EAGER: Multiplexed Wound Biomarker Detection with a Nanosensor Embedded Microfibrous Biomaterial

慢性伤口伴相关感染影响约2%的美国人口，主要是老年人、卧床不起者和糖尿病患者，并对受影响者和更广泛的医疗保健系统造成严重的身体和经济压力。仍然迫切需要新的策略，其使得能够对伤口进行护理点监测，以除了识别病原性感染的类型和严重性之外还诊断伤口的进展或愈合程度。EAGER奖将资助一项研究计划，该计划将创建一种新的光学活性绷带，该绷带具有集成的纳米传感器，可以同时检测伤口的几个指标（生物标志物）。绷带感测系统本质上是无线的，并且不需要佩戴电源或敏感电子器件。这项研究将产生新的知识，因为除了纺织品合成过程的参数之外，还将探索纳米传感器和生物标志物之间的相互作用。来自纺织品的光学信号的结果变化将与生物标志物浓度相关。这项研究将被纳入现有的“纳米生物”外展计划，PI在当地高中运行。最后，可以修改该平台技术以开发用于其他重要应用的可穿戴传感器，例如传感汗液中的疾病生物标志物。EAGER项目的目标是创建、优化和探索智能伤口敷料平台的体外功能，用于实时和多路复用监测伤口感染生物标志物。已知病原性细菌生物膜的存在可显著延长愈合过程;然而，此类感染的原位检测和后续治疗通常是困难的。因此，迫切需要一种护理点伤口监测平台，其可以通过实时和原位方式检测感染，即不需要移除绷带，来帮助减少与长期住院和实验室测试相关的责任。基于PI实验室获得的有希望的初步数据，提出了一种新型微纤维平台，用于慢性和感染的相关伤口生物标志物的多重检测。组合的分析物检测和信号转导元件是荧光碳纳米管传感器阵列，其对慢性伤口的生物标志物（包括过氧化氢、白介素-6细胞因子和绿脓菌素毒素）具有工程选择性和灵敏度。嵌入在一个生物相容性纱布样微纤维平台，原位检测伤口生物标志物是完成无线（光学）与手持近红外光谱仪设备。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

Chronic wounds with associated infections affect approximately 2% of the United States population, primarily in the elderly, bedridden, and patients with diabetes, and place severe physical and financial strain on those affected and the broader healthcare system. There remains an urgent need for novel strategies that enable the point-of-care monitoring of wounds to diagnose the degree of progression or healing of the wound in addition to identifying the type and severity of pathogenic infections. This EAGER award will fund a research program that will create a new optically active bandage with integrated nanosensors that detect several indicators (biomarkers) of wounds simultaneously. The bandage sensing system is inherently wireless and does not require a power source or sensitive electronics to be worn. This research will generate new knowledge, as the interactions between the nanosensors and the biomarkers will be explored in addition to the parameters of the textile synthesis process. The resulting changes in the optical signals from the textile will be correlated to biomarker concentrations. This research will be incorporated into an existing “nano-bio” outreach program that the PI runs at a local high school. Finally, this platform technology can be modified to develop wearable sensors for other important applications, e.g. sensing disease biomarkers in the sweat.The goal of this EAGER project is to create, optimize and explore the in vitro functionality of a smart wound dressing platform for the real-time and multiplexed monitoring of wound biomarkers of infection. It is known that the presence of pathogenic bacterial biofilms can significantly prolong the healing process; however, the in situ detection and subsequent treatment of such infections is often difficult. Thus, there is an urgent need for a point-of-care wound monitoring platform that could help to decrease the liabilities associated with prolonged hospitalizations and lab testing by detecting infections in real-time and in an in situ fashion, i.e. without the need to remove the bandage. Based upon promising preliminary data obtained in the PI’s laboratory, a novel microfibrous platform is proposed for the multiplexed detection of relevant wound biomarkers of chronicity and infection. The combined analyte detection and signal transduction element is an array of fluorescent carbon nanotube sensors with engineered selectivity and sensitivity to biomarkers of chronic wounds including hydrogen peroxide, interleukin-6 cytokine, and pyocyanin toxin. Embedded within a biocompatible gauze-like microfibrous platform, in situ detection of the wound biomarkers is accomplished wirelessly (optically) with a hand-held near-infrared spectrometer device.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.