Project description
Flexible wearable patch to heal diabetic foot ulcers
Flexible wearable patch to heal diabetic foot ulcers Diabetic foot ulcers are chronic wounds that can result in infection, reduced quality of life, and even amputation. There is a critical need for new, non-invasive treatments to improve patient outcomes and safety. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the FW-BAUS project proposes a flexible wearable patch that combines ultrasound technology with a bioadhesive hydrogel containing biocompatible materials and piezoelectric nanofibres. These components provide mechanical and electrical stimulation, promote tissue regeneration, support blood vessel formation, reduce bacterial infections, and improve wound closure. The innovative platform offers a promising approach for faster and more effective treatment.
Objective
Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) present serious clinical and socioeconomic challenges, often becoming chronic wounds that raise morbidity and risk of limb loss. Pharmacological treatments face limitations such as drug resistance, poor delivery, and immune complications, emphasizing the urgent need for effective, noninvasive alternatives. Ultrasound, electrostimulation, and photomodulation are FDA-approved, noninvasive options for tissue engineering. To address this, we propose a flexible wearable bioadhesive ultrasound patch (FW-BAUS) designed to actively modulate the DFU microenvironment. FW-BAUS combines a flexible ultrasound patch with dense piezoelectric transducers embedded in a bioadhesive hydrogel composed of piezoelectric poly-L-lactic acid nanofibers (NF-PLLA), chitosan, gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA), α-ketoglutaric acid, and acrylic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (AAc-NHS). The hydrogel’s physical and covalent bonds allow strong yet reversible adhesion to moist skin, while its bioactive components support cell migration, neovascularization, collagen synthesis, and clotting. NF-PLLA nanofibers synergize with the patch’s piezoelectric elements to provide simultaneous mechanical and electrical stimulation. Ultrasound energy converts in situ into localized electric fields at the wound interface through NF-PLLA, while acoustic radiation force delivers mechanical stimuli. This dual stimulation is expected to accelerate diabetic wound healing. Furthermore, NF-PLLA’s intrinsic antibacterial properties, combined with chitosan’s antimicrobial effects and ultrasound-enhanced bacterial sensitivity, offer potent infection defense, aiding the healing process. Electrospinning aligns NF-PLLA nanofibers to maximize piezoelectricity while minimizing processing steps. By integrating biocompatible adhesion, mechanical-electrical stimulation, and antibacterial activity, FW-BAUS offers an innovative, noninvasive platform to accelerate DFU healing and improve clinical outcomes.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology tissue engineering
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine endocrinology diabetes
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug resistance
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electrical engineering piezoelectrics
- natural sciences physical sciences acoustics ultrasound
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
2800 Kongens Lyngby
Denmark
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.