Breathable, moisture-balancing dressing for ischemic leg ulcers
Official title: Effects of Wound Dressing's Vapor and Gas Permeability on Ischemic Ulcer Healing
Funded at University of Nebraska Omaha · NIH-11333257 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new breathable wound dressing aims to help people with ischemic PAD ulcers heal faster and avoid infection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Omaha NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $252,521 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM152301-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11333257 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with ischemic lower-extremity ulcers from peripheral artery disease who can attend clinic visits at the study site.
✕Less likely to help
People with wounds caused mainly by non-ischemic processes (for example, venous ulcers) or those with uncontrolled systemic infection may not benefit from this dressing.
What this research studies
You would be offered a new dressing made from biopolymer nanofibers that controls vapor and gas flow at the wound surface. The team will refine the dressing’s moisture and airflow properties in the lab and animal models and then test how it performs on ischemic lower-leg ulcers in clinical settings. During clinical testing, the dressing’s effect on wound closure, infection rates, and tissue regeneration will be compared to standard dressings with regular clinic visits for monitoring. The work builds on earlier clinical use of the material in second-degree burns where it sped healing and limited pathogenic growth.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the dressing could speed ulcer healing, reduce infections, and lower the risk of limb amputation for people with ischemic leg wounds.
How similar studies have gone: Similar electrospun biopolymer dressings showed faster healing and reduced pathogenic growth in trials for second-degree burns, but using them for ischemic PAD ulcers is less established.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nebraska Omaha
Omaha, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Salkovskiy, Yury — University of Nebraska Omaha
- Study coordinator: Salkovskiy, Yury
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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.