Bioresorbable polyurethane wound dressings for diabetic skin ulcers
Official title: Bioresorbable Polythioketal Urethane Wound Dressings
Funded at Vanderbilt University · NIH-11384448 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to develop a new fully synthetic, ROS-responsive wound dressing to help healing in adults with diabetes who have nonhealing skin wounds.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 25, 2014 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $563,442 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EB019409-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384448 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with diabetes who have nonhealing skin wounds that require wound care.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without chronic wounds or without diabetes-related healing issues may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a next-generation, fully synthetic foam wound dressing that supports cell growth and tissue formation while safely degrading. The dressing is made from ROS-degradable polythioketal diols and is designed to match wound healing timelines with scaffold resorption. Researchers will test the material’s structure, degradation, biocompatibility, and performance in models that simulate diabetic skin wounds, with a focus on reducing infection and amputation risk. The study seeks to translate a promising material from the lab toward clinical use for people with diabetes who struggle with chronic wounds.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with diabetic wounds could experience faster healing, fewer complications, and lower risk of amputation.
How similar studies have gone: Prior wound dressings using hydrolytic polymers can degrade inconsistently; this project tests a ROS-degradable alternative that could offer more predictable healing.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Duvall, Craig Lewis — Vanderbilt University
- Study coordinator: Duvall, Craig Lewis
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Diabetic Foot Ulcer Healing Network at the University of Arizona
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Understanding how skin layers coordinate healing after injury
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How diabetic wounds let Group B Streptococcus cause infections
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Understanding how skin cells exchange harmful chemicals to cause injury and wound repair
A research project aims to uncover how certain chemical agents damage human skin and what happens in the early stages of blistering and inflammation.
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Intestinal mucosal wound healing in humans
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.