Department of Chemical Engineering Seminar 2026-Dr. Georgia Pouroutzidou (School of Physics, Faculty of Sciences & Department of Prosthodontics, School of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)

Abstract

This presentation outlines the research achievements and future research vision of Dr. Georgia K. Pouroutzidou in the field of Nanobiomaterials and Biomedical Devices. It begins with an overview of her educational background and interdisciplinary research training in physics, materials science and nanobiomaterials, followed by her involvement in national, European and international research programs focusing on the synthesis, functionalization and characterization of nanostructured biomaterials, bioactive coatings, advanced drug delivery systems for biomedical applications and 3D dynamic in vitro evaluation studies using microfluidic bioreactors.
Particular emphasis is placed on the international research collaborations and scientific networks that have been developed, which strengthen the interdisciplinary approach of the research and promote the transfer of knowledge and expertise. At the same time, active participation in international scientific conferences is highlighted as a key means of monitoring scientific advances and emerging trends in the field of nanobiomaterials and nanotechnology.
The presentation further addresses her current research activities and future objectives, which aim to advance the design of multifunctional nanobiomaterials with controlled physicochemical properties and tailored biological responses and the evaluation of biomaterials using biomedical devices. Through international collaborations and interdisciplinary approaches, her research vision focuses on bridging materials design with biological function, while acknowledging key scientific and translational challenges and developing experimental strategies to overcome existing limitations.
Finally, the presentation briefly highlights her teaching experience at undergraduate and postgraduate level, as well as her intention to contribute to the Department through the attraction of competitive research funding, the development of international collaborations, and the integration of research-driven innovation into education and research activities.

Speakers Short CV

Dr. Georgia Pouroutzidou graduated with a degree in Physics from the University of Ioannina in 2013 and completed her Master’s in Materials Physics & Technology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) in 2016. She began her research career as a researcher at AUTh in 2015. In 2016, she started her PhD in Biomaterials Science for Tissue Engineering, under the supervision of Prof. Konstantinos M. Paraskevopoulos, with co-supervision from Prof. Dimitrios Bikiaris (Department of Chemistry, AUTh) and Prof. Eleana Kontonasaki (Department of Dentistry, AUTh). Her PhD was funded by the State Scholarships Foundation (IKΥ) and was successfully defended in July 2021. During her PhD, she participated in the IKYDA 2018-2020 Greece-Germany research project on biodegradable osteoinductive scaffolds under the supervision of Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini and Prof. Eleana Kontonasaki. In October 2021 she was appointed as a postdoctoral researcher to the Department of Prosthodontics, School of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, AUTh and started working in the field of biomaterials synthesis, characterization and 3D dynamic in vitro evaluation studies under the supervision of Prof. Eleana Kontonasaki and Prof. Animesh Jha (University of Leeds) for the 5M€ Horizon 2020 NMBP project I-SMarD (Multifunctional Dental Implants: A Solution for Peri-Implantitis and Bone Loss). She also participated in the IKYDA 2022-2024 project on innovative hydrogels for wound healing, supervised by Prof. Boccaccini and Prof. Konstantinos Chryssafis. In 2024, she received an Excellence Scholarship for her postdoctoral research on the "Synthesis optimization of mesoporous drug nanocarriers through Design of Experiments", (School of Mathematics, Faculty of Sciences, AUTh, Greece) from the Special Account for Research Grants of AUTh. In 2025 she received funding for the “Development of biomimetic nanocarriers and evaluation of their biocompatibility for cancer treatment” (Trust Your Stars (SUB 4), Action I: «Young Researchers», Epiteliki Domi, ELLADA 2.0, EU BUDGET 200k€). She is also a network member of the COST actions European Network for Skin Engineering and Modeling (NETSKINMODELS) and TEndon Regeneration NETwork (TENET). She has teaching experience in courses for undergraduate students of the Mechanical Engineering Department at the International Hellenic University, Serres, Central Macedonia, Greece, in the fields of Advanced Materials, Nanomaterials, Engineering of Composite Materials, Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, and Materials and the Environment. In addition, she has taught undergraduate students of the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Western Macedonia in the courses: (a) Innovative Applications of Materials, (b) Non-Destructive Testing of Materials, (c) Chemical Technology of Inorganic Materials, and (d) Biomaterials. Since 2020, she also participates in the teaching (laboratory training) of the course Applied Biomaterials to postgraduate students enrolled in the “Dental & Craniofacial Bioengineering and Applied Biomaterials” Postgraduate Program at the School of Dentistry, AUTh. She has long-standing and active participation in international conferences in the fields of biomaterials and nanotechnology, including oral presentations, poster presentations, and organizational roles. She has been a member of the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB) since 2017 and participates regularly in international conferences on nanoscience and nanotechnology, maintaining continuous scientific interaction and up-to-date knowledge of developments in the field. In parallel, she is actively involved in the dissemination and public engagement of science, organizing open seminars and utilizing digital platforms.