The Advanced Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre Limited (AMCRC) is pleased to announce that Katia Bazaka has won its inaugural AMCRC Student Prize for James Cook University students.
The winning Proposal is in the medical technology area and is entitled, “Enabling polymer technologies from Australian Natural Resources,” The prize is valued at $5000.
“The aim of the award was to encourage students to develop a medical project that will reflect a very high level of innovative thinking and aptitude in advanced technology,” said Bruce Grey, Managing Director of AMCRC. “Katia Bazaka proposes to look at the role biomaterials can play in disease management and the advancement of health care – a key area of research given our ageing population.”
He said that Ms Bazaka was working on the development of a range of novel thin-film materials from environmentally-friendly, Australian-grown essential oils for high-tech applications, such as implantable medical devices and flexible electronic devices.
“The medicinal properties of essential oils, such as tea tree oil, have been known for centuries.” said Katia Bazaka. “We have developed a method that allows us to form thin stable coatings of these oils to encapsulate medical implantable devices.”
“These coatings are bio-compatible with human tissues and retain the anti-microbial properties of the original oil, with the potential to enhance healing and speed up patient recovery,” she said.
Ms Bazaka said that she hoped that through the project she and her colleagues could decrease the incidence of inflammation and infection commonly associated with implants, and this would improve patient experience and lessen the financial burden on the healthcare system.
“Our product aims to fulfill the needs of an exponentially growing health care market where the ageing population is demanding novel technologies to prolong and improve the quality of life of individuals,” said Katia Bazaka.
For further Information
Media enquiries to Marjorie Johnston AMCRC PR Consultant on 0407 329 430 marjorie@wordmakers.com.au
