Dr Irina Savina

Dr Irina Savina is currently Senior Lecturer in Physical Chemistry of the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences. She belongs to the Biomaterials and Biomedical Devices research group and Chemistry research group.

Her current research is focused on the synthesis and design of novel advanced polymer materials for biomedical and environmental application.

Irina-Savina-1

How I like to teach

I teach physical chemistry, polymer chemistry and environmental chemistry to undergraduate students and several post graduate courses. In the early years of the degree I teach the basic concepts in physical chemistry and polymer chemistry, which provides a solid foundation and understanding for the professional chemist and equip students well for their future study and careers. I believe that practical exercises reinforce learning so my teaching is supported by practical classes and opportunity of doing the research.

The teaching in the later years of the degree utilises my research experience and is supported by examples of most recent research to assist students in developing a realisation and appreciation of chemistry concepts and real applications. Overall, I believe that teaching involves much more than the transmission of content and skills. The ultimate goal is to create independent and self-motivated learners who are capable of self-directing their work, can critically assess the information and their own work, and have high quality thinking skills.

My research interests

My main area of research interest is polymer materials. My research group is a multi-disciplinary team with research interests in the manufacture and characterisation of porous materials, hydrogels and (nano) composites. I focus on the development of biomaterials for applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery, synthesis of porous polymers (so called cryogels) and composites for biomedical and environmental applications.

Specifically, my research areas include:

  • synthesis of functional porous polymer gels, hybrid polymer-inorganic and nanocomposite materials
  • the development of smart polymer systems
  • the characterisation of soft porous materials
  • the synthesis and characterisation of biomaterials
  • the development of novel technologies for contaminated soil and water remediation.

Research activity

Current research projects:

  • Cryo bacteria reactor: Development of the flow through bioreactor of 3D-structured bacteria for biodegradation of aromatic chloro-derivatives from contaminated water. (H2020-MSCA-IF grant)
  • Targeting Glioblastoma using Combinatorial Therapeutic Nanovaccine (GLIOMA) (H2020-MSCA-IF gran) 
  • Water and soil clean-up from mixed contaminants (FP7-PEOPLE-IAPP, WaSClean project)
  • Nanomaterials for practical use in remediation: Case study of mercury contamination in the lake Bylkyldak (The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan).
  • Engineering a bioartificial liver prototype using cell loaded macroporous hydrogel scaffolds

Previous research projects:

  • Investigation of neurotoxicity and oxidative stress of PEGylated nanographeneusing rat pheochromocytoma (PC-12) neuronal cell lines (Commonwealth scholarship)
  • Immobilised noble metal nanoparticles as efficient flow through catalyst for “green” decomposition of chlorinated aromatic compounds (British Council Newton grant).
  • Controlled production and chemical modification of a variety of novel-carbons for specific end applications into the bio-organic field (FP7-PEOPLE-IRSES staff exchange programme ENSOR).
  • Novel smart materials for biomedical application (FP7-PEOPLE-RG grant - Bio-Smart).
  • Developing and evaluation of a quantitative imaging technique for assessment of nanoparticle drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier: Application for brain cancer therapeutics (FP7-PEOPLE-IAPP grant, OncoNanoBBB).
  • Studying adsorption of proteins on the carbon based materials (Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) research grant).
  • Developing novel nanocomposite materials for the water clean-up (FP7-PEOPLE-IEF. MacroClean)
  • Development and manufacture of permeable composite filters for environment application (FP7-PEOPLE-IAPP, CARBOSORB).
  • Tissue engineering materials based on macroporous cryogels and non-viral delivery systems, growth factors: the development and testing in peripheral nerve injury and therapeutic angiogenesis (Russian Federal Programme grant).
  • Novel materials for nerve grow (Russian national visiting grant).
  • Novel cryogel materials for biomedical application (Grant of the President of the Russian Federation for Young Scientists).

Research Centres and Groups

Social media

Contact me

Dr Irina Savina
Senior Lecturer

Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
Moulsecoomb
91¶¶Òõ
BN2 4GJ

Telephone: +44 (0)1273 642015

Email: I.N.Savina@brighton.ac.uk

Biography

I received my PhD in Polymer Chemistry at A.N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow in 2003. I have worked previously as a postdoctoral researcher at the Department Biotechnology at Lund University (Sweden), Polymer Chemistry Research Group, Ghent University (Belgium), and Protista Biotechnology AB (Sweden) and I moved to the 91¶¶Òõ in 2007.

