Luigi Costa, born in 1947, received the doctorate in Chemistry in 1974 at the Torino University. He joined the Inorganic, Physics and Materials Chemistry Department in 1975. Since 2000 he is full professor of Industrial and Macromolecular Chemistry at the Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences of the University of Turin. He spent some periods of time abroad at the CNRS of Lyon under the supervision of Prof. A. Guyot, at the Aston University in Birmingham under the supervision of Prof. G. Scott and at Sussex University in Brighton working with Prof. N. Billingham.
His researches are focused on the mechanism of thermal and thermo oxidative degradation, stabilisation of polymeric materials and recently polymers for biomedical application particularly concerning the oxidation during the process of sterilisation of medical devices by high energy radiation.
His researches generated over 190 publications in peer-reviewed journals, four chapters in books, one book and one patent. In addition, his researches have been presented at over 200 national and international conferences.
Over 45 publications concern the oxidation and degradation in vitro and in vivo of UHMWPE used in arthroplastic prosthesis. He achieved sufficient recognition in this area as to be invited to write four chapters of books and encyclopaedia to present the oxidation problems in UHMWPE and biomaterials used in orthopaedic field.
His current research projects are focused on the problems of sterilisation with high-energy radiation of biomaterials, stabilisation to oxidation of UHMWPE with Vitamin E and other industrial stabiliser. In this moment the research group of Prof. Costa is formed by four researches, one PhD students and two students.
The research group works in collaboration with some of the most important groups in the world in the field of UHMWPE (Prof. Pruitt, Berkeley University, Prof. Bellare Brigham and Dr O. Muratoglu of Central Hospital, Boston, Prof. Kurtz of Drexel University of Philadelphia) and with Italian and international orthopaedic companies.
Recently (September 2003, March 2005, September 2007 and September 2009) he was in the organisation in junction with Orthopaedic Department of University of Torino four international meetings on UHMWPE. (www.UHMWPE.unito.it). He has been Honorary President of the 5th International Meeting, Philadelphia (USA), September 23-24, 2011
He has been scientific responsible for industrial research contract and European Community Programs (Brite Euram, INTAS and Marie Curie fellowships on Biomaterials, COST 533).
