Researchers at Morgantown-based West Virginia University are exploring ways to reduce infection rates in open bone fractures using nanotechnology, according to a Nov. 11 feature from the university.
Four things to know:
1. Researchers are developing a hybrid of silver and carbon nanotube, both antimicrobial materials. Silver has been used as an additive to protect against bacterial growth, and carbon nanotubes are used for medication delivery and internal monitoring.
2. The hybrid will be tested with human cells in a lab setting and in rats to see how well it fights bacteria. The composites are also expected to be bioengineered as coatings on orthopedic implants to study their antimicrobial properties.
3. The National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and National Institute of General Medical Sciences is supporting the research with a $1.9 million grant.
4. Bingyun Li, PhD, said in the feature that he hopes the research will expand beyond fracture care and can be applied in dental procedures, catheters, bandages and needles.