Dr. Elien Gevaert

Elien has a PhD in the field of liver tissue engineering and has spent several years working as a Post-Doctoral Researcher, publishing over 30 scientific papers in leading journals. Elien joined Rousselot in 2020 as a principal scientist where she leads on R&D.

Which aspect of your work inspires you the most?

I find the versatile character of gelatin and its endless range of possibilities triggers my innovative mindset. The potential to identify new applications for our existing products, plus the capabilities for developing completely new products makes my work a constant adventure!

How do you see the future of gelatin/collagen in biomedical applications?

Gelatin already has a long history in biomedical applications. The complexity of these applications has evolved rapidly in the past few decades. Knowing now how versatile and trustworthy gelatin and collagen can be – we are helping our customers to customize their formulations and deliver a new generation of innovative, gelatin based biomedical products into the market.

What are the main topics to consider when choosing a biomaterial?

I believe that gelatin/collagen-based materials are in many regards the best possible choice for biomedical applications as it is a material that is highly recognizable for cells, is highly tunable in terms of physicochemical properties and allows diffusion of nutrients. Due to its long-lasting history in biomedical applications, it is regarded as a trustworthy material that is biocompatible and biodegradable. In addition, it is highly customizable for specific applications in terms of physicochemical properties and degradation; and these are all factors that are of utmost importance when choosing a biomaterial.