Marcin Wekwejt, PhD, Eng. with the Jan Uphagen award | Gdańsk University of Technology

Marcin Wekwejt is a graduate of engineering studies in biomedical engineering (Jan and Jędrzej Śniadecki University of Technology in Bydgoszcz and L. Rydygier Collegium Medicum), master's studies in mechanical and medical engineering (Gdańsk University of Technology and Medical University of Gdańsk) and doctoral studies in the discipline of materials engineering (Gdańsk Tech). He received with honors the degree of Doctor of Engineering and Technology for his interdisciplinary doctoral dissertation entitled "Modification of bone cement to obtain long-term antibacterial protection".

Scientific interests of Marcin Wekwejt, PhD, Eng. are related to biofunctional composite materials with effective antibacterial and/or anti-osteoporotic properties and innovative dual-setting bone cements. His achievements so far have consisted in the development of bioactive bone cements based on poly (methyl methacrylate) doped with biodegradable components and/or active substances, in particular nanometals and bioactive glasses. He also conducts research on functional properties (setting and curing time), mechanical properties (compressive and flexural strength, and hardness), structural properties (SEM, XRD, FTIR), functional properties (degradation time, injectability and release of active substances) and biological properties (hemo- and cytocompatibility and antibacterial activity) of biomaterials.

He has completed numerous research and scientific internships, e.g. in Turku Clinical Biomaterials Center in Finland, Department for Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Würzburg in Germany, Center for Functional and Surface Functionalized Glass (FunGlass) in Slovakia, Department of Laboratory Diagnostics and Microbiology of the Specialist Hospital in Kościerzyna, Department of Laboratory Medicine of Gdańsk Medical University or the Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research of the Jagiellonian University.

Currently, he is the leader of the following projects: "Development of a new bone cement based on magnesium phosphate dedicated as a degradable bone substitute" (TECHNETIUM) and "Development of a new injectable ceramic-polymer bone cement" (PLUTONIUM), and is also a contractor in the project "Injectable nanocomposite for an instantaneous fixation of titanium implants in a bone with effective antibacterial properties'' (ARGENTUM), which has already led to the filing of a patent application.

He is the supervisor of the Inter-Faculty Scientific Circle "Materials in Medicine", Chairman of the organizing committee of the nationwide Scientific Conference "IMPLANTS" and chairman of the faculty recruitment committee, and previously he was a member of the Senate Education Committee and the University Education Quality Assurance Committee at Gdańsk University of Technology.

About the prize

The Jan Uphagen Award of the City of Gdańsk for Young Scientists is a prestigious distinction awarded to students and graduates of Gdańsk universities aged up to 30 for outstanding scientific achievements in two categories: humanities and social sciences (this year it was awarded to Ariadna Łada-Maśko for outstanding scientific and research achievements in the field of psychology clinical examination of a child in the family system) and exact and natural sciences (received by Marcin Wekwejt, PhD, Eng.). So far, 35 young scientists have been awarded the prize.

The prize is awarded by the Mayor of the City of Gdańsk at the request of the jury, which includes the presidents of the branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Gdańsk and the Gdańsk Scientific Society, rectors of state universities in Gdańsk and a representative of Gdańsk non-public universities.

This year's awards were presented on 25 May, during the general meeting of the Gdańsk Scientific Society.