Marija Vukomanović

Biography

Marija Vukomanović (née Jevtić) graduated from the Faculty of Physical Chemistry, University of Belgrade, in 2005 with the thesis entitled “Molecular Mechanics and its Application to Organic Molecules”. In 2006 she started her research career as employee at the Institute of Technical Sciences of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ITN SASA) where she was working as a young researcher enrolled in post-graduate studies at the Faculty for Physical Chemistry. In June 2008 she defended master thesis entitled “Sonochemical synthesis and characterization of hydroxyapatite and poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)/hydroxyapatite composite material” at Faculty of Physical Chemistry of University of Belgrade and received title Master of Physicochemical Sciences. After finishing her MSc she started work on her PhD thesis at the Faculty of Physical Chemistry (University of Belgrade) related to the development of novel drug delivery systems. In 2009 she received a scholarship from the Slovene Human Resources Development and Scholarship Fund for the period 2009-2011 and started with her second PhD thesis at the International Postgraduate School of Jožef Stefan Institute related to the development of novel antibacterial agents based on the application of nanoscience and nanotechnology. In March 2011 she defended first doctoral dissertation entitled “Controlled release of an antibiotic from PLGA/HAp nanospheres synthesized in an ultrasonic field” at Faculty of Physical Chemistry of University of Belgrade and received title Doctor of Sciences. In June 2012 she defended second doctoral dissertation entitled “Sonochemical synthesis and characterization of hydroxyapatite/metal-based composite materials for biomedical applications” at International Postgraduate School of Jožef Stefan Institute and received her second title Doctor of Sciences. 

Research Interest

• Hydroxyapatite (HAp), doped hydroxyapatite (HAp:Mg, Zn, Sr, Ga) • poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), polystyrene (PS), collagen, chitosan, cellulose • noble metals (Au, Pt, Ag), Ga, functionalize metal nano-particles (Au/amino acids) • inorganic/metal/polymer components • Identification and composition: XRD, FTIR, ICP, EDS • Surface properties: XPS, BET, wetting angel (“sessile drop method”), zeta potential • Optical properties and interactions: UV/Vis/NIR, FTIR, NMR • Morphology and structure: granulometry, FESEM, TEM, SAED, fluorescence microscopy, stereological analysis • Degradation of polymers: SEC chromatography, C13-, H1- NMR, TGA/DTA, FESEM (morphological changes) • In vitro test for drug release: chromatography (HPLC and TOF-MS/UpLC) • In vitro stability tests of biomaterials XRD (phase stability), ICP AES (solubility and ion release) • Antibacterial properties : Kirby-Bauer method, MIC and MBC concentration, optic, fluorescence and electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) • Photocatalytic properties: UV/Vis degradation of organic dyes (methylene blue, Rhodamine B, alizarine red, caffeine) • Cytotoxicity DET (trypan blue and annexin/propidium-iodide testi), MTT test, agar diffusion test, optic, fluorescence and electron microscopy (SEM and TEM)