Results of the AntibacHip project to develop an innovative material for hip implants presented at the Catholic University of Croatia

On Monday, October 26, 2026, the Catholic University of Croatia presented the results of the project “Development of an Innovative Antibacterial Material for Hip Endoprostheses” (AntibacHip), with a total value of €1,631,172.52. The project was successfully completed with the development of an innovative titanium alloy-based material with improved properties and the preparation of laboratory prototypes of two hip endoprosthesis components – the acetabular cup and the femoral stem.

The project was led by the Catholic University of Croatia, in partnership with the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology of the University of Zagreb (FKIT) and Instrumentaria d.d. It was coordinated by Professor Tamara Holjevac Grgurić, PhD, from the Faculty of Engineering at the Catholic University of Croatia. The project was funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan under the “Targeted Scientific Research” call, with €1,489,781.60 provided through non-repayable grants, while Instrumentaria d.d. contributed €132,078.49 in co-financing.

The attendees were welcomed by Professor Željko Tanjić, PhD, Rector of the Catholic University of Croatia; Academician Professor Sanja Martinez, PhD, from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology of the University of Zagreb, speaking on behalf of the Faculty's Dean; and Stevica Hodić, MEng in Mechanical Engineering, Director of Instrumentaria. The presentation was attended by members of the University's management, Vice-Rectors, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Vice-Deans of the Faculty of Medicine, project collaborators and numerous guests from academia and industry.

The main presentation was delivered by project leader Tamara Holjevac Grgurić, who outlined the activities and achievements of AntibacHip. Academician Sanja Martinez presented an automated electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) platform developed within the project to assess material passivity, while Associate Professor Vilko Mandić, PhD, from FKIT, discussed the biochemical applications of titanium oxide nanostructures prepared through the electrochemical treatment of titanium. The international dimension of the programme was further highlighted by a presentation from Primož Mrvar and Professor Mitja Petrič, PhD, from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering at the University of Ljubljana, on the development and production of porous structures for biodegradable medical applications.

The project also enabled the acquisition of major research equipment and software worth a total of €511,350, including a device for detecting phase transformations, equipment for preparing biomedical materials, and Thermo-Calc software with the TCTI6 titanium alloy database. The newly acquired equipment represents an important contribution to the further development of the Catholic University of Croatia's research capacities.

Alongside the project leader, the Catholic University of Croatia project team included Professor Maja Jazvinščak-Jembrek, PhD, Professor Livia Puljak, PhD, Associate Professor Marija Ćurlin, PhD, Professor Zvonimir Koporc, PhD, Lucija Lasić, MSc in Chemistry, Karla Knežević, MSc in Chemistry, Martina Tolić, Specialist in Criminal Investigation, Sven Simov, MA in Geography and Geography Education, and Maja Bauer, MSc in Economics.

Collaborators from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology of the University of Zagreb included Academician Professor Sanja Martinez, PhD, Professor Emi Govorčin-Bajsić, PhD, and Associate Professor Vilko Mandić, PhD. Instrumentaria d.d. was represented by its Director, Stevica Hodić, MEng in Mechanical Engineering, and Marija Kajić, Assistant to the Director, with the support of professional and technical staff consisting of Ivan Čigir, MEng in Mechanical Engineering, Marina Palčić, PhD, MEng in Chemical Engineering, Dragutin Hršak, Mate Šeremet, Nenad Vukalija, Marko Kladarić, MEng in Mechanical Engineering, Marija Tenšek, MEng in Chemical Engineering, and Antonio Knez.

Guests also included representatives of Slovenian companies. TC Livarstvo d.o.o. was represented by its Director, Sebastjan Kastelić, PhD, and Almir Mahmutović, MEng in Metallurgy, while Akrapovič d.d. was represented by Aleš Mikuž, MEng in Metallurgy, Foundry Director; Robert Tisu, MEng in Metallurgy, Director of the Materials Testing Laboratory; and Maja Peterc Zidar, Key Account Manager. The presentation was also attended by Professor Janoš Kodvanj, PhD, from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture of the University of Zagreb.

Following the presentations, participants toured the laboratories in the Institute for Complex Systems building, where they had the opportunity to learn more about part of the research infrastructure.

The successful completion of the AntibacHip project has delivered significant results in the development of new biomedical materials. Cooperation between the Catholic University of Croatia, the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, and the industrial partner Instrumentaria has further strengthened ties between academia and industry, opening up new opportunities for research and the application of scientific knowledge in medical technology.