OHAMR Call for proposals 2026

General Information

• Project title: Nature-inspired liquid crystal materials for personalized healing of infectious wounds
• Type: Project looking for partner
• Organisation: Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS)
• Country: Germany (DE)
• Career stage: Early Career Researcher (up to 8 years** since PhD).

Research area

• Scientific area(s) of the call:
  1. Topic 1: Identify and develop new combination treatments using existing or innovative antimicrobials or antimicrobial with adjunctive treatments to extend drug efficacy and combat resistance.
• One Health Setting:

  H - Human Health

• Keywords:

  drug delivery; skin; topical application; wound healing; liquid crystals; smart materials

• Brief description of your expertise / expertise you are looking for:

  Our team specializes in smart, stimuli-responsive materials for skin drug delivery and the treatment of infected wounds. We design and synthesize novel thermoresponsive, liquid-crystalline molecules derived from natural compounds and develop advanced topical formulations (e.g., polymer-dispersed liquid crystals and nanofibers) enabling temperature-triggered, localized release of anti-infective agents. We perform comprehensive physicochemical characterization and biological evaluation including cytotoxicity testing, wound scratch assays, TEER and permeability studies on skin cells (fibroblasts and keratinocytes), and use ex vivo human skin for permeation and penetration assessment. Our expertise further includes cryosectