Department of Hydrogels for Medical and Technical Practice

Head: Jiří Michálek, PhD
(phone +420-296 809 308, e-mail jiri@imc.cas.cz)

Research

The development of synthetic hydrogels for biomedical use as well as contact and intraocular lenses is the typical topic for the department. The research has been advancing continuously from the period of the eighties when our department was closely associated with the Academician Otto Wichterle DSc, one of the leading pioneers of polymer science.           

Fig 1. Academician Otto Wichterle DSc	Fig 2. Highly crosslinked acrylate-based monolith for capillary chromatography of chiral compounds

New polymeric materials are tested using physical and chemical methods. The material properties (swelling, mechanical, transport and optical properties) are studied including their biocompatibility and interaction with living tissue.

The main projects and research work of our department are outlined here:

We develop polymer materials facilitating wound healing, which are capable of removing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species.

New hydrophilic polymer supports for cultivation and subsequent transplantation of keratinocytes designed for treatment of burns and large skin defects have also been prepared.

The research on implants for the central nervous system based on acrylates and their polyelectrolyte complexes is pursued.

In the framework of the research on new hydrogel materials for contact lenses, we prepared new types of perfluorinated vinyl monomers.

Characterization and preparation of monolithic stationary phases for chromatographic techniques and studies of hydrogel coatings of fused-silica columns for capillary electrophoresis are advancing.

Further information can be seen in "details" section.

Send your comments to:
jiri@imc.cas.cz

Last modified: 04.06.2004