Abstract
About this talk
An increased emergence of antimicrobial resistance to oral antibiotics has necessitated a greater need for locally delivered and tissue specific solutions. Wound care solutions in the form of medicated patches offer a potential for cheaper, more sustainable, and biocompatible engineered solutions to combat this issue. The objective is to synthesize and test ceria infused silk fibroin patches to determine their efficacy in antimicrobial use. The silk fibroin is derived from Bombyx mori cocoons and is a widely used protein polymer due to its strength, porousness, and maximized surface area. Ceria nanoparticles are added to this solution as they possess antimicrobial properties due to their ability to produce regenerative oxygen species. First, the control and Ceria silk solutions are synthesized. The final patch is then formed by electrospinning, which uses an electrostatic potential difference to draw nano-fibers. Its antimicrobial activity should be enhanced as we are combining the biocompatibility and durability of the silk with the catalytic and antioxidant properties of Ceria. The silk patch was successfully formed with a tightly packed structure, small nanoparticle size, high stability, and ideal absorbance. This patch can be used in treating infected wounds in a more effective manner, potentially eliminating side effects of oral antibiotics.
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