NUS Researchers Develop Magnetic Gel Accelerating Diabetic Wound Healing by Threefold

A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has devised a groundbreaking solution to expedite the healing of diabetic wounds. These chronic wounds, typically slow to heal in diabetic patients, can lead to severe infections and, in the worst cases, limb amputation. The NUS researchers have developed an inventive magnetic wound-healing gel aimed at not only speeding up the healing process but also decreasing the likelihood of wound recurrence and, consequently, reducing the need for limb amputations.

In each treatment session, a specially designed bandage is applied, which comes pre-loaded with a hydrogel containing skin cells essential for the healing process, along with magnetic particles. To optimize the therapeutic effects, an external wireless magnetic device is employed to activate these skin cells, significantly expediting the wound healing process. The recommended duration for magnetic stimulation typically ranges from one to two hours.

In laboratory experiments, this treatment combined with magnetic stimulation demonstrated the ability to heal diabetic wounds approximately three times faster compared to existing conventional methods. Importantly, while the initial focus of this research has been on accelerating the healing of diabetic foot ulcers, the technology holds significant promise for treating various complex wounds, including burns.

Conventional dressings do not play an active role in healing wounds.

They merely prevent the wound from worsening and patients need to be scheduled for dressing change every two or three days. It is a huge cost to our healthcare system and an inconvenience to patients.

Andy Tay
Leads the team comprising researchers
Department of Biomedical Engineering at NUS College of Design and Engineering
The NUS Institute for Health Innovation & Technology

In contrast, the groundbreaking innovation from NUS offers a holistic approach to wound healing, significantly expediting the healing process on multiple fronts simultaneously.

Our technology addresses multiple critical factors associated with diabetic wounds, simultaneously managing elevated glucose levels in the wound area, activating dormant skin cells near the wound, restoring damaged blood vessels, and repairing the disrupted vascular network within the wound

Andy Tay
Leads the team comprising researchers
Department of Biomedical Engineering at NUS College of Design and Engineering
The NUS Institute for Health Innovation & Technology

Published on September 8, 2023, in the esteemed scientific journal “Advanced Materials,” the NUS team presented their groundbreaking innovation. This research was a collaborative effort involving scientists from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Nanyang Technological University, Sun Yat-sen University, and Wuhan University of Technology.

The peril of chronic diabetic wounds in healthcare

With diabetes affecting over half a billion people worldwide and projected to increase, the challenge of managing chronic diabetic wounds, including the notoriously stubborn foot ulcers, has taken on a significant global healthcare dimension.

Conventional approaches to these wounds frequently fall short, resulting in ongoing health complications and, unfortunately, in a significant portion of cases, the necessity for limb amputation.

Annually, the global incidence of diabetic foot ulcers ranges from 9.1 to 26.1 million cases, with approximately 15 to 25 percent of individuals with diabetes encountering these ulcers at some point in their lives. Alarmingly, Singapore grapples with one of the world’s highest rates of lower limb amputations stemming from diabetes, with an average of approximately four such amputations each day.

Skin cells get a gentle ‘Work-out’

Skin cells are under constant mechanical stress from everyday activities. Interestingly, patients with wounds are often cautioned against strenuous actions, like walking, which could harm the remaining cells vital for the healing process.

What our team has achieved is to identify a sweet spot by applying gentle mechanical stimulation.

The result is that the remaining skin cells get to ‘Work-out’ to heal wounds, but not to the extent that it kills them.

Andy Tay
Leads the team comprising researchers
Department of Biomedical Engineering at NUS College of Design and Engineering
The NUS Institute for Health Innovation & Technology

This innovatively engineered wound-healing gel contains two FDA-approved skin cell types – keratinocytes, crucial for skin repair, and fibroblasts, contributing to connective tissue formation. In tandem with an external device creating a dynamic magnetic field, the mechanical stimulation of the gel prompts increased activity in dermal fibroblasts.

Laboratory experiments confirmed that the enhanced fibroblast activity induced by the magnetic wound-healing gel accelerates their growth rate by about 240%, doubling their collagen production – an essential protein for wound recovery. Furthermore, it enhances communication with keratinocytes, fostering the development of new blood vessels.

The approach we are taking not only accelerates wound healing but also promotes overall wound health and reduces the chances of recurrence

Andy Tay
Leads the team comprising researchers
Department of Biomedical Engineering at NUS College of Design and Engineering
The NUS Institute for Health Innovation & Technology

From 2021 to 2023, the NUS research team dedicated their efforts to prove the effectiveness of this novel technique. A patent application has been submitted to protect this innovative solution.

Resources

1. ^NEWSPAPER NUS News. (2023, October 19). NUS scientists develop innovative magnetic gel that heals diabetic wounds three times faster. NUS News. [NUS News]
2. ^JOURNAL Shou, Y., Le, Z., Cheng, H. S., Liu, Q., Ng, Y. Z., Becker, D. L., Li, X., Liu, L., Xue, C., Yeo, N. J. Y., Tan, R., Low, J., Kumar, A. R. K., Wu, K. Z., Li, H., Cheung, C., Lim, C. T., Tan, N. S., Chen, Y., . . . Tay, A. (2023). Mechano‐activated cell therapy for accelerated diabetic wound healing. Advanced Materials. [Advanced Materials]