{"id":211469,"date":"2025-02-26T14:23:16","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T00:23:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=211469"},"modified":"2025-02-26T14:23:16","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T00:23:16","slug":"healing-chronic-wounds-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/02\/26\/healing-chronic-wounds-innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"Healing chronic wounds: UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa scientists lead innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Associate Professor Ellinor Haglund and graduate student Ivy Vo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A team of researchers from the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa\u2019s Department of Chemistry<\/a> has received a National Science Foundation (NSF<\/abbr>) Innovation Corps (I-Corps<\/abbr>)<\/a> grant to help turn their innovative wound healing technology into a real-world solution for chronic wounds.<\/p>\n

Associate Professor Ellinor Haglund, serving as the project\u2019s technical lead, and graduate student Ivy Vo, the entrepreneurial lead, are developing their project, WoundWhiz: Genius Wound Healing Technology. The initiative focuses on using cutting-edge protein science to develop an enzyme-based therapeutic designed to accelerate the healing process of chronic wounds.<\/p>\n

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Chronic wounds affect approximately 6.5 million people in the U.S. each year, contributing to an estimated $25 billion in healthcare costs. A primary factor in delayed healing is an increase in oxidative stress and inflammation, which impede the body\u2019s natural recovery processes. WoundWhiz aims to address this challenge by promoting faster and more effective wound healing.<\/p>\n

“This project has the potential to transform wound care not only in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> but across the U.S. and globally, improving healing outcomes for millions suffering from chronic wounds,” Haglund said. “By advancing this technology, we aim to reduce healthcare costs and enhance the quality of life for patients worldwide.”<\/p>\n

Nathan Friedman from W. L. Gore & Associates serves as the industry mentor, with over twenty years of leadership and product development experience within the medical device sector.<\/p>\n

The NSF<\/abbr> I-Corps<\/abbr> program is an entrepreneurship training initiative designed to help researchers commercialize their scientific innovations. Through the program, Haglund and Vo will receive mentorship, hands-on training, and $50,000 in funding for customer discovery and market validation. The program will assist them in identifying key industry needs, refining their business strategy, and navigating the transition from research to commercialization.<\/p>\n

The Department of Chemistry is housed in UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa\u2019s College of Natural Sciences<\/a>.<\/p>\n