Laboratoire Polymères Biopolymères Surfaces (PBS, FRE-CNRS n°3101)
Equipe Matériaux Macromoléculaires (L2M)
INSA de Rouen
Place Emile Blondel
76131 Mont-Saint-Aignan
Supervisor: Fabrice BUREL , e-mail: fabrice.burel@insa-rouen.fr

Co-supervisor: Nasreddine KEBIR , e-mail: nasreddine.kebir@insa-rouen.fr



Title of the PhD thesis: Chemical grafting of antibactetrial copolymers onto biomaterial surfaces. Study of the physico-chemical and biological properties of the surfaces.

Description of the project and the required skills:

Our team develops currently a novel research topic aiming for the development of new strategies to prevent bacterial attachment onto biomaterial surfaces, and thus to avoid infection. During this PhD thesis, we plan to graft chemically antibacterial copolymers onto surfaces of some usual biomaterials such as PVC and\or polyurethanes. This will be performed using smooth methods described recently in the literature for the functionalization of such surfaces. The antibacterial copolymers will be synthesized either by chemical modification of functional homopolymers or by classical copolymerization of antibacterial monomers with monomers containing anchoring groups. Theses copolymers will be characterized by the usual techniques, namely NMR, FTIR, UV-visible, SEC (GPC), and by mass spectrometry.

The physico-chemical characterizations of the modified and unmodified biomaterial surfaces will be performed by AFM, MEB, fluorescence microscopy, contact angle measurements, XPS and ellipsometry. Colorimetric titrations will be also undertaken in order to determine densities of copolymers grafted onto surfaces. A comparative thermal, thermo-mechanical and mechanical properties of the biomaterials, before and after surface chemical modifications, will be investigated by DSC, DMTA and tensile tests, respectively.

The surface antibacterial properties will be studied at first in vitro. Adhesion kinetics onto biomaterial surfaces of various bacterial strains, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, will be monitored by fluorescence microscopy as well as by bacterial numeration. These studies will be realized in static and dynamic conditions, in presence and absence of plasmatic proteins, in short and long terms. The properties of biocompatibility will be evaluated by cytotoxicity tests towards differentiated and permanent cellular cultures as well as blood, and by thrombogenesis tests.

The project requires strong skills in molecular and macromolecular organic synthesis. Knowledge in biochemistry and in microbiology would be desirable. The candidate must have a Master’s degree or equivalent diploma with scientific research laboratory training. He or she has to supply a detailed CV and a letter in support of application.


Salary: about 1300 Euros (take-home pay).