Biological Methods for Enhancing Wound Healing Properties

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Chronic wounds and ulcers are increasing with the growing incidence of diabetes and associated illnesses and have annual costs exceeding $20 billion. These non-healing wounds result in chronic disease, limb amputations and death and are complicated by antibiotic resistant bacteria infection. This proposal seeks to improve and develop new capabilities of a biological treatment of such wounds, maggot debridement therapy (MDT) that is effective but underutilized. Some maggot species have evolved to digest fluids, dead tissues and bacteria in wounds and have been recognized for over 200 years for this improved wound healing behavior. For approximately a century, Lucilia sericata maggots have been produced for MDT. This proposal seeks to create transgenic flies with properties that will support increased use of MDT. The goals of the proposal are 1) to produce flightless flies with limited dispersal capability, 2) to engineer fluorescent flies that are more readily observed in wounds, 3) to engineer flies that facilitate analgesic and therapeutic peptide expression to improve patient comfort and wound healing. These mutants will facilitate fly production and also impede genetically engineered insect escape. The objectives of this proposal will support greater use of MDT thereby reducing treatment costs, improving wound healing and limiting the persistent use of antibiotics for treating chronic wounds.