Putting a spin on the classic bandage

The story of a lab meeting

We all get hurt a lot, don’t we (we are referring to external wounds but if certain emotions come to your mind, we’ve got your back!). Well, so have most of our ancestors! In fact, the practices of healing and dressing wounds have existed since (band)ages, with records dating back as far as 2000 BC. These records commonly allude to materials known as plasters, that were used to cover the wound, provide protection and absorb any substances that exuded from the wound. Plasters used by humankind have been made using clay, mud, cloth, herbs and oils. Since then, human beings have moved on to bandages made from cloth, plastic and latex rubber.

Unlike most commercial bandages, Shailesh makes the bandages using biopolymers, which are polymers produced by cells of living organisms. These can then be used to create fibres or threads called nanofibres, which have diameters in the nanometer range. To produce a sheet made of nanofibers, Shailesh employs a technique called electrospinning, where an electrical current is passed through a biopolymer solution that is extruded through a syringe. Because of the electrical current, when the biopolymeric solution leaves the syringe, the solvent from this solution evaporates, resulting in the formation of nanofibers. These are deposited on a spinning collector drum, resulting in the formation of a sheet of nanofibers. Such sheets are then used to create the bandages. Shailesh aims to create such nanofibrous sheets for wound healing as well as for loading and delivering enzymes that may be used to treat lysosomal disorders.

Shailesh’s bandage consists of three layers of different biopolymeric nanofibers, that are fused to create a single sheet. Each biopolymeric solution is separately electrospun, after optimisation of various parameters such as the concentration of the biopolymers, the solvent used, the voltage, the tip-to-collector distance etc. Upon formation of the nanofiber sheets, they are assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Thereafter the individual biopolymer layers were analysed by elemental analysis and Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to elucidate their structure. Physicochemical characterisation was thereafter performed using various assays that determined the thermogravimetric properties and mechanical strength of the bandage, along with its interaction with water. Further, cell toxicity was performed using skin cells to confirm the ability of the bandage to support cell growth and proliferation. By studying these properties, Shailesh aims to understand how the bandage would behave in presence of an actual skin wound.

Soon Shailesh is looking forward to performing preclinical studies to assess the safety and efficacy of the bandage in a suitable animal model. He is also trying to load the bandage with enzymes that are used to treat lysosomal disorders that occur due to the improper functioning of cellular components known as lysosomes. In order to load an enzyme in this bandage, he will trap or immobilise this enzyme so that it can be added as an extra layer in his bandage. Shailesh’s presentation was well-received and praised by his colleagues. We wish him all the best and hope that he ushers us into the (band)age of newer wound-care interventions!

Author: Sanjana Krishnakumar (Science Communicator, Nanomedicine Research Group, ICTMumbai)

Edited by Dr. Prajakta Dandekar Jain (Principal Investigator, Nanomedicine Research Group, ICTMumbai)

References:

Shailesh’s publications:

Related posts:

This is the story of the Ice Cream War that took place between my little brother and I when we were kids. I was born into a family of four brothers with myself in the middle, two elder ones and a…

Cannabis has many health benefits to offer, and drinking cannabis-infused tea is one of the best and most ancient ways to get them. In many cultures throughout history, people have enjoyed cannabis…

With the demand for software development services ever increasing, more and more software outsourcing companies are springing worldwide. As competition gets stiffer, quality service is now a given…