Using ultrasound and tiny phase-change particles to help heal chronic infected wounds
Official title: A theranostic ultrasound approach to improve chronic wound treatment using phase-change contrast agents
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11141846 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This approach uses focused ultrasound together with phase-change contrast particles to help antibiotics reach and clear bacteria in chronic, hard-to-heal wounds like diabetic foot ulcers.
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 start | August 24, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $536,061 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI167978-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11141846 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with chronic, non-healing wounds that are infected or suspected to harbor bacterial biofilms, such as diabetic foot ulcers, who are able to attend a treatment center.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with wounds that are not infected by biofilms, those with contraindications to ultrasound or contrast agents, or those whose care is purely surgical and not antibiotic-focused may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
If you have a chronic infected wound, researchers plan to place tiny phase-change contrast particles on the wound and use focused ultrasound to create microscopic cavitation that helps antibiotics penetrate bacterial biofilms. The team will refine the particle design, ultrasound settings, and antibiotic pairing in laboratory and animal models while measuring safety and bacterial clearance. They will also work with human-relevant samples and protocols to move this technology toward clinical use for wounds that resist standard treatment. The goal is to lower infection recurrence and reduce complications such as hospitalization and amputation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could make antibiotics more effective against biofilm-infected chronic wounds, lowering recurrence, hospital stays, and risk of amputation.
How similar studies have gone: Ultrasound-driven microbubble technologies have shown promise in lab studies and some clinical areas, but applying phase-change contrast agents specifically to chronic wound biofilms is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Papadopoulou, Virginie — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Papadopoulou, Virginie
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Ultrasound-powered therapy to boost antibiotics for tough, biofilm-covered wounds
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Using ultrasound to enhance treatment for chronic wounds
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Modulating deep brain activity with focused ultrasound for cocaine use disorder
A study will test whether targeting a deep brain region with focused ultrasound can alter brain signals related to craving in people with cocaine use disorder.
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Dose-Dependent Brain Wire Modulation with Light Ultrasound in Deep White Matter
A small early study tests whether gentle, noninvasive ultrasound can change how deep brain white matter tracts work in healthy adults.
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Ultrasound-guided brain circuit targets for treatment-resistant depression
This grant tests whether focused ultrasound can safely and reversibly adjust brain circuits linked to negative mood in people with treatment-resistant depression.
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Diabetic Foot Ulcer Healing Network at the University of Arizona
A NIH-supported project at the University of Arizona aims to improve healing of diabetic foot ulcers by studying biomarkers and running high-quality clinical trials.
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.