Work Package 2 focused on defining comprehensive specifications for the wound sensor. This involved a thorough review of existing research and industry standards, coupled with in-depth interviews with key stakeholders in wound care, including nurses, caregivers, manufacturers, and regulatory experts. These consultations provided valuable insights into current practices, challenges, and opportunities, which informed the development of detailed requirements and technical specifications for the sensor. This process ensured that the sensor design addresses real-world needs and adheres to relevant safety and performance standards. The resulting specifications serve as a crucial roadmap for the subsequent development and evaluation of the wound sensor.
Work Package 3 focused on engineering oxidoreductase enzymes for their potential use as biosensors. This involved expressing and characterizing a variety of these enzymes. The work included optimizing enzyme production in different host organisms, developing high-throughput screening assays, and characterizing enzyme activity and stability under various conditions. Further efforts were dedicated to ancestral sequence reconstruction and computational enzyme engineering to generate variants with enhanced properties, such as improved activity, stability, and compatibility with the biosensor environment. These efforts have contributed to a deeper understanding of oxidoreductase enzymes and their potential for integration into biosensor technologies.
Work Package 4 focused on developing and characterizing carbon materials suitable for integration into electrospun fibers. This involved exploring various approaches to produce graphene and its derivatives, including chemical exfoliation, plasma-based functionalization, and the creation of 3D graphenic structures. Extensive characterization techniques were employed to assess the properties of these materials, such as their morphology, crystallinity, and electrical conductivity. The work package also investigated the dispersion and stability of these carbon materials in different solvents relevant to the electrospinning process. These efforts have laid the groundwork for incorporating conductive carbon materials into the biosensor platform, enhancing its performance and functionality.
Work Package 5 focused on developing core-shell fibers suitable for enzyme encapsulation using coaxial electrospinning. This involved investigating various biocompatible polymers and exploring environmentally friendly solvents to optimize the electrospinning process. The work package addressed the fabrication of core-shell fibers and the fine-tuning of process parameters to improve fiber morphology and enzyme encapsulation efficiency. Additionally, the integration of conductive materials was explored to enhance the functionality of the final biosensor device.
Work Package 6 focused on developing the sensor component of the project. This included researching and identifying key measurement principles for sensor functionality, particularly in the context of the wound environment. The work package explored electrochemical techniques for detecting a key analyte in the sensing mechanism. Additionally, efforts were dedicated to developing a method for sensor manufacturing that would allow for easy integration of the sensor into a wound dressing.
