Dr Gabrielė Meižytė discusses the work she is conducting in the life science space and its potential to create a more environmentally conscious STEM ecosystem.
Dr Gabrielė Meižytė, a postdoctoral researcher at Vilnius University, began professional studies in chemistry at the University of Glasgow as part of an integrated master’s programme.
Further studies took her all around the globe, to Saudi Arabia’s University of Science and Technology, the University of Oxford and London’s UCL. It was at University College London where she took her first steps into a clinical biomedical setting, as she carried out clinical biomarker research using mass spectrometry.
She told SiliconRepublic.com, “I am especially drawn to studying materials at the molecular level, so when I saw the opportunity to compete for a postdoctoral fellowship, I realised I had the experience to contribute something valuable to the field of synthetic bone substitutes.”
Meižytė’s main area of focus is the investigation of biological materials at a molecular level, more specifically, their mechanisms and how they can be applied.
She added, “I am also motivated by the direction the field is taking towards greener chemistry, developing effective biomaterials with a lighter environmental footprint. My work aligns with global trends in biomaterials research and being part of that momentum is exciting.”
Bones and bacteria
Currently she is working on developing materials that can do two jobs at once, help rebuild damaged bone tissue and fight infection causing bacteria.
This is achieved by functionalising calcium hydroxyapatite bioceramics, specifically carbonated hydroxyapatite, which she explained are the main inorganic components of natural bone and therefore are more compatible with the human body.
She said, “The antibacterial part matters because infections after an implant is placed can be serious. The need for such materials in bone regeneration medicine is very high, especially in orthopaedics and dentistry and materials that support healing while lowering infection risk could make implant procedures safer for patients.
“The idea is to enrich these calcium phosphate materials with antibacterial agents that release gradually at the implant site. This gradual release would help suppress inflammation and we expect, reduce the risk of implant rejection.”
Meižytė explained that this area of research and innovation is becoming increasingly important in an environment where antibiotic resistant micro-organisms are more widespread.
People and planet
Another area that is important to Meižytė is green chemistry, which is very much in line with how she intends to further advance her work in bone regeneration.
As part of her research and development she uses readily available calcium sulfate, which is a naturally occurring mineral. She then carries out the combination of components at a low temperature, without organic solvents, contributing to a process that is more environmentally conscious.
She said, “This low-temperature approach produces a low-crystallinity material that closely matches human bone tissue not only in chemical composition but also at the microscopic level. Similar materials are being explored by other researchers around the world.
“Beyond bone regeneration, hydroxyapatite and related calcium phosphates are versatile, they have diverse uses, including gas sensing, chromatography, drug delivery and water purification.”
There are challenges however, in securing the right conditions under which to make the materials so they have the correct properties.
She said, “Over the two year project, the aim is to produce durable composite granules of a specific size, with antibacterial properties and controlled solubility in a physiological environment. I plan to overcome these challenges through iterative synthesis experiments to identify the optimal conditions and antibacterial testing to verify the materials’ efficacy.”
She noted the project has significant commercial potential, but explained that, like all advancements in critical spaces, the road towards a practical, approved and safe final product is both long and complex.
She said, “The theoretical route involves preclinical, in vitro and in vivo studies, setting up a manufacturing quality system and certifying the product under EU regulation.
“An alternative is to partner with industry or implant manufacturers who already have the infrastructure and experience to bring such products into clinical practice. I am still in the process of considering the available pathways.”
For now, Meižytė is completing her research in her native Lithuania, where the fellowship she is a part of is, for her, far “more than a professional step”. She said, it is a homecoming, where she is being given the opportunity to contribute to her country’s future, strengthen its science and carry out meaningful work that benefits society.
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