PhD Scientific Days 2026

Theoretical and Translational Medicine 4.

Development of Polysuccinimide–Salt Nanofibers for Advanced Wound Dressing Applications

Name of the presenter

Tóth-Pálos, Veronika

Institute/workplace of the presenter

Laboratory of Nanochemistry, Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University

Authors

Veronika Tóth-Pálos¹, Dorottya Gréta Kis¹, Eszter Tatár¹, Margit Benis¹, Krisztina S. Nagy¹, Judit Domokos², Dóra Szabó², Ákos Zsembery³, Angela Jedlovszky-Hajdu¹
1: Laboratory of Nanochemistry, Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University
2: Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University
3: Department of Oral Biology, Semmelweis University

Text of the abstract

Although silver ions are commonly used in antibacterial agents for therapeutic purposes, they pose a significant environmental burden and, in some cases, may trigger undesired immune responses. As a result, their use in medicine is gradually declining, while other antibacterial ions are promising alternatives.
Our research aims to develop a bi-component polymer scaffold by electrospinning, incorporating zinc and strontium salts into the polymer matrix. This system could serve as a novel biocompatible wound dressing that provides both a mechanical barrier and antibacterial activity.
The first step involved synthesizing the polysuccinimide (PSI) polymer, mixing it with selected salts in dimethylformamide, and optimizing the electrospinning parameters for both uniaxial and coaxial fiber formation. A series of experiments were conducted to optimize the physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties of the resulting scaffolds for wound dressing applications. The salts used included anhydrous zinc acetate, zinc acetate dihydrate, zinc sulfate monohydrate, zinc chloride, and strontium nitrate. The chemical and mechanical properties of the scaffolds were characterized using FTIR spectroscopy and SEM imaging, as well as mechanical testing in both air and saline solution, including measurements of specific load capacity, tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young’s modulus. Release studies were performed to evaluate whether the incorporated salts can be released from the scaffold and exert antibacterial activity. Cytotoxicity assays were conducted to determine the effects of the scaffolds on human tumor and fibroblast cells, as these materials must interact safely with human tissue when used as wound dressings.
Our results demonstrate that the fibrous structures successfully incorporate antibacterial salts within the polymer matrix. The addition of salts increases scaffold rigidity; however, in saline solution, the scaffolds exhibit greater elongation than gauze, which is commonly used in medical practice. The scaffolds show antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains and are non-toxic to human fibroblast cells.
Based on our experimental findings, these scaffolds show strong potential as wound dressing materials.
This work was supported by the National Research, Development, and Innovation Office FK137749 and TKP 2021-EGA-23.