Varanasi, Oct 27 (UNI) Achieving a landmark breakthrough in the field of biomedical science, researchers from the School of Biomedical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) have developed a novel "engineered cell therapy" capable of rapidly healing diabetic wounds.
This discovery is a significant step toward addressing a global health challenge affecting millions of people worldwide. Wounds in people with diabetes typically experience difficulty in healing due to prolonged high glucose levels.
While normal wounds heal within a few days, diabetic wounds can persist for months, leading to serious infections and, in some cases, amputation. It is a worrying fact that in every 20 seconds, someone in the world loses a limb due to diabetic wounds.
The research was led by Dr Sudip Mukherjee, assistant professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering, and Malay Nayak, a Ph.D. researcher. They engineered human cells to simultaneously produce three therapeutic proteins: VEGFA, which promotes the formation of new blood vessels; Factor VIII, which controls bleeding; and IL-10, which reduces inflammation.
These engineered cells were encapsulated in alginate hydrogel microcapsules, which protect them from the body's immune system and ensure the continuous release of healing proteins at the wound site.
Dr Mukherjee explained, "These cell-laden hydrogel capsules function like tiny living drug factories, sensing the wound's condition and continuously supplying essential therapeutic molecules, enabling rapid and complete wound healing."
He further explained that this therapy proved exceptionally effective in tests conducted on diabetic mice. While wounds typically take several weeks to heal, this treatment resulted in complete healing in just 13 days.
These cell-laden capsules were also found to be able to quickly stop bleeding in the liver, making this technique useful in emergency and surgical situations. The treatment was found to be safe, biocompatible, and highly effective.

Although this therapy has only been tested in animal models, it represents an important step toward developing an "off-the-shelf" wound healing solution — a readily usable, cell-based therapeutic.
This could revolutionize the treatment of diabetic wounds and their associated complications in the future. The research team is now working toward human clinical trials, bringing new hope to the approximately 830 million diabetic patients worldwide. A patent application has also been filed for this invention.
IIT Director Prof Amit Patra congratulated the research team, saying, "This innovative work is an excellent example of the spirit of innovation and research at IIT (BHU). The effective treatment of diabetic wounds by engineered cell-based therapy is a major achievement in the field of translational biomedical research."
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