Endosymbiont
In Germany, around 1.5 million people suffer from so called non-healing skin wounds, consequently leading to more then 12,000 cases of limb amputation and immense medical treatment expenses, annually. One main reason for the insufficient healing process represents the local tissue hypoxia (inadequate oxygen supply) occurring at the site of injury. However, in this context the question arises how to provide chronic wounds with oxygen to improve the healing process, apart from common methods such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy?
Photosynthetic keratinocytes: light-powered oxygen for non-healing skin wounds
The current project “Photosynthetic keratinocytes: light-powered oxygen for non-healing skin wounds" started in 2016 aimed at generating photosynthetic human skin cells by transferring photosynthetic cyanobacteria into human keratinocytes. With this novel approach we will generate an biochemically engineered endosymbionic skin cell, which achieve the ability of autonomous, light and time controlled oxygen production. When engrafted, these neoendosymbionts would be able to stabilise the oxygen supply at the site of injury, thus counteracting tissue hypoxia and consequently enable enhanced wound closure. Our highly interdisciplinary research team is made up of scientist from different research fields including biochemistry (CBIB, Uni Bremen), cell biology (Genetics, Uni Bremen), marine biology (AWI, Bremerhaven), microsystems technology (IMSAS, Uni Bremen) and medical scientist (Klinikum-Munich; Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover), providing an excellent scientific environment to target all the involved scientific and practical questions. For example, in cooperation with microsystems engineers (IMSAS, Uni Bremen) we developed a temperature and light controlled oxygen micro-sensor prototype for biochemical measurement of oxygen consumption and production by cells under physiological conditions. In summary, our concept represents an entirely new line of wound therapy for diabetic as well as for arteriosclerotic non-healing wounds and may also pave the way for a new generation of molecular cell engineering strategies.
Contact:
Dr. Mario Waespy (CBIB) | Prof. Dr. Dr. Ursula Mirastschijski (CBIB) NW2 B2190 Phone: +49-421-218-63224 E-Mail: mirastscprotect me ?!uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de |
Prof. Dr. Sørge Kelm (CBIB) | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Vellekoop (IMSAS) |
PD Dr. Gazanfer Belge (Human Genetics) | Dr. Arlo Radtke (Human Genetics) |