Development of electrospun antibacterial fibers for MRSA infection prevention
2025 (English) Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years)), 30 credits / 45 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
The objective of this study was to develop electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers incorporating vancomycin for potential use as a topical patch to prevent methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin infections. Electrospinning parameters and formulation compositions were systematically optimized to produce uniform, bead-free fibers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the formation of regular, homogeneous fibers under optimized conditions, with drug-loaded fibers displaying increased diameters compared to drug-free controls. X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) indicated that vancomycin was successfully incorporated into the PCL fibers, although some reduction in crystallinity was observed. Mechanical testing revealed that the fibers exhibited high flexibility but limited tensile strength, suggesting the need for further optimization to enhance durability. Drug loading, assessed via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), showed an average encapsulation efficiency of 61.4%, though variability between replicates was observed. The study provides a promising foundation for the development of vancomycin-loaded patches for local infection prevention, but further work is needed to confirm drug stability, evaluate sustained release profiles, and assess antibacterial efficacy in clinically relevant models.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages 2025. , p. 32
Keywords [en]
nanofibers, cutaneous, drug delivery, polymer, antibiotic, vancomycin
National Category
Medical and Health Sciences
Identifiers URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-564492 OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-564492 DiVA, id: diva2:1987129
External cooperation
University of Copenhagen
Subject / course Pharmacy
Educational program Master Programme in Drug Discovery and Development
Supervisors
Examiners
2025-08-132025-08-052025-08-13 Bibliographically approved