A pioneer in next-generation sustainable biomaterials

Kristiina Oksman, Professor of Wood and Bionanocomposites at Luleå University of Technology, has been named Innovator of the Year and has recently been awarded the university’s Vice-Chancellor’s Medal of Merit. Together with her research team, she works to create societal impact by developing new biomaterials that could revolutionize both healthcare and industry. When we meet her in the laboratory at Luleå University of Technology, she shares her next big ambition.

“I want to develop a bio-based composite material that can replace glass fiber.”

For more than twenty years, Kristiina Oksman has been researching wood and bionanocomposites. Her interest began during her Master of Science in Engineering studies in materials engineering, when she first examined the microstructure of wood up close.

“I was struck by how advanced nature’s own design is. Much of what we try to achieve in laboratories already exists there.”

That perspective still shapes her research today—from advanced materials science to practical solutions addressing major societal challenges.

“I usually say that in my division, we work with nature, not against it. We study structures that nature has already built and explore how we can use them even more intelligently.”

Bio-based innovations creating societal impact
Together with her research team, Kristiina Oksman has made several notable breakthroughs in sustainable biomaterials. One that has gained significant attention over the past year is their nanofiber-based wound dressing, which has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of chronic wounds—one of the most costly areas in healthcare.

The dressing is made from sawdust from softwood trees. It is dry but rapidly swells upon contact with liquid and can absorb up to 10,000 times its own weight. It does not adhere to the wound and is also transparent, allowing healthcare professionals to monitor healing without unnecessary dressing changes.

“Today, more than a quarter of all hospital beds are occupied by patients with chronic wounds. Our nanodressing can reduce the burden on healthcare, improve patients’ quality of life, and is made from a fully bio-based raw material that we have in abundance in the Nordic region,” says Kristiina Oksman.

From mushroom cultivation to packaging
The research team has also developed bio-based films made from wood materials that have been used as substrates for edible mushroom cultivation—materials that are often considered waste today. These films have specific barrier properties and can be used for food packaging produced without chemicals and without the risk of microplastics.

Next big ambition: a bio-based composite to replace glass fiber
Despite awards and patents, Kristiina Oksman still has challenges she wants to solve. She aims to develop a bio-based composite material that can fully replace glass fibers.

“The challenge with natural fibers compared to glass fiber is that they are short and need to be twisted, which leads to a loss of properties and often makes the processes too costly. We have made some progress in our research and have, for example, seen that flat filaments provide a larger surface area against the resin and potentially better transverse properties, and in theory more efficient packing. But the story continues.”

Photographer: Johanna Fond