On September 4th, 2026, Liliana Sofia Silva Ferreira Pinto Melro successfully defended her PhD in Textile Engineering at the University of Minho, with the thesis entitled “Development of antimicrobial coated bacterial nanocellulose-based hernia mesh devices for postoperative infection prevention.”
Her research focused on the development of functionalized bacterial nanocellulose as a sustainable and biocompatible alternative to conventional synthetic hernia meshes. Different functionalization strategies incorporating biological agents and metal-based nano- and microparticles were explored to provide antimicrobial activity and help prevent postoperative infections. The resulting composite meshes were extensively characterized in terms of their structural, mechanical, and biological performance, including finite element analysis, swelling behaviour, release profiles, antioxidant activity, and cytotoxicity.
The PhD was supervised by Professor Dr. Andrea Zille (2C2T, University of Minho) and Dr. Jorge Padrão.
The examination committee was chaired by Professor Dr. Raúl Fangueiro (Department of Textile Engineering, University of Minho) and included Dr. Pablo Sánchez (Chemical Engineering Department, University of Vigo), Dr. Carmen Barros (CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro), Dr. Margarida Fernandes (CMEMS, University of Minho), and Dr. Jorge Padrão (2C2T, University of Minho).
Following the public presentation and discussion, the jury unanimously approved the candidate, recognizing the scientific quality, originality, and multidisciplinary nature of the research, which bridges textile engineering, biomaterials, and implantable medical devices.
This research represents an important step towards the development of a new generation of multifunctional hernia meshes based on non-petrochemical materials. By combining bacterial nanocellulose with antimicrobial functionalities, the proposed systems aim to reduce foreign body reactions and infection-related complications while providing adequate mechanical support and improving patient comfort. The work highlights the potential of sustainable nanobiomaterials produced by bacteria as promising alternatives to conventional synthetic meshes.
The Centre for Textile Science and Technology congratulates Dr. Liliana Melro on this outstanding achievement and on her valuable contribution to the development of innovative and sustainable textile-based solutions for biomedical applications.