New model systems for studies of infected wounds and potential treatments

Wound healing is a complex and dynamic process, ultimately resulting in a closed wound and a recapitulation of tissue function. Several factors interfere with this process and halt the normal progression of healing, in particular bacterial colonization and subsequent tissue infection. In order to evaluate novel potential treatment options for infected wounds, several model systems of varying complexity are in use today. The goal of the current project is to develop a high-throughput method for evaluation of antimicrobial treatments for wound applications. The method relies on human skin maintained in an incubator. Wounds are created on the skin, and infected with specific strains of bacteria. Continuous evaluation of bacterial load, wound re-epithelialization and other aspects of the process can be monitored. The model does not include systemic factors, but all cell types present in normal skin are present. The proposed model system may prove useful for rapid evaluation of antimicrobial therapies, with a high degree of translation into the clinical setting.