Grant: Project Grant

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) are a type of chronic non-healing wound and major complication of diabetes. They result in a high risk of amputation and death. Almost all DFUs are colonized by bacteria and usually multiple species of bacteria. This doesn't always result in an infection that is diagnosed clinically. Standard clinical care for DFUs includes removing dead or potentially infected tissue. However, most DFUs still do not heal, with less than 40% of patients achieving wound closure. Previous work has shown that we can use bacterial markers to predict healing outcomes with high confidence. This project will focus on understand why and how certain bacterial species delay or promote DFU wound healing. This understanding will promote the development of targeted and personalized treatment strategies to improve healing rates and prevent amputations.