My research work is diverse and multi-disciplinary, with the core subject being the synthesis of novel polymer materials, with special emphasis on designing novel materials for biotechnology, biomedical and environmental applications. I am an expert in the developing of macroporous hydrogel materials, cryogels.

My current research topics include development novel materials for wound healing, tissue engineering and drug delivery; adsorbents for bioseparation and environmental application; hydrogel composites; methods for characterisation of hydrogel structure.

I have been awarded prestigious Marie Curie fellowships IEF (2009) and ERG (2011). In 2013 I was appointed as Senior Lecturer at the 91¶¶Òõ.

Research output

PhD students

Name Thesis
TBC Engineering a bioartificial liver prototype using cell loaded macroporous hydrogel scaffolds.
Salam Alrekabi (2013 - 2017) Use of nano and micro carbon-based additives in producing concrete with improved mechanical and chemical performance 
Areej K. A. Al-Jwaid (2014 - 2017) Bioremediation of phenol in waste waters, using polymer-supported bacteria 

Roles

Scientific Expert evaluator: EU FP7-PEOPLE Programme, the National Center of Science and Technology Evaluation of Republic of Kazakhstan, L'Oréal-UNESCO's For Women in Science programme, the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (Hungarian abbreviation: OTKA) and Russian International Affairs Council.

Panel Member: British Council Newton Fund (2014-Date)

Referee: Acta Biomaterialia, Biotechnology Reports, Microporous & Mesoporous Materials, Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, European Polymer Journal, Chemical Engineering Journal, Journal of Hazardous Materials, Journal of Physics and Journal of Royal Society Interface.

STEM Ambassador.

Funding

Active

H2020-MSCA-IF grant - Development of the flow through bioreactor of 3D-structured bacteria for biodegradation of aromatic chloro-derivatives from contaminated water. Role: Principal Investigator.

FP7-PEOPLE-IAPP, WaSClean -Water and soil clean-up from mixed contaminants (€1.18 million). Role: Co-applicant.

Completed

British Council Newton grant - Immobilized noble metal nanoparticles as efficient flow through catalyst for “green” decomposition of chlorinated aromatic compounds. Role: Principal Investigator.

FP7-PEOPLE-IRSES staff exchange programme ENSOR – Controlled production and chemical modification of a variety of novel-carbons for specific end applications into the bio-organic field (€264.9K). Role: Project coordinator.

FP7-PEOPLE-RG grant - Bio-Smart, Novel smart materials for biomedical application. Role: Marie Curie Fellow (individual reintegration grant to support research at the host university (€45K).)

FP7-PEOPLE-IAPP grant, OncoNanoBBB, Developing and evaluation of a quantitative imaging technique for assessment of nanoparticle drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier: Application for brain cancer therapeutics. Role: Work package leader.

FP7-PEOPLE-IEF. MacroClean, -Developing novel nanocomposite materials for the water clean-up (€171K). Role: Marie Curie Fellow (individual career development fellowship)

FP7-PEOPLE-IAPP, CARBOSORB, - Development and manufacture of permeable composite filters for environment application. (€1.28 million).

Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) research grant (provide neutron beams and instrument access at the ILL in Grenoble, France). – “Studying adsorption of proteins on the carbon based materials.” Collaborators Dr. K. Laszlo, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary and Dr. E. Geissler, Universite Joseph Fourier de Grenoble, France.

Research challenges grant, (91¶¶Òõ), “Light integrated gel healthcare technology” (£46K, in collaboration with Dr. I. Allan and Dr. C. Bowyer, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences and Dr. J. Farrer School of Art and Design, 91¶¶Òõ)

Russian Federal Programme grant: "Tissue engineering materials based on macroporous cryogels and non-viral delivery systems, growth factors: the development and testing in peripheral nerve injury and therapeutic angiogenesis" № 14.A18.21.1236 (2,800,000 RUB, ~£60,000) Collaborators Dr. T. Abdulin,  Kazan University, Russia.

Project Grant of the President of the Russian Federation for Young Scientists, “Novel cryogel materials for biomedical application” (£6,300), visiting researcher A. Sagitova.