Nitric oxide-releasing wound therapy for hard-to-heal diabetic wounds
Nitric oxide-releasing glycosaminoglycans for treating complex wounds
A new wound therapy that slowly releases nitric oxide to help people with chronic diabetic wounds fight infection and heal faster.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11247143 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project is creating natural sugar-based polymers (glycosaminoglycans) that store and slowly release nitric oxide at wound sites. Nitric oxide both kills bacteria and helps control harmful inflammation, so the therapy aims to address infection and the impaired immune response common in diabetic wounds. Researchers will test the materials in laboratory assays and wound models to measure antibacterial activity, inflammation control, and tissue repair. The long-term goal is a topical treatment for chronic diabetic foot and leg wounds that improves healing without relying solely on traditional antibiotics.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with chronic, non-healing diabetic foot or leg ulcers, particularly those with signs of infection or slow healing despite standard care.
Not a fit: People with only minor acute cuts, wounds unrelated to diabetes, or those unable to receive topical wound treatments would be unlikely to benefit from this early-stage research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lower infections, reduce reliance on antibiotics, and help chronic diabetic wounds heal faster, potentially preventing amputations.
How similar studies have performed: Nitric oxide-based approaches have shown antibacterial and healing benefits in lab and some early clinical work, but combining NO release with glycosaminoglycan biopolymers is a newer, mostly preclinical strategy.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schoenfisch, Mark H — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Schoenfisch, Mark H
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 below.