Pukyong National University

Researchers at PKNU received excellence award one after another from the Korean society for biomaterials.

- Pathum Chandika and Kim Nam-Gyun

△ Pathum Chandika, a postdoctoral researcher (left) and images showing the skin regeneration effects of nanofibrous scaffold containing usnic acid.

Pathum Chandika, a postdoctoral researcher from the marine-integrated biomedical technology center (center director, prof. Jung Won-Kyo) at Pukyong National University (President Jang Young-Soo), and Kim Nam-Gyun (2-year student studying in master’s program) of the department of industry 4.0 convergence bionics engineering participated and received the academic excellence award in the ‘2022 autumn academic symposium of the Korean society for biomaterials’ (President Koo Young).

Mr. Pathum, the researcher recently received excellent evaluations by presenting the research results of ‘usnic acid loaded PCL/decellularized extra cellular matrix antimicrobial nanofibrous scaffold for wound healing application’ at this conference held at convention center in Sono belle, Jeju.

In this study, which was supported by the key research institutes for universities support project in the science and engineering field (research leading prof. Jung Won-Kyo) by the National research foundation of Korea (president Lee Kwang-Bok), he invented a medical device for skin wounds by loading usnic acid as a drug that inhibits bacterial growth and biofilm formation in skin tissue on a nanofibrous scaffold based on polycaprolactone and decellularized extracellular matrix in this study.

The nanofibrous scaffold developed in the research was verified for its antibacterial effect against pseudomonas aeruginosa and 4 other strains. In addition, as a result of confirming the skin regeneration effect in human-derived fibroblasts and animal models with skin tissues amputated, nanofibrous scaffolds containing usnic acid induce proliferation of human-derived fibroblasts and promote skin regeneration in animal models.

Kim Nam-Gyun received excellent evaluations for his research on ‘an injectable self-healing hyaluronic acid/pectin hydrogels with antibacterial properties’ (advisory prof. Jung Won-Kyo).

Kim produced a self-healing injection type hydrogel using hyaluronic acid and pectin in this study, which was carried out with the support of the key research institutes for universities support project in the science and engineering field and the new-senior smart care project of Brainkorea21 Four (leader Lee Byeong-Il).

Using a hydrogel with antibacterial efficacy against p. aeruginosa and staphylococcus aureus, it was verified that it can be used as a hydrogel for wound healing as it does not show toxicity to human-derived fibroblasts.

Going back to the Korean society for biomaterials, which held this conference, has 3,400 members involved in the promotion of research on the development of various biomedical biomaterials for the treatment of human diseases and improvement of the quality of life, and to contribute to the development of academic culture since its establishment in 1996. Further, <Biomaterials research>, published by the society, is recognized as an authoritative academic journal that ranks 3rd (IF 15.563, top 3%) among 98 SCIE journals in the biomedical JCR category this year. <Pukyong Today>