Matteo PAVARINI profile

I am a Junior Assistant Professor in Materials Science and Technology at Politecnico di Milano, within the Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta”. Before this role, I worked as a Research Fellow at the same institution, focusing on the development of functional and active surface treatments with antioxidant and antibacterial capabilities. I hold a PhD in Materials Engineering, earned with a thesis on the process tuning of multifunctional Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) coatings for light alloys intended for implantable devices. My research career began during my Master’s studies in Biomedical Engineering, where I first explored innovative antibacterial PEO treatments. I further strengthened my international experience as a visiting PhD candidate at the University of Ottawa (Canada), and I also had the opportunity to spend a semester at EPFL (Switzerland) through the Swiss-European Mobility Programme. Throughout my career, I have participated in several national and international research projects, including PRIN TiDe and PON CONTACT, and I have been actively involved in translational research aimed at improving the performance and safety of implantable medical devices in collaboration with industrial partners. Alongside my research activity, I have developed a solid teaching profile, serving as an external collaborator and teaching assistant in courses on advanced biomaterials and materials selection at Politecnico di Milano and the University of Bergamo. I have also co-supervised numerous Master’s and Bachelor’s theses, supporting students in both Engineering and Design.

My expertise lies in the surface engineering of metallic biomaterials, with a strong focus on functional and active coatings for bone implant applications. My core competence is the development and optimisation of Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) treatments for light metals, particularly titanium and magnesium alloys, to tailor corrosion resistance and enhance biological performance. I have investigated the fine control of coating morphology, porosity, chemistry, and phase composition through precise tuning of electrical regimes and process parameters, enabling the incorporation of various multifunctional inorganic dopants to create surfaces that support both osteointegration and infection prevention. My research experience also extends to complementary chemical and electrochemical surface modification techniques, including hydrothermal treatments, sol-gel coatings, and cathodic electrodeposition, as well as the development of self-healing and environmentally responsive coatings. This experience covers the full workflow - from design and functional characterization to in vitro biological assessment - allowing me to approach the development of advanced surfaces with a broad perspective.

ORCID: 0000-0001-6775-4198 Scopus ID: 57222340469 Web of Science ResearcherID: ABB-3334-2022 Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=eZfgmcAAAAAJ