622PED/2022
HEALSKIN
622PED/2022
Project general description:
Project title: Design, modeling and validation of novel biohybrid for wound healing applications by tissue engineering/ Design-ul, modelarea si validarea unui nou biohibrid pentru aplicatii de vindecare a ranilor prin inginerie tisulara
Project coordinator/ Coordonator: University of Bucharest/ Universitatea din Bucuresti
Project Director/Director de proiect: Assoc. Prof. Sorina Dinescu, PhD
Partner : INCD PENTRU TEXTILE SI PIELARIE-I.N.C.D.T.P. BUCURESTI SUCURSALA BUCURESTI INSTITUTUL DE CERCETARE PIELARIE - INCALTAMINTE I.C.P.I.
Project responsible/ Responsabil de proiect: Dr. Madalina Albu-Kaya
Email address: sorina.dinescu@bio.unibuc.ro; albu_mada@yahoo.com
Funding Agency: UEFISCDI
Project code: PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2021-2917
Project Acronym: HEALSKIN
Project duration: 24 months (23.06.2022 – 20.06.2024)
Total funding: 598795 RON
-Project Summary-
Background
Chronic wounds affect patients’ life quality, as they require repetitive treatments and incur considerable medical costs. Some are incredibly dangerous – e.g. diabetic ulcers, which precede 85% of amputations, while some can take decades to heal, thus contributing to secondary conditions such as depression. Thus, much effort has been focused on developing novel therapeutic approaches for these types of wounds. In this regard, an improved method of treatment would be the topical application of therapeutic agents with multiple properties (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, pro-angiogenic, pro-regenerative) that could facilitate the impaired healing process of such lesions.
General aim and objectives
In this context, the aim of HEALSKIN project is to develop and validate at lab scale an innovative biohybrid with multiple therapeutic properties for chronic wound healing applications, based on natural components (collagen, sericin) and improved with two flavonoids (curcumin and quercetin). The flavonoids will be encapsulated in Multiparticulate Drug Delivery Systems (MDDS), in order to overcome their high hydrophobicity and facilitate the controlled, localized delivery of the phytocompounds. We plan to develop and evaluate the biocompatibility of HEALSKIN, cellular adhesion and cytoskeleton development, anti-inflammatory effect and pro-regenerative potential on normal skin cells (fibroblasts/keratinocytes).
Expected results and impact
By the end of the project we expect to obtain a biocompatible material, capable of promoting cell viability, adhesion and proliferation, combat excess inflammation, oxidative stress and bacterial infection, favor regeneration and angiogenesis, in order to validate HEALSKIN as a potential candidate for skin regeneration. HEALSKIN could have an extraordinary impact on the improvement of therapeutic possibilities, contributing to faster recovery, better emotional outcome, and in general an increase in life quality level for the patients.
The project has three major objectives, namely:
(1) synthesis of key elements necessary for the material`s elaboration;
(2) development of the hybrid biomaterial with pro-regenerative, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and pro-angiogenic properties;
(3) demonstration of the effectiveness of the biohybrid with a role in the regeneration of damaged cutaneous tissue. The target is to create, test and validate for use a system “equipped” with all the necessary active molecules in order to provide a microenvironment simulating the normal healing process at the wounded site.