Smiljana Paraš, PhD, Professor at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (PMF UNIBL) of the University of Banja Luka, published two significant scientific papers in June this year in the prestigious international journals in the field of medical sciences, Bioengineering and Journal of Functional Biomaterials.
Professor Paraš co-authored the papers with colleagues from the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana, the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, and the Faculty of Dental Medicine of the University of Belgrade.
The first paper, titled “Histological Study of a Novel 3D-Printed Hydroxyapatite–PLGA Bone Graft for the Regeneration of Critical-Size Long Bone Defects”, was published in collaboration with distinguished researchers/scientists Marijana Popović Bajić, Milutin Mićić, Božana Petrović, Vladimir Biočanin, Slavoljub Živković, Marija Živković, Damjan Drobne, and Vukoman Jokanović.
The second paper, entitled “Histomorphometric Evaluation of the Subchronic and Chronic Effects of Novel Experimental Calcium Aluminate- and Calcium Silicate-Based Dental Cement Materials on the Liver, Kidney, Brain, and Spleen Tissues of Rats”, was authored by Veljko Ilić, Sanja Milutinović Smiljanić, Vladimir Biočanin, Jovana Kuzmanović Pfićer, Tatjana Tasić, Vesna Danilović, Nina Japundžić Žigon, Vukoman Jokanović, Dejan Ćetković, and Đorđe Antonijević.
These scientific papers were published in high-impact journals, Bioengineering (Impact Factor: 4.4) and Journal of Functional Biomaterials (Impact Factor: 5.2), placing them among the leading publications in the fields of biology, applied medical sciences, and research of reconstructive biocompatible materials.
The papers are the result of many years of collaboration between the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of the University of Banja Luka, the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana, and the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences in Belgrade. The research involved the design and synthesis of two entirely novel biocompatible nanomaterials—one ceramic-based and the other gel-based—which were tested in biological experiments using animal models. The materials demonstrated a remarkable capacity for the regeneration of bone and cartilage defects, opening up significant possibilities for their future application in the treatment of human patients.
Through this achievement, Professor Smiljana Paraš, PhD, and the University of Banja Luka have made a valuable contribution to the scientific community. In addition, the published papers have generated a total scientific performance score of 9.6 points, further enhancing the research profile and reputation of the University.
