Peretti–Schmucker Fellowship: Skin biomaterials
Gačanin Group to develop eco-friendly and self-healing soft material systems for dermatological care
Dr. Jasmina Gačanin, group leader of the Cell-instructive Materials group at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, has been awarded a prestigious research grant - The Peretti-Schmucker Fellowship - donated by The Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation in memory of Elsa Peretti, designer and philanthropist founder, as well as dermatologist and friend of the Foundation, Dr. Yvonne Schmucker. Building on the success of the research conducted by Dr. Gačanin, the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation is extending this collaboration, with funding for a three-year research project on skin biomaterials. The new research project focuses on the development of environmentally friendly and self-healing soft material systems for dermatology. The project, at the MPI-P hosted in the Department for the Synthesis of Macromolecules led by Prof. Tanja Weil, is going to be a collaboration with Ulm University, covering fundamental research and material engineering to medical applications.
Development of environmentally friendly and self-healing soft material systems for future skin treatment
In her new research project, Dr. Jasmina Gačanin focuses on the development of environmentally friendly and self-healing soft material systems, so-called hydrogels, for dermatology. These 3D materials have a network structure and represent effective scaffolds for addressing pressing and interconnected requirements regarding innovative material properties and treatment approaches for dermatological care. The hydrogels will mimic certain aspects of the extracellular polymeric components found in nature. So-called peptide nanofibrils that play important roles in nature, such as structure formation within the human body or in biofilm formation, are also explored as natural bio-crosslinkers for mild gel formation. “These fibrils are formed by interacting peptides” explains Jasmina Gačanin, “and we can influence how they form by tailoring the peptide molecular composition. This allows us to programme the 3D material properties.” It is therefore of great importance to understand and guide this structure formation to unlock new behaviours and properties and ultimately link sequence composition to mesoscale architecture and macroscopic response.“The peptide interactions are reversible” she adds, “allowing important features like self-healing to be implemented in the material properties, enabling the hydrogel systems to a dynamic adaptation to mechanical stresses like skin movement.” While tailored synthesis is an integral and essential part of the work, the subsequent exploration of (bio)-fabrication is another key element: The new bio-based and multi-functional hydrogels will be put through a process of investigation and optimisation for different dermatological applications. These include hydrogel formulations, 3D printable matrices, and living biomaterials that harness the power of nature to positively support for example homeostasis and health of the skin, facilitate tissue regeneration or wound healing in the future.
"I am very honoured to have been awarded a Peretti-Schmucker fellowship research grant. Thanks to the support of the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation, the biomedical material development related research in my group is strengthened and we will be able to contribute to new functional biomaterials and medical solutions in dermatology,” says Jasmina Gačanin. She adds, “working on this project will encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and cutting-edge research at leading research institutions to shape the future of (skin) biomaterials.”
Skin is the largest organ in the human body and plays a vital role in human health as the first line of defense and a protective barrier between the environment and the inner body. However, serious changes in the composition and function of the skin can occur due to the presence of allergens, toxins and irritants such as preservatives in various products, as well as skin diseases such as acne, chronic diabetic ulcers, skin cancer and more. These require specific or "personalized" treatment to restore the patient's natural intact skin condition, its integrity, homeostasis and functionality - that cannot always be effectively achieved with conventional treatments. This project is expected to improve the functionality, sustainability, and clinical applicability of biomaterials designed for skin repair and regeneration.
The project will be supported for three years starting from January 2026.
More information can be found at https://www.nandoandelsaperettifoundation.org/
Funding: The Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation (NaEPF)
Cooperation partners: Ulm University
About Jasmina Gačanin
Dr. rer. nat. Jasmina Gačanin, group leader of the Cell-instructive Materials group at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz, has been appointed Peretti–Schmucker Fellow. Dr. Gačanin investigates and develops customized hydrogels and their components from predominantly biological building blocks like DNA, peptides, proteins, and polysaccharides. Central to her research vision is the ability to engineer predictable supramolecular interactions that form programmable soft materials, in which peptide amino-acid sequence encodes supramolecular architecture, physicochemical function, and macroscopic behavior. By programming this information directly into the molecular sequence, together with her group she creates materials that mimic the structural sophistication of biological systems while enabling synthetic tunability and robustness. Such intelligent materials hold significant potential for applications in fields such as regenerative medicine and the treatment of severe skin diseases.
The Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation (NaEPF), a non-profit foundation based in Vaduz (Liechtenstein), has long been committed to supporting health promotion and medical scientific research with the aim of enhancing community well-being. In line with this commitment, in 2023 the NaEPF established the Peretti–Schmucker Fellowship at the Max Planck Society, funding postdoctoral positions at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (MPI-P) in Mainz, Germany, to support research for the treatment of skin conditions in memory and honour of the legacy of Elsa Peretti, designer, philanthropist founder and great supporter of medical and scientific research, as well as dermatologist and friend of the Foundation, Dr. Yvonne Katharin Schmucker. In 2025, the NaEPF has decided to extend their existing support and provide a prestigious research grant to Dr. Jasmina Gačanin, group leader at the MPI-P, to advance innovation in dermatological care and regenerative medicine