Nikita Paturskis

Visiting Master’s Student, (BBCE, Riga Technical University, RTU, Latvia)

Synthesis and Characterization of Ion-Doped Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

Supervisor at RTU: Prof.  Dagnija Loca

Supervisors at FAU: Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini, Dr. Julia Ce de Andrade, Dr.-Ing. Qaisar Nawaz

Mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBGNs) have attracted considerable attention in regenerative medicine due to their high specific surface area, tunable mesoporous structure, bioactivity, and ability to release biologically active ions [1, 2]. The incorporation of therapeutic ions, such as copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), offers opportunities to enhance their antibacterial properties and promote biological processes relevant to tissue regeneration, including angiogenesis and osteogenesis [1, 2].

The main objective of this research project at the Institute of Biomaterials, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, is to synthesise and physicochemically characterise copper-doped (Cu-MBGNs), zinc-doped (Zn-MBGNs), and copper/zinc co-doped (Cu/Zn-MBGNs) mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles with varying doping concentrations. The research focuses on investigating the influence of ion incorporation on the physicochemical properties of MBGNs, including their morphology, structure, and surface characteristics.

After the research stay, the synthesized nanoparticles will be incorporated into injectable hydrogels for bone tissue regeneration and local infection prevention. The project is conducted in collaboration with the Baltic Biomaterials Centre of Excellence (BBCE) ( https://bbcentre.eu/ ) at Riga Technical University, Latvia.

[1] Mobeen B, Muhammad N, Choudhury M, et al. (2026) Int Dent J. 76(2), 109454.

[2] Vulpoi A, Botiz I. (2026) Materials. 19(5), 876.