Russian Innovation: New Material for Skin Treatment

A joint research team of scientists from St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and the Nano-Physics Center at ITMO University has successfully developed a novel material designed to treat skin damage caused by microbes and fungi. According to scientific studies published in the journal Applied Surface Science, this material demonstrated high antibacterial and antifungal efficacy when applied to mice skin, alongside its ability to adapt to the skin's structure. Furthermore, minimal side effects were observed in the mice during the testing period. University researchers believe that these biocompatible polymeric materials could serve as an alternative to traditional household bandages, which typically consist of an adhesive layer and a fabric dressing. A key characteristic of these materials is their ability to control the healing process of the skin's surface layer, known as the epithelium. The innovative material is a biocompatible membrane formulated for treating epithelial tissue damage, composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). PVA is currently utilized in the manufacturing of surgical sutures, contact lenses, and food packaging. Researcher Evgenia Bochkareva explained that "the antimicrobial and antifungal activity of this membrane stems from the incorporation of nano-structured materials, specifically copper metal-organic frameworks known as HKUST-1, which have proven effective against common pathogens." She added, "The uniqueness of the technology employed in producing these materials lies in selecting the optimal ratio between the polymer matrix and HKUST-1 nanocrystals, thereby ensuring a synergistic effect and high biocompatibility of the tested sample." The new material is effective against common pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, as well as fungi including Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer's yeast), Rodotorulla rubra, and Saccharomyces boulardii (a tropical yeast). These latter fungi, though harmless to humans, are often used as model organisms to evaluate the efficacy of chemical substances. For his part, Alexander Timin, director of the Nano- and Micro-packaging Laboratory for Biologically Active Materials at the university, indicated the potential for initiating serial production of this material, alongside further development of its production technology in the future.