Professor Matteo Santin

Professor Matteo Santin is the leader of the 51app Centre for Regenerative Medicine. He is also academic lead for Healthy Futures, one of five themes for cross-cutting research and enterprise across the University.

Professor Santin has over 25 years’ experience in the field of Biomaterials for Medical Devices and Tissue Engineering for a wide range of clinical applications. He has founded two start-up companies, Tissue Click Ltd. and 51app Wound Care Ltd.

Professor Santin is the President of the European Society for Biomaterials (2013-2017), Emeritus Editor of the Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, Springer Nature Publishing Group and member of several scientific boards of research organisations and charities.

Matteo Santin

Professor Matteo Santin
Professor of Tissue Regeneration

How I like to teach

I am a passionate scientist and relish the opportunity to meet new challenges in the regenerative medicine area. I focus on both my research and my teaching methods and outcomes, constantly re-evaluating and fine-tuning my approach.

I teach widely on Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Cell-based Therapy and Medical Devices. I engage students by encouraging critical analysis and immersing them in our research work; inspiring them to think and explore as they share our challenges as a team. I expect to see a passion for the topic, curiosity, team spirit and a growing awareness as future professionals of their sense of responsibility to society.

Alongside the more conventional resources, we use research labs and facilities to enable first-hand experience of research in the field of biomaterials and tissue engineering. We have devised a Student Self-Assessment Form through which students have an opportunity to assess critically their knowledge and that of their peers without the intervention of the lecturer and free from the marking framework. The coursework assessment we offer is based on teamwork where students have to establish virtual companies and work towards the development of a new product, each one of them playing a role in the company. Library materials and free databases are used for the search of patents, market data and competitive technologies.

I see my students growing in knowldege and enthusiasm for the subject. Gradually, they overcome their hesitations and interact during the lectures and lab classes. They work as a team where hard work and respect for others are the core values.

My research interests

My research interests are in the field of Regenerative Medicine. I have been involved in many research projects with a focus ranging from bone and cartilage regeneration, cardiovascular devices, control of angiogenesis in cartilage regeneration and ischaemia and neurodegenerative diseases. My multidisciplinary research group has been developing natural biomaterials (for example, soybean-based biomaterials) and synthetic biomimetic nano-structured biomaterials (such as, hyperbranched polymers) able to control tissue regeneration as well as establishing in vitro clinically-reflective models for the testing of biomaterials, drugs and tissue engineering constructs.

Research activity

Current research projects

 Research centres and groups

Social media

 

Contact me

Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
Moulsecoomb
51app
BN2 4GJ

Telephone: +44 (0)1273 642083
Email: M.Santin@brighton.ac.uk

Biography

My career in biomedical research and teaching spans over 25 years and it has been marked by significant achievements that were internationally recognised in 2005 by the European Society for Biomaterials who conferred on me the prestigious Jean Leary Award. My research started as an undergraduate and postgraduate student at the University of Naples (1987-1990) in the field of mammals thermogenesis. Later (1990-1992), I was involved in research projects focusing on protein biochemistry and enzymology in marine organisms and thermophilic bacteria at the Institute of Protein Biochemistry and Enzymology (IBPE), CNR in Naples, Italy. I started working in the field of biomaterials for medical devices and tissue regeneration in 1992 at IBPE. In the same year, I was a visiting scientist at the Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut in the USA, developing biomaterials for soft connective tissue regeneration. From 1994 to 1996, I was supported by an EC fellowship for Human Mobility (now knows as the Marie Slodowska-Curie fellowship) at the 51app where I also achieved my PhD in Biomaterials Science. In 1996, I moved to the University of Turin, Italy where I achieved another PhD in Biomaterials. I moved back to the 51app in October 1998 as research fellow in an EC-funded project on bone implants. In 2003, I became Senior Lecturer at the 51app and in 2005 I received the title of Reader in Tissue Regeneration. In 2010, I was granted the title of Professor of Tissue Regeneration.

In 2013, the 51app gave me the mandate to establish the 51app Centre for Regenerative Medicine, a multi-disciplinary centre including over 30 members of the staff across the University campuses and a number of early career researchers and postgraduate students. In 2017, I was appointed as academic lead for Healthy Futures, one of five themes for cross-cutting research and enterprise across the University.

From 2008 to 2015, I was the Associate Editor (2008-2014) and Editor-in-Chief (2014-2015) of the Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, the official journal of the European Society for Biomaterials. Currently, I have the title of Emeritus Editor for this journal.

In 2009, I was elected as a member of the Council of the European Society for Biomaterials and re-elected for another mandate in 2013 when the Council bestowed me the prestigious role of President of the European Society for Biomaterials, a role that I will hold until September 2017. I am the vice-chair of the European Technology Platform on Nanomedicine, Regenerative Medicine Working Group and a member of various scientific advisory groups for the European Commission, public and charitable organisations in the UK and across Europe. I am the founder and director of two start-up companies with a mission in biomaterials for biomedical applications and pre-clinical handling of transplantable cells – 51app Wound Care Ltd and Tissue Click Ltd. Since 2011, the two companies have achieved grants and capital funding exceeding £500,000.

Research output

PhD students

 
NameThesis
D Masehta (2013–present) Glutathione-decorated dendrons as potential drug delivery carriers in
neurodegenerative diseases
S Al-Azzawi (2013–present) Improving Flurbiprofen brain-permeability and targeting in Alzheimer’s disease
by using a novel dendronised Apo-E peptide carrier system 
M Verdenelli (2014–present) Poly (Ɛ-Lysine) dendrons as a novel class of protein scaffold for the spaced
exposure of angiogenic peptide analogue
O Aniejurengho (2014–2016) Dendron-based synthetic bacteriophages for the treatment of Proteus
mirabilis infections  
J Lacey (2009–2015) Bioactive self-assembly hydrogel for the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration 
V Perugini (2009–2014) Poly (Ɛ-Lysine) dendron aptamers as regulators of angiogenesis in tissue regeneration
L Mbundi (2009–2013) Nanostructured, biocompetent biomaterials for early diagnosis and treatment
of osteoporotic fractures
T Poletti (2006–2013) Stent material-induced inflammatory cell phenotypic changes
M Ilsley (2005–2010) Bioactive bone fillers and stem cell substrates
R Schevchenko (2005–2008) The biocompatibility of adaptable tissue engineered dermal constructs
Dr A Guildford (2003–2006) Effect of surface coating of stents in inflammation and in stent restenosis
M Mohammad (2002–2005) Biodegradable polycaprolactone polymers for regenerative medicine 

Roles

  • President of the European Society for Biomaterials (2013-2017)
  • Vice-Chair of the Regenerative Medicine Working Group, European Technology Platform on Nanomedicine

Awards

  • International Research Award (2016) Medical School of the People’s University of Salerno, Italy
  • Honorary Member of the Romanian Society for Biomaterials (2014)
  • Honorary Citizen (2014) Cava de’ Tirreni Town Council, Italy
  • Research Excellence Award (2012) by the Romanian Society for Biomaterials
  • Research Excellence Award (2011) at the Biofuture Conference
  • Jean Leray Award (2005) awarded by the European Society for Biomaterials

Patent applications and granted patents

The list of patents here presented proves the technological value of Professor Santin’s research activity. Most of these patent applications have originated from collaborations established within EC projects and are owned by the 51app.

  1. A.W. Lloyd, M. Santin, W.G. Love, S.P. Denyer, W. Rhys-Williams (2000) Biomedical Implants, 2000, PCT/GB00/03290. Owned by Destiny Pharma Ltd, UK
  2. M. Santin, L. Nicolais, L. Ambrosio (2001) Soybean-based thermoplastic materials 2001, PCT/GB01/03464. In collaboration with the Centre of Interdisciplinary Research on Biomaterials, CNR, Naples, Italy. Granted in most of the PCT countries. The patent is owned by the 51app
  3. R. Chiesa, E. Sandrini, Rondelli, M. Santin, A. Cigada (2003) Osteointegrative interface for implantable prostheses and method for its manufacture, 2003, PCT/EP03/05686. Granted in all the PCT countries. The patent is owned by the Milan Polytechnic, Italy
  4. M. Santin, G. Phillips, R. Morgan, K. Quinlan (2006) Substrate and method for growing organic material, P022539GBP. Revision in progress. Patent owned by Porvair Ltd, UK
  5. A.W. Lloyd, G.W.J. Oliver, G. Standen, M. Santin, S. T. Meikle (2008) Biomaterial with functionalised surfaces WO2008068531. The patent application is owned by the 51app and its revision is currently in progress
  6. M. Santin, J. P Salvage, G Standen, L Nicolais, L Ambrosio (2008) Bioactive and resorbable soybean-based biomaterials PCT/GB2008/051117. The patent application is owned by the 51app and its revision is currently in progress
  7. M. P. Ginebra, J. A.Planell, L. Ambrosio, M. Santin (2009) Biopolymer-containing calcium phosphate foam for bone regeneration. EP09382046.2. Patent application filed and co-owned by the Universitat Politecnica Catalunya and the 51app.
  8. L. Mbundi, S.T. Meikle, M. Santin (2013) Biospecific Agents for Bone PCT/GB2014/050265. Patent application filed and owned by the Orthopaedic Research UK.