Using bacteriophages to treat infected wounds
The impact of bacteriophage therapy on wound infection dynamics
This project tests whether applying bacteriophages—viruses that kill bacteria—together with antibiotics can help clear persistent, drug‑resistant wound infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11257276 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will develop mixtures of bacteriophages that can kill bacteria and break up biofilms and then combine those phages with antibiotics to reduce resistant wound infections. The work focuses on multidrug‑resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and mixed bacterial wound infections. Experiments use laboratory and experimental wound infection models to measure how well phage‑antibiotic combinations reduce bacterial load and biofilm. The goal is to design phage treatments that could be moved into future clinical testing while keeping current standards of care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with persistent or chronic wound infections caused by multidrug‑resistant bacteria—especially Pseudomonas aeruginosa—or mixed bacterial infections would be the likely candidates for future trials.
Not a fit: Patients without bacterial wound infections, those whose infections are caused by bacteria not targeted by the phage mix, or those unable to receive topical treatments are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help clear stubborn, drug‑resistant wound infections more effectively and lower reliance on last‑resort antibiotics.
How similar studies have performed: Phage therapy has shown promise in lab studies and some compassionate‑use human cases, but large controlled clinical trials of phage‑antibiotic combinations are still limited.
Where this research is happening
Columbus, UNITED STATES
- Ohio State University — Columbus, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wozniak, Daniel J — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Wozniak, Daniel J
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.