"We believe that sheep and camel milk will be the key components of the dressing, possessing healing potential that promotes skin cell regeneration”, AGH lead researcher Piotr Szatkowski told Poland’s PAP news agency.
Utilizing natural bioactive substances from these milks could greatly improve the efficacy and comfort of treatment for patients with skin conditions, particularly diabetics, he added.
This ambitious project brings together scientists from three Kraków-based academic centres - AGH, the Jagiellonian University, and the Agricultural University – and their Vancouver peers from the University of British Columbia who will perform advanced molecular studies to determine the biological activity of the dressing.
Camel milk will be sourced from a camel farm located in Poland.
To preserve its active ingredients, the milk will be lyophilized at -80°C, preventing decomposition and maintaining its original properties.
"This is a critical stage. It's essential that the milk retains its valuable properties during thermal processing," noted Szatkowski.
The lyophilized milk will serve as the carrier of bioactive substances in the hydrogel dressings, which will be composed of three layers. Depending on the layer's proximity to the wound, the quantity of milk lyophilizate will vary.
Once developed, the dressing will be submitted for patenting.
The project is funded by the the National Centre for Research and Development with a budget of PLN 1.5 million (around EUR 350,000) and is expected to span three years, according to PAP.
(mo)
Source: PAP