PhD Defence Success and Double Degree Achievement of Ertugrul Varlik

We are pleased to announce that on February 12, 2026, our PhD student MSc. Ertugrul Varlik successfully defended his doctoral thesis entitled “Advanced Manufacturing of 3D Scaffolds Using Bioactive Glass for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications.”

Ertugrul is a co-tutelle PhD student and will be awarded a double diploma degree issued by Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), highlighting the international excellence and collaborative nature of his doctoral training.

His doctoral research at the FunGlass Centre was supervised by Dr. Martin Michálek and co-supervised by Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini from the Institute of Biomaterials, FAU Erlangen.

The thesis was reviewed by distinguished experts:

Ertugrul began his academic career at the University of Karabuk, where he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering in 2017, graduating as a student of honor. He continued his Master of Science studies at Marmara University. Driven by his strong interest in additive manufacturing technologies, he conducted his master’s thesis research at the University of Brescia, focusing on binder jetting technology for indirect production of complex metal parts.

In November 2021, Ertugrul joined FunGlass as a doctoral researcher. During his PhD, he was awarded prestigious JECS Trust funding and completed specialized training at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), Switzerland. He also undertook a research stay at FAU Erlangen, further strengthening his expertise and international collaboration experience.

We warmly congratulate Dr. Ertugrul Varlik on successfully completing his doctoral studies and achieving this important milestone. We wish him every success in his future academic and professional career and look forward to his continued contributions to the field of biomaterials and advanced manufacturing.