Antimicrobial membranes for skin lesions

Salvio Suárez

Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), Barcelona, Spain

The healing process of skin wounds, such as burns or ulcers, is slow and highly complex and, unfortunately, is often hampered or even blocked by the lack of effective treatments, impacting the patient’s health. Therefore, the development of biomaterials with antibacterial properties and regenerative capacity is a top medical priority that would pave the way for precision medicine based on the use of artificial skin.

In this regard, the researchers have developed a family of mussel-inspired bio-inspired artificial membranes that have already been validated in previous preclinical studies for cartilage and skin regeneration. These studies have shown that the new materials are biocompatible, adhere to biological tissue, have the ability to transfer cells to damaged tissue, and prevent potential bacterial infections due to their intrinsic antimicrobial properties.

In this project, the aim is to optimise and validate these membranes as artificial skin, incorporating regenerative and antibacterial capacities into a single platform. The ultimate goal is to prepare this device for a first clinical trial in humans. It will focus on two types of skin lesions: burns and ulcers, such as diabetic foot ulcers, which represent a significant clinical challenge.

Antimicrobial bioinspired membranes for skin regeneration

Stage 2