Multidisciplinary Approaches to Enhance Healing in Biofilm-Infected Chronic Wounds

Chronic wounds, including diabetic ulcers, pressure sores, and venous leg ulcers, present a critical challenge in healthcare, exacerbating patient suffering, straining medical resources, and elevating risks of severe complications, including infection and amputation. Unlike acute wounds, these persistent wounds often linger in the inflammatory stage, largely due to microbial invasion and biofilm formation, which impede normal healing processes. With an increasing global prevalence of chronic conditions such as diabetes and vascular diseases, there is an urgent call to dissect the biofilm pathology and streamline innovative wound management strategies. Recent studies have emphasized the intersection of materials science and biomedical engineering as pivotal zones for developing materials and methods with enhanced antibacterial and regenerative properties. Despite advancements, effective integration of these domains is essential to address the dual challenge of infection control and tissue repair comprehensively.

This Research Topic aims to probe the forefront of materials science and biomedical engineering in chronic wound care, seeking out novel antibacterial and regenerative methodologies. The central objective is to present and evaluate groundbreaking biomaterials and bioactive entities, alongside smart delivery systems, that collectively combat microbial invaders while ushering tissue regeneration. Key questions include how synergistic biomaterials can proficiently manage biofilm disruption and stimulate cellular proliferation and angiogenesis. Moreover, the exploration of stimuli-responsive materials, capable of precise antibacterial activities upon external triggers, stands as a promising alignment of antimicrobial and healing functionalities. Together, these innovations symbolize a shift towards integrated therapeutic platforms, structured to manage biofilms and enrich healing processes efficiently.

To gather further insights into the complexities and potential of novel interventions, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Development and application of antimicrobial wound dressings with nanoparticles
- Polymer-based hydrogels with inherent antibacterial properties
- ECM-mimicking materials and their role in enhancing cell proliferation and angiogenesis
- Examination of peptide-based therapies and growth factor delivery systems
- Evaluation of bioengineered materials with responsive function, like pH-sensitive or light-triggered drug release
- Design and application of stem cell-laden hydrogels for tissue repair
- Investigations into the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying wound healing and infection
- Utilization of co-culture models to study host-microbe interactions and impacts on healing outcomes

We encourage submission of original research, review articles, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies central to skin wound healing and infection. These submissions aim to expand our understanding and cultivate innovative, next-generation materials and methods in chronic wound management, ultimately transitioning promising solutions from bench to bedside.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Biofilm Disruption, Stimuli-Responsive Biomaterials, Antimicrobial Nanoparticle Dressings, ECM-Mimicking Hydrogels, Synergistic Regenerative Therapies

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.