Release of bioactive substance from wound care products

In-kind project – Mölnlycke Health Care

After several years as a product designer, my employer, Mölnlycke Health Care, and I decided to start a PhD project within SuMo.  The activity started December 1st 2008 and involves research concerning healing of chronic wounds.
Wound care materials such as nonwoven and polyurethane foams will be used as substrates for release of an antimicrobial substance. A “lid” made by layer-by-layer deposition of anionic and cationic polyelectrolytes will regulate the release.
Compared to an acute wound, chronic wounds are often infected, which leads to a different wound environment than in an acute wound. When the bactericide-loaded wound care product is put in contact with such a wound, degradation of the multilayer lid will release the bioactive substance into the wound. At a later stage in the project, the effect of the actives on skin, and in particular on the (in a wound) exposed dermis, will be studied.

Supervisors:  Krister Holmberg, Shabira Abbas (SCA) and Peter Löwenhielm (Mölnlycke Health Care)
Project time: Dec 2008-2012

Short CV
Present position
PhD student employed by Mölnlycke Health Care

Career
2006-Dec 2008 Product designer, Mölnlycke Health Care, Gothenburg, Sweden
2005-2006 Product developer and technical support, Frucor Beverages Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand
2002-2005 Product design assistant, Mölnlycke Health Care, Gothenburg, Sweden