Patrulea Viorica

About

Knowledge deepening continued through a Master's program in Chemistry (2009-2011), where the focus strategically shifted towards natural polymers, particularly chitin and chitosan. This choice anticipated the central direction of his career, recognizing the immense potential of biopolymers in medical applications due to their biocompatibility and chemical versatility. The doctoral period (2011-2015) marked the internationalization phase, characterized by a cotutelle arrangement between the West University of Timișoara and the University of Geneva. Under the supervision of Professors Vasile Ostafe and Gerrit Borchard, his thesis titled "Medical and environmental application of chitosan" explored the mechanisms by which chitosan derivatives can be used for both environmental remediation and as drug delivery systems, earning him the title of Doctor of Pharmaceutical Sciences in December 2015. The research led by Dr. Pătrulea is characterized by a multidisciplinary approach that integrates polymer chemistry, microbiology, cell biology, and materials engineering. This synergy is necessary to address the complexity of interactions between synthetic or natural materials and living biological systems. Valorizing Chitosan: Environmental and Biomedical Applications Chitosan, a cationic polysaccharide obtained by chitin deacetylation, has been the core of Dr. Pătrulea's initial investigations. Its fundamental property of being the only natural polysaccharide with a net positive charge makes it ideal for interaction with cell membranes and anionic pollutants. In the early phase of his career, his research focused on using chitosan beads for the adsorption of metal ions, such as $Cu(II)$, and industrial dyes (tartrazine, Congo red) from effluents.