PhD Thesis:
Geremia, I. (2021).
New membrane strategies for improved artificial kidney devices.
University of Twente. https://doi.org/10.3990/1.9789036551045
PROJECT INFORMATION
Patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) undergo hemodialysis to replace kidney function while waiting for organ transplantation. Although life-saving, conventional dialysis has major shortcomings: the treatment is time-consuming and the removal of waste molecules and excess of water is inadequate, contributing significantly to poor life quality, severe health problems and high mortality (15-20% per year). Moreover treatment’s costs are very high. The aim of my PhD project is the development of nanoporous polymeric materials for the purification of the dialysate used in hemodialysis as a crucial step on the way towards the construction of a wearable artificial kidney (WAK). A recycling system for the dialysate will reduce significantly the costs of medical cares and, allowing to carry out the dialysis at home without hospitalization, will improve the quality of life of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
Large part of my work will be focused on the development of urea removal strategies (via sorbents and/or membranes) from the dialysate. Urea is the primary waste product of nitrogen metabolism and it exerts lethal toxic effects at high concentration. Its effective removal from the dialysate is crucial for successful dialysate regeneration, but no adequate strategy exists at the moment.
SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION
- Master degree in Biotechnology, curriculum: Nanobiotechnology
Master Thesis: Development and characterization of bioactive membranes based on polysaccharides
University of Trieste, Department of Life Sciences - Bachelor degree in Biotechnology
Bachelor Thesis: Characterization of polymeric and nanocomposite systems in the field of Biomaterials
University of Trieste, Department of Life Sciences
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- 2015 – at present: PhD student “Development of nanoporous polymeric materials for blood purification”
BST – Biomaterials Science and Technology Group
University of Twente – The Netherlands - March 2014 – October 2014: Research collaborator at the Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry of the Gutenberg University of Mainz
Chemical modifications of dextran for gene and drug delivery - September 2013 – December 2013
Research collaborator at the Biomaterials Group of the Department of Life Sciences – University of Trieste
Research and development of polymers-based biomaterials.
PUBLICATIONS
Geremia I., Borgogna M., Travan A., Marsich E., Paoletti S. and Donati I.; Determination of the Composition for Binary Mixtures of Polyanions: The Case of Mixed Solutions of Alginate and Hyaluronan; Biomacromolecules; 2014; 15 (3); pp 1069–1073