Grant: Project Grant

Burn injuries represent a major life-threatening and life-altering event that impact the quality of life of many Canadians each year and place enormous demands on the national and global health care systems. Damages caused by burns are painful and can catastrophically compromise the integrity and protective function of the skin and establish an active portal for infections. Inadequate oversight of infected sites can lead to cellulitis (cell inflammation) and ultimately bacteremia and septicemia, both of which can significantly increase the mortality and morbidity rate. The overarching goals of the current research proposal are to fabricate a modular intelligent multifunctional wound dressing (SmartDerma) and utilize it for the treatment of burn injuries. Such platform is capable of measuring the wound environment and delivering drugs to the wound. SmartDerma will autonomously monitor the condition of the wound and the dressing itself and relay information to a nurses' station using a wireless link. The performance of SmartDerma will be evaluated in vitro and in vivo as critical steps towards the clinical applications of this technology. We envision that SmartDerma will revolutionize current practice, which involves time-consuming and manual removal of a dressing and visual inspection of the underlying wound. This process is uncomfortable for the patient and disturbs the natural healing process. Our hi-tech dressing will generate significant savings in healthcare costs, due to reduced clinical inspection time and shorter hospital stays as a result of faster wound healing.