Using ultrasound and tiny phase-change particles to help heal chronic infected wounds
A theranostic ultrasound approach to improve chronic wound treatment using phase-change contrast agents
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 ID | NIH-11141846 on NIH RePORTER |
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.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: 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.
Not a fit: 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.
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 performed: 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
Chapel Hill, United States
- 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
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.