Current position: Department of Biotechnology, Room: BT102 Faculty of Science, Mahidol University Bangkok, Thailand, 10400
TEL: (+662)201-5316   FAX: (+662)354-7160  E-mail: nuttawee.nia@mahidol.ac.th, niamsiri@gmail.com

Nuttawee Niamsiri, born in 1977, received her BS and PhD majoring in Food Science, with minor in Biochemistry & Biomedical Engineering from Department of Food Science & Technology, Cornell University, USA in 2007. Currently, Dr. Niamsiri is Assistant Professor at Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. Her research interests are food science, biopolymers, biomaterials, nanobiotechnology, antibacterial agents, drug delivery and tissue engineering.

Applications of Functional Biopolymers for Medicine and Dentistry

Nuttawee Niamsiri^1*, Sasivimon Pramual¹, Nootchanartch Panith¹, Seubsakul Phuegyod¹, Thanita Thanyaphon¹ Pathompong Paomephan¹, Angelica Rae Villasenor², and Rudee Surarit²¹Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
²Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University
*Corresponding author e-mail: nuttawee.nia@mahidol.ac.th

Abstract

Processing wastes from different sectors (i.e. agricultural, food, industrial) are currently generated in extensive quantities worldwide. Many examples could achieve not only for circular-economy, but also lead to sustainable cost‐efficient waste management protocols and the production of industrially valuable functional biopolymers. The aim of this presentation is to provide an insight on the latest trends in waste valorization research and development in Thailand based with three specific examples; polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), chitosan and collagen.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) represent a complex class of natural occurring biodegradable aliphatic polyesters with good general biocompatibility. They are synthesized by a wide variety of different microorganisms as intracellular carbon and energy storage compounds. More than 100 different types of monomers have been reported as PHA constituents, where the length and specific functional groups present in the monomers can influence the physical properties of the PHA polymer (i.e., melting point, glass transition temperature, crystallinity, and biodegradability). Because of their unique properties, PHAs have been a subject of intense worldwide interest due to their promising applications spanning from biodegradable consumer packaging to high-value applications in medicine and dentistry such as drug delivery, drug-carrier membranes and scaffolds in tissue engineering.

Other important biopolymers food by-products from seafood industries are chitosan and collagen. Key processes of waste valorization to produce these two functional biomaterials will be also be discussed. In addition, the examples of on-going research about the application of chitosan in the form of nanoparticles (CNs) for mouthwash formulation as well as the development of fish collagen for regenerative medicine will also be presented.

Keywords: Biopolymers; Polyhydroxyalkanoates; Chitosan; Collagen