Professor Giuseppe Tronci FIMMM

Profile

My research profile lies at the interface of biopolymers, healthcare and sustainability. 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 currently serve as the Deputy Director of the CCTMIH and I am academic co-founder of HYFACOL Limited, a new University of Leeds spin-out company developing Leeds collagen manufacturing technology for wound dressings and dentistry applications.

I joined the University of Leeds, School of Dentistry 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 new collagen manufacturing technology, which was later patented in the US and Europe. In 2013, I was appointed as a Senior Research Fellow of the CCTMIH (School of Design, University of Leeds), developing 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), working 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), and was promoted to Professor in 2023.

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 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.

Research interests

• Design of biomimetic systems for wound healing and musculoskeletal care
• Antibiotic-free antimicrobial chemistry
• Structure-property relationships and material multifunctionality
• Creation of bespoke material geometrics based on defined macromolecular systems
• High-value manufacture of medical devices
• Translational research

Qualifications

• PhD in Materials in Life Sciences, University of Potsdam (DE)
• Laurea Magistrale (MSc eq.) in Biomedical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Turin (IT)
• Laurea (BSc eq.) in Biomedical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Turin (IT)
• PGCert in Professional Innovation Management, Leeds University Business School (UK)

Professional memberships

• Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM)
• Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC)

Student education

I lecture and lead modules in the area of Dental Materials, with focus on polymers, regenerative biomaterials and clinical translation, as well as in the field of Healthcare Materials and Textiles Technology.