Photo by Dr. Victor Padilla-Sanchez, PhD
Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global health crisis, particularly in regions with limited access to advanced wound care. Burn wounds infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common drug-resistant bacteria, often result in serious complications and a high rate of death. This project focuses on creating an accessible, cost-effective treatment that delivers bacteriophages, viruses that target bacteria, directly to infected wounds.
The treatment is provided via a cryogel — a special type of porous gel formed during freeze-drying that can be useful in various surgical contexts. This specific cryogel is designed to remain stable at room temperature and is easy to apply, making it suitable for use in low-resource settings. The project will also support clinical implementation in Mozambique by developing training materials, assessing local needs, and piloting the approach in real-world care environments. By improving the treatment of resistant infections without relying on traditional antibiotics, this work offers a practical, scalable solution to strengthen burn care and infection control in underserved communities.
“We hope that these dressings can be used in resource-poor settings in ways that will promote global health,” said Dr. Paul Bollyky, a principal investigator and Associate Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine. “Moreover, because phages can be sourced from these environments, this creates the potential for partnerships with local researchers.”
Principal Investigators:
Ovijit Chaudhuri, PhD, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and, by courtesy, Bioengineering.
Paul Bollyky MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Dept. of Medicine.
Clifford Sheckler MD, MS, FACS, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Dept of Surgery (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery)
Research Team:
Lucy Zhang, PhD student, Chaudhuri Lab, Stanford University
Tony Chang, Master’s student, Stanford University
Funder:
Stanford Department of Surgery