Danut-Alexandru Dumitru

I work as an analysis engineer (physical/chemical) at Bosch in Cluj, Romania, while I am currently enrolled in the master’s program “Biophysics and Medical Physics” at the Babes-Bolyai University (BBU), Faculty of Physics, from Cluj-Napoca, Romania. 

I began my scientific research during my undergrad program at the Faculty of Physics, BBU, where I made my scientific debut with the goal of raising awareness about the importance of marine environment molecular resources and their sustainable valorization. Through my research, I learned analytical techniques for molecular physics, which I then applied to determine the chemical content of biomaterials currently considered marine waste and their contribution to the blue bio-economy. Working collaboratively, biogenic carbonates derived from certain invasive species (for example, Rapana venosa, which has spread invasively along the Black Sea coast) could be transformed into valuable compounds for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and other industries, as well as new, innovative composites for a wide range of applications. My current research at BBU’s Raman-AFM lab focuses on developing new added-value products with biomedical applications. By participating in the Black Sea Young Ambassadors Program, I hope to accelerate the progress of my research work through broad scientific and societal dissemination, by highlighting the struggles of our adjacent sea and raising awareness on valuable resources for bio-economy and circular economy, and by addressing all stakeholders on blue growth.

What makes me connect to the Black Sea?
Being native to the city of Constanta, one of the biggest marine ports at the Black Sea, I’ve witnessed this ecosystem going through a real degradation process created by both natural and anthropic factors, which is the reason why I’m focusing my research on materials derived from the Black Sea.

The Related Blue Economy Sector
Blue Bioeconomy & Biotechnology

My Keywords 
#marinewastes, #biomedicine, #biomaterials, #engineering, #circulareconomy