SU News Services
(315) 443-3784
Treatment of hospital-related infections in the United States costs up to $11 billion a year, and about half of those infections are related to medical devices implanted in patients. Until now, efforts to control drug-resistant biofilms on such devices have been largely unsuccessful.
New hydrogel mats developed by collaborators Pat Mather and Dacheng Ren of the Syracuse Biomaterials Institute (SBI) at Syracuse University present a solution. The new materials combine microbe-killing silver nitrate with the surprising qualities of a hybrid electrospun fiber web that extends anti-infection protection for up to 14 days.
“We’re excited about what this innovation can mean to patients and care providers,” says Mather, the director of SBI and the Milton and Ann Stevenson Professor of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering at Syracuse University. “When we tested alternative materials, we saw biofilms forming on the first day despite the silver nitrate. However, our new nanoscale fibers demonstrate a unique ability to prolong the effect of the silver coating.”
This innovation could significantly reduce infection rates among patients who need vascular or urinary catheters or who require bandages, wound dressings or reconstructive oral and bone surgery. It could also relieve patients’ pain and reduce nursing costs.
In addition, when used in wound dressings, the electrospun web can prevent or reduce damage to the skin at the edges of wounds. This can be caused by lateral wicking, an undesirable side effect of many wound dressings.
The benefits of the antimicrobial webs are expected to be applicable in other biomedical uses. A provisional patent on the new technology has been filed, and research is continuing into other polymers and antimicrobial agents. Readily adjustable chemical structures make it possible to tune hydrogel ingredients in the search for other valuable physical properties.
This finding is described in a publication to appear in the journal Biomacromolecules (DOI: 10.1021/bm900620w) and available online at http://pubs.acs.org/.
Along with their roles at SBI, both Mather and Ren, assistant professor, are on the faculty of SU’s L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science (LCS).
Roy Gutterman, associate professor of magazine, news and digital journalism in the Newhouse School and director of the Tully Center for Free Speech, was quoted by Roll Call for the article “Campus Notebook: Unattended gun in Capitol bathroom need not…
Roy Gutterman, associate professor of magazine, news and digital journalism in the Newhouse School and director of the Tully Center for Free Speech, had an op-ed published in the Washington Post, “Why individuals, not governments, should safeguard free speech.” Gutterman…
Professor of Supply Chain Management and wine industry expert Burak Kazaz says along with exacting a heavy human toll, West Coast wildfires will also affect the flavor of your favorite California wine. Smoke from devastating wildfires isn’t only filling the…
David Popp, professor of public administration and international affairs in the Maxwell School, was interviewed by Bloomberg for the article “Biden Succeeds in Uniting Climate People and Labor People — For Now.” Popp, who specializes in environmental economics, says that…
Tracey Reichert Schimpff, director of clinical services at Falk College, was a guest on Bridge Street for the segment “How To Juggle Working And Parenting – Successfully!” Schimpff, who works specifically in the department of marriage and family therapy, says…
If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.
