Personalised bioelectronics for epithelial repair (ProBER)

Research Project, 2023 – 2024

Care of chronic wounds constitutes an enonnous socioeconomic burden to the European Healthcare system calling for new strategies to support healing for wounds at risk. As a restored epithelium will outperfonn any artificial scaffold in protecting the underlying tissue, fast re-epithelialization is the primary goal. In culture models ofwound healing, we have shown that direct current stimulation (DCs) makes epithelial ruptures close up lo three limes faster, and that the key lo success is dosage. This aspect is overlooked in previous clinical studies. Typically, DCs thresholds established in cultures are lost in translation, because ofthe lack oftechnologies able lo support DCs on the skin. In ProBER we will change this. We will exploit technologies for making confonnal, meta( free, biocompatible DCs electrodes for skin developed in the ERC StG SPEEDER. By focussing on personalisation of the bioelectronic wound dressing we will ensure that the same efficient parameter spaee established in culture models can be precisely replicated on actual wounds. Our goal is a fabrication pipeline with wound dressings tailored to the wound. We will eollect infonnation on wound size and shape using LIDAR 3D scanning, and feed this, as well as impedance measurements, to an automated personalisation algorithrn. Personalisation extends beyond fabrication as the ProBER wound dressing will include integrated impedance sensors lo ensure that DCs is adapted lo the healing progress. In ProBER, we will prepare our promising coneept for subsequent clinical studies, which requires a functional concept for fabrication and proof-of-concept demonstration. We will co-develop our wound dressing together with stakeholders in healthcare, and work to protecl IP, recruit strategic partners and fonn alliances for clinical translation.