Semarang – The Research and Exact Sciences Student Creativity Program (PKM-RE) Team from Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) has successfully developed a hydrogel wound dressing based on an alginate–quaternary chitosan biocomposite with the addition of propolis extract. This innovation serves as a novel biomedical material designed to accelerate the healing process of second-degree burns. The research is a product of interdisciplinary collaboration among students from the Pharmacy Study Program, Faculty of Medicine; Chemistry Study Program; and Biology Education Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.
The team, consisting of Iqbal Nugroho, Priskila Meliana Hutahaean, Melania Diu, and Aulya Indah Purwanty, received funding through the 2025 PKM grant from the Directorate of Learning and Student Affairs, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek), under the supervision of apt. Annisa Aulia Savitri, M.Clin.Pharm. Through this research, the students aim to integrate pharmaceutical, chemical, and biological sciences to produce a natural-based biomedical solution that is more effective, safe, and environmentally friendly.
The research began in the twelfth week of the PKM implementation period and was conducted from 22 to 28 September 2025 in several laboratories within UNNES and its partner institutions. The study commenced with swelling and weight loss tests of the hydrogel at the FMIPA UNNES Research Laboratory, followed by mechanical property tests—tensile strength and elongation percentage—at the Pharmaceutical Formulation Technology Laboratory. These analyses served to determine the hydrogel’s physical stability and its capacity to maintain moisture at the wound site.
The research continued with antibacterial activity testing at the Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University (UNDIP). This phase aimed to assess the hydrogel’s effectiveness in inhibiting the growth of infection-causing microbes. Preliminary results indicated that the combination of biocomposite materials and propolis extract exhibits promising antibacterial activity, suggesting that the formulation not only acts as a wound dressing but also actively promotes biological wound healing.
In the final stage, the team conducted in vivo testing involving second-degree burn induction in mice at the FMIPA UNNES Animal Testing Laboratory. This test aimed to directly evaluate the hydrogel’s effectiveness in supporting skin tissue regeneration. Early observations demonstrated favorable physical and biological properties of the hydrogel, with faster wound healing rates compared to the control group.
The supervising lecturer, apt. Annisa Aulia Savitri, M.Clin.Pharm., emphasized that the research exemplifies the innovative and collaborative spirit of UNNES students. “We aim to foster an applied research culture by integrating the strengths of pharmacy, biology, and chemistry to produce natural-based biomedical products that can benefit society,” she explained.
Through this collaborative endeavor, the UNNES PKM-RE Team not only demonstrates strong research competence but also embodies the university’s vision as a conservation-minded and internationally reputed institution. The outcomes of this study are expected to serve as a foundation for the development of modern biomedical materials that are effective, biocompatible, and sustainable—reinforcing UNNES’s contribution to health research and innovation based on Indonesia’s natural resources.
