Researchers developed a biocompatible scaffold capable of controlled-release of silver ions and have shown in a new study that it can inhibit infection of bone by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, known as MRSA. The antimicrobial properties of silver combined with a biodegradable scaffold that can be seeded with bone-forming stem cells offers a potential implant system for treating and preventing bone infection, as described in an article published in Tissue Engineering, Part A, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.
Mahsa Mohiti-Asli, PhD, and coauthors from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University (Raleigh), Silpakorn University (Nakornpathom, Thailand), and University of Missouri (Columbia), present an experiment in which they seeded bone-forming stem cells on three-dimensional scaffolds either with or without MRSA. The researchers assessed bacterial biofilm formation to determine the effect of silver ions on bone infection (osteomyelitis). They report their findings in the article titled "Evaluation of Silver Ion-Releasing Scaffolds in a 3D Coculture System of MRSA and Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells for Their Potential Use in Treatment or Prevention of Osteomyelitis."
"Hybrid therapeutic approaches such as this combination of a regenerative and anti-infective platform are transforming our attack on complex musculoskeletal diseases," says co-editor-in-chief Peter C. Johnson, MD, principal of MedSurgPI, LLC and president and CEO, Scintellix, LLC, Raleigh, NC.
Research reported in this publication was supported by the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program of the National Institutes of Health under grant numbers 550KR71418 and 550KR61325, and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering under grant number 1R03EB008790. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Source: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.