{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/119408"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/119408","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Genetically Engineered Wound Dressing for Sensing and Treating Candida albicans Infections in Diabetic Foot Ulcers","abstract":"A quarter of diabetics suffer from diabetic foot ulcers due to chronic nerve damage, a leading complication found in many patients. Symptoms cause changes in the skin's environment, leading to frequent cuts in the skin. This often results in recurrent foot ulcers that are at high risk of infections. Currently, typical treatments take the form of antibiotics, which can lead to serious fungal or yeast infections. Candida albicans is one of the leading non-bacterial pathogens causing infections in diabetic foot ulcers, and if left untreated, these infections can progress into candidiasis. Candidiasis causes inner tissue damage that often requires amputations or, in severe cases, enters the bloodstream, leading to death. Candida infections are typically treated with azoles like fluconazole. There is an unmet need to develop new strategies to detect and treat Candida infections. In this work, we developed hydrogel-based Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) as an antifungal wound dressing. Additionally, to increase the efficacy of engineered antifungal dressing, we develop a genetic drug releasing system in the presence of blue light. Thus, here we describe the fundamental work-frame for the development of smart wound dressing to treat various fungal and bacterial infections.","abstract_html":"A quarter of diabetics suffer from diabetic foot ulcers due to chronic nerve damage, a leading complication found in many patients. Symptoms cause changes in the skin's environment, leading to frequent cuts in the skin. This often results in recurrent foot ulcers that are at high risk of infections. Currently, typical treatments take the form of antibiotics, which can lead to serious fungal or yeast infections. Candida albicans is one of the leading non-bacterial pathogens causing infections in diabetic foot ulcers, and if left untreated, these infections can progress into candidiasis. Candidiasis causes inner tissue damage that often requires amputations or, in severe cases, enters the bloodstream, leading to death. Candida infections are typically treated with azoles like fluconazole. There is an unmet need to develop new strategies to detect and treat Candida infections. In this work, we developed hydrogel-based Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) as an antifungal wound dressing. Additionally, to increase the efficacy of engineered antifungal dressing, we develop a genetic drug releasing system in the presence of blue light. Thus, here we describe the fundamental work-frame for the development of smart wound dressing to treat various fungal and bacterial infections.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Kurowski, Anna Rose"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Biological Systems Engineering","degree_department":"Biological Systems Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Duraj-Thatte, Anna"],"committee_members":["Zhou, Wei","Zhang, Chenming"],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-06-12","date_published":"2024-06-12","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:12Z","subjects":[": Smart wound dressing","Candida albicans","Engineered Living Materials","Antifungal Materials"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:40461"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:40461","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10919/119408","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Duraj-Thatte, Anna"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Zhou, Wei","Zhang, Chenming"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Biological Systems Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Kurowski, Anna Rose"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2024-06-13T08:00:24Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-06-13T08:00:24Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2024-06-12"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biological Systems Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":[": Smart wound dressing","Candida albicans","Engineered Living Materials","Antifungal Materials"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:40461"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10919/119408"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["A quarter of diabetics suffer from diabetic foot ulcers due to chronic nerve damage, a leading complication found in many patients. Symptoms cause changes in the skin's environment, leading to frequent cuts in the skin. This often results in recurrent foot ulcers that are at high risk of infections. Currently, typical treatments take the form of antibiotics, which can lead to serious fungal or yeast infections. Candida albicans is one of the leading non-bacterial pathogens causing infections in diabetic foot ulcers, and if left untreated, these infections can progress into candidiasis. Candidiasis causes inner tissue damage that often requires amputations or, in severe cases, enters the bloodstream, leading to death. Candida infections are typically treated with azoles like fluconazole. There is an unmet need to develop new strategies to detect and treat Candida infections. In this work, we developed hydrogel-based Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) as an antifungal wound dressing. Additionally, to increase the efficacy of engineered antifungal dressing, we develop a genetic drug releasing system in the presence of blue light. Thus, here we describe the fundamental work-frame for the development of smart wound dressing to treat various fungal and bacterial infections."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Genetically Engineered Wound Dressing for Sensing and Treating Candida albicans Infections in Diabetic Foot Ulcers"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Duraj-Thatte, Anna"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Zhou, Wei","Zhang, Chenming"],"dc:contributor.department":["Biological Systems Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Kurowski, Anna Rose"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2024-06-13T08:00:24Z"],"dc:date.available":["2024-06-13T08:00:24Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2024-06-12"],"dc:description.abstractgeneral":["A quarter of diabetics suffer from diabetic foot ulcers due to chronic nerve damage, a leading complication found in many patients. Symptoms cause changes in the skin's environment, leading to frequent cuts in the skin. This often results in recurrent foot ulcers that are at high risk of infections. Currently, typical treatments take the form of antibiotics, which can lead to serious fungal or yeast infections. Candida albicans is one of the leading non-bacterial pathogens causing infections in diabetic foot ulcers, and if left untreated, these infections can progress into candidiasis. Candidiasis causes inner tissue damage that often requires amputations or, in severe cases, enters the bloodstream, leading to death. Candida infections are typically treated with azoles like fluconazole. There is an unmet need to develop new strategies to detect and treat Candida infections. In this work, we developed hydrogel-based Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) as an antifungal wound dressing. Additionally, to increase the efficacy of engineered antifungal dressing, we develop a genetic drug releasing system in the presence of blue light. Thus, here we describe the fundamental work-frame for the development of smart wound dressing to treat various fungal and bacterial infections."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:format.medium":["ETD"],"dc:identifier.other":["vt_gsexam:40461"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10919/119408"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":[": Smart wound dressing","Candida albicans","Engineered Living Materials","Antifungal Materials"],"dc:title":["Genetically Engineered Wound Dressing for Sensing and Treating Candida albicans Infections in Diabetic Foot Ulcers"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biological Systems Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:12Z"}