Rourkela: Researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela have developed a smart wound dressing that reduces pain during dressing changes, lowers the risk of infection and promotes faster healing.
The dressing, developed by researchers from the Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering led by assistant professor Prasoon Kumar, aims to overcome the limitations of conventional cotton gauze, which often sticks to wounds, damages newly formed tissue during removal and increases the risk of infection.
The innovation combines chitosan-coated cotton gauze with an electrospun nanofibrous layer loaded with curcumin, a natural antimicrobial compound. Placed between the wound and
the gauze, the nanofibrous layer prevents direct adhesion, making dressing changes less painful while protecting newly formed tissue.
The curcumin-loaded nanofibers gradually release the drug over time, providing sustained antibacterial protection, maintaining a cleaner wound environment and supporting tissue regeneration.
“Our laboratory studies showed that the dressing significantly reduces wound adhesion compared with conventional cotton gauze. The sustained release of curcumin provides antibacterial protection, while the nanofibrous layer supports cellular growth and tissue regeneration,” Prof Kumar said.
The findings have been published in the journal Emergent Materials. The research was carried out by Prof Kumar along with Prof Devendra Verma, Prof Earu Banoth and research scholars Swagatika Barik, Rika Rani Pradhan, Shikha Tripathi and Samadrita Roy.
The project was supported by grants from ANRF-PAIR and SERB-SRG.
Regarding cost, the researchers said the technology has been designed to remain affordable. While a standard 10 cm × 4 m cotton gauze roll costs around Rs 30, the smart dressing of the same size is expected to cost about Rs 50-60 when produced on a commercial scale.
The research team plans to file a patent for the technology and explore industry collaborations for clinical trials before commercialisation.