project at EPFL Powder Technology Laboratory (CH) via an Erasmus scholarship. In 2006, I embarked on a PhD programme at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht Institute of Biomaterials Science (DE), within a DFG-sponsored Collaborative Research Centre (SFB-760) joint with the Charité Medical School in Berlin. I was awarded a doctorate in Materials in Life Sciences by the University of Potsdam (DE, 2010). Further to my PhD, I gained a PGCert in Professional Innovation Management from the University of Leeds Business School in 2014.

My research profile lies at the interface of biomaterials science, macromolecular science, and textile technology. I have direct experience on the design of high-value bio-/polymer-based-materials with structure-induced functions and their manufacture into industry-compliant and clinically-relevant formats (e.g. fibres, coatings, hydrogels). I am an academic supervisor within the University of Leeds EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (CDT TERM) and co-/supervise several PhD students.

Responsibilities

  • Deputy Director - CCTMIH
  • School Research Ethics Committee Member

Research interests

  • Design of biomimetic systems for chronic wound, oral and musculoskeletal care
  • Structure-property relationships and material multifunctionality
  • Creation of bespoke material geometrics based on defined macromolecular systems
  • High-value manufacture of medical devices
  • Translational research
<h4>Research projects</h4> <p>Any research projects I'm currently working on will be listed below. Our list of all <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/dir/research-projects">research projects</a> allows you to view and search the full list of projects in the faculty.</p>

Qualifications

  • PhD in Materials in Life Sciences, University of Potsdam & Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (DE)
  • Laurea Magistrale (MSc eq.) in Biomedical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Turin (IT)
  • Laurea (BSc eq.) in Biomedical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Turin (IT)

Professional memberships

  • Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC)
  • Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (ProfGradIMMM)
  • International Association for Dental Research
  • European Society of Biomaterials

Student education

  • Module leader – Healthcare Materials and Products (TEXT5310M)
  • Lecturer – Research Dissertation (TEXT5116M)
  • Module leader – Biomaterials for Regenerative Dentistry (DSUR5218M)
  • Lecturer – Dental Materials (DSUR5212M)
  • Lecturer – Structure-Property-Relationships (DSUR5215M)

Current postgraduate researchers

<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>