Study of effects of surface bound, low-dose PDGF on cell motility – towards improved wound healing.

With an aging population as well as problems associated with weight, smoking and diabetes, wound healing is a growing problem. Non-healing ulcers, traumatic injuries etc can lead to infection and disability and current wound management protocols fall short. Growth factors (GFs) provide a potential solution to this and in particular platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) has been employed. GFs are powerful biological signalling molecules that direct development and that have massive regenerative potential. However, at high dose (as has to be used to have biological effect in the clinical setting) they can have serious off-target, systemic effects including malignancy. Between CCE and Biomedical Engineering, we have developed a polymer-based technology that provides ultra-low dose, high efficiency GF delivery and this will be employed in this project.