Can spray on, wash off bandages ease the pain experienced by people living with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB)?
This is what scientists at Maynooth University in Ireland hope to find out from a two-year study that received co-funding of almost €113,000 ($119,439.59) from Debra Ireland, an Irish charity supporting those living with EB, and the Irish Research Council (IRC).
The study’s key aim will be to enable scientists to develop a prototype, with the hope of allowing non-abrasive bandages to be sprayed onto the skin. By placing them under cold water, it is hoped that they will then melt away and be removed painlessly.
“Bandage changes are a particularly excruciating element of this condition and research of this nature has the potential to make a real difference for people living with EB,” says Jimmy Fearon, CEO of Debra Ireland, in a news release. “We hope its outcome might contribute to improved quality of life for those living with EB in Ireland, and beyond.”
“The aim, ultimately, is not to cause further damage to the skin,” adds Dr Robert Elmes, Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry at Maynooth University and a Funded Investigator at SSPC, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Pharmaceuticals.
“We use supramolecular chemistry as the basis to the research, studying how molecules interact with each other and how we can predict how they will separate from each other as they cool.
“This is an excellent example of a fundamental area of chemical science having a potentially life-changing impact on the everyday lives of people with EB.”
Pricing for the bandages is not expected to be out of reach of those living with EB as the materials used are widely available and completely harmless to the skin.
The work will be carried out by Dr Hilal Kirpik, of Maynooth University’s Department of Chemistry, who is passionate about the real world impact of chemical research. “By the end of the project, we hope to have a prototype that people can take home and administer themselves without the need for painful bandage removal,” says Dr Elmes.
