Researchers at the University of Birmingham have discovered that silver-doped glass fibers are a potential wound healing treatment. They demonstrated the effectiveness of impregnating silver into "bioactive glass," a combination that provided longer-lasting antimicrobial wound protection than conventional alternatives. Bioactive glass is a synthetic biomaterial made from silicone that has been widely used in bone grafts for many years. Silver has been shown to prevent or reduce the growth of biofilms (flora of bacteria) in open wounds and is effective against many antibiotic-resistant strains. However, silver ions or nanoparticles in wound dressings are easily converted to silver sulfide or silver chloride, which reduces their antibacterial activity and hinders the success of the treatment. Researchers studied the effect of bioactive glass doped with silver ions on biofilms formed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a multidrug-resistant bacterium that readily forms biofilms and is a common cause of chronic wound infections. They found that specific preparation, storage, and application techniques minimized the conversion of silver ions to silver chloride, thereby preserving antimicrobial activity. The Birmingham team already has extensive experience with bioactive glasses, which are currently used as bioactive degradable implant materials and are used to support tissue growth. This research opens the door to exploring the use of silver-doped bioactive glasses in dental surgery or wound care. Dr. Sam Moxon, a Postdoctoral Fellow on the Birmingham team, said: "We have demonstrated the potential of silver-doped glass fibers to treat wound infections and promote healing, and we look forward to collaborating or co-developing products for dental procedures or wound care with companies. In this regard, We will make progress by advancing these materials to clinical approval." The findings will be presented at the annual meeting of Future Investigators in Regenerative Medicine in Spain this September.