About
Name: Biofunctionalized Dressings for Enhanced Wound Healing and Infection Control
Acronym: BioHeal
Project number: 12ROMD
Project code: PN-IV-P8-8.3-ROMD-2023-0060
Founded by: UEFISCDI
Contractor: National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics
Project duration: 20.05.2024 – 19.05.2026
Project Leader: Dr. Irina Ungureanu
SUMMARY
The project addresses a pressing healthcare issue. Nonhealing wounds represent a significant challenge due to the increasing incidence of conditions like diabetes and obesity, which can lead to complications like infections, sepsis, and limb amputations. Current wound treatments relying on antibiotics and antiseptics are becoming less effective due to rising antimicrobial resistance. Moreover, existing wound dressings often fail to fully restore the skin's natural functionality. This project's primary goal is to develop innovative wound dressings with a multifaceted approach. These dressings will possess antimicrobial, pain-alleviating, and regenerative properties, making them highly effective in treating infected and painful wounds. The dressings will be composed of cotton disks that are functionalized with a combination of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), Spirulina, and Ibuprofen. The cutting-edge Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) technique will be employed to create these unique dressings.The project has broad socio-economic implications, as successful outcomes will alleviate the financial burden on healthcare systems and improve the quality of life for patients. Additionally, the research will foster international collaborations, enhance the team's scientific capacity, and contribute to fundamental knowledge in the field of biomaterials and wound care.