Wound fluid test to predict healing in diabetic foot ulcers
Diabetic Foot Ulcer Wound Fluid Biomarker
This project looks for chemical signals in the fluid from diabetic foot ulcers that could tell adults with diabetes whether a wound will heal with standard care or need a different treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11323031 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, researchers are analyzing molecules found in the fluid of diabetic foot ulcers to find patterns tied to poor healing. They used metabolomics to screen hundreds of small molecules in wound fluid samples from people with chronic wounds and identified a strong candidate marker. The aim is to turn that finding into a practical test that warns clinicians early when a wound is unlikely to respond to standard care. If successful, the test would help doctors change treatment sooner to try to prevent worsening and possible amputation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (21+) who have diabetic foot ulcers, especially chronic or hard-to-heal wounds, are the most relevant candidates for this work.
Not a fit: People without diabetes or those with acute, normally healing minor wounds are unlikely to be eligible or to gain direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This could let clinicians identify non-healing wounds earlier so they can switch to more effective treatments and reduce the risk of amputation.
How similar studies have performed: Other studies have explored wound biomarkers with some promising leads but reliable, widely used clinical tests are still limited, so this builds on early but not yet definitive findings.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roy, Sashwati — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Roy, Sashwati
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.