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Patent pending for Zoran Markovic SASPRO project

19. 3. 2018 | 1674 visits
Serbian scientist, graduate of Belgrade University and professor of research at the Institute of Nuclear Science in Belgrade Mgr. Zoran Markovic, PhD., heads a team of scientists at the SAS Polymer Institute who have developed a disinfectant material for burns or entire operating spaces. They currently operate in Slovakia under the SASPRO support program.

The cooperation with the SAS Polymer Institute as part of the SASPRO call from December 2015 was not the first for Zoran Markovic. "I was committed to my previous work, so this was a natural continuation of these activities," says the Serbian scientist. At the beginning of the collaboration, the idea was to produce a material that would prevent patients with catheters having to undergo swapping so often while at the same time being more cost effective. The products currently on the market are made of silver. Z. Markovic therefore decided to use material made of a new type of nanoparticle from which he produced a foil.
The scientist-physicist is working within the SASPRO programme on a project entitled ANTIbacterial GRaphene/POlymer NANOcomposite. "I wanted to learn more about polymers and to relate my knowledge about nanoparticles to polymeric science. Antibacterial products can easily be transferred from research to industry. Previously, I worked on anticancer nanoparticles. The transfer of anticancer nanoparticles to hospitals is much more complicated, " he explains. However, its use is classified. "We filed a patent application and found one Italian-Dutch company interested in our results. I cannot reveal further details." Slovakia is not planning to withdraw even when the project ends within SASPRO and wants to apply for SAIA (Slovak Academic Information Agency) scholarships.

The excellent cooperation with SAS was not the only reason, albeit the most important as to why Z. Markovic decided to work in Slovakia. There are many of them in fact. An undeniable and very practical argument for the selection of the SAS Polymer Institute for cooperation was also the distance from his birthplace. "Bratislava is only seven hours away from Belgrade by a regular bus service or Bratislava-Niš air route costing 10 euros, so my wife, also a researcher, and I can travel easily," smiles Z. Markovic and emphasizes the ability to communicate, as according to him our languages are not so different.

A further very important reason he wants to continue in Slovakia is that science is much better organized here than in Serbia in his opinion. "I think Slovakia needs more programs than SASPRO to attract Slovak and foreign scientists," Z. Markovic stresses. He believes the conditions for it are here. "I like working in Slovakia and the SAS Polymer Institute is an excellent place for research. Bratislava is also a very nice city. The only problem is the high rent prices which are about three times higher than in Belgrade, ". "Overall, the Slovaks are quite similar to the Serbians, so I have no problem adapting to the local life, even the cuisine," adds Mgr. Zoran Markovic, PhD.
Andrea Nozdrovická
Photo: Vladimír Šimíček