Nicola Filippo Virzì
Ciclo: XXXVII
Data inizio: 30/11/2021
Curriculum: Farmaceutico
Borsa: : Dottorato PON industriale
Titolo tesi: Prevention, management, and treatment of wounds and musculoskeletal infections
Abstract: With the increasing rate of aging population and of their lifestyle changes, the risk of musculoskeletal conditions, including hip fractures, chronic wound formation, and traumatic injuries, is expected to rise. In severe cases, surgical intervention with implants, prosthesis, and scaffolds becomes necessary to restore the original function. A pressing concern in these situations is the potential for bacterial infections at the injury site, which can result in extended hospital stays, implant failure, tissue damage, amputation, or even fatal outcomes from sepsis. Biofilm formation and antimicrobial resistance phenomena pose a significant challenge, as they make most of the antibiotics inefficient in treating these conditions. In this scenario, the World Health Organization (WHO) claimed that the research for novel alternatives to the available antibiotics should be prioritized, in order to fight the rising antimicrobial resistance. The objective of the present thesis was to create innovative formulations, medical devices, and strategies capable of delivering non-antibiotic substances with antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties, aimed at preventing, managing, or resolving musculoskeletal and wound infections. The work leveraged innovative techniques in the pharmaceutical field, such as 3D printing, nanotechnology, and photodynamic therapy. Overall, the conducted research can help in widening the prospective for the prevention and treatment of chronic wounds and periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) using Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) molecules as alternatives to antibiotics, such as natural compounds and metallic ions. The focus on using GRAS, green, and cost-effective materials could tie well with the urgent need for practical solutions that can be implemented quickly. To this extent different strategies have been exploited: (i) 3D-printed scaffolds made of Xanthan Gum and Guar Gum were developed with the aim to sustain the wound healing and to deliver thymol and Zinc2+ ions; (ii) a marketed coating medical device used in clinics for prosthesis coating (DAC ®, by Novagenit s.r.l.) was formulated with Curcumin I for the prevention and the treatment of the PJI, exploiting its intrinsic and photodynamic antibacterial activity; (iii) Curcumin I, Berberine, and NR16 (a synthetic derivate of berberine) were encapsulated into Styrene-co-maleic acid (SMA) nanoparticles to overcome the drawbacks given by their low water solubility and fully exploit their antimicrobial therapeutic properties.
Tutor: Pittalà
Data Conseguimento Titolo: 12/03/2025
Linkedin: : linkedin.com/in/nicola-filippo-virzì-667b8a1b4
Email: Nicola.virzi@phd.unict.it
Periodi all'estero- Sede e data: Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, I+D Farma (GI-1645), Tutor: Prof. Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo, 12 January 2023 ‒ 24 December 2023 and 16 January 2024-31 July 2024 in collaboration with NOVAGENIT ® S.r.l., Mezzolombardo (TN), Italia.
Esperienze post-Dottorato ed attuale occupazione: Postdoctoral researcher at University of Santiago de Compostela, Biomaterials Lab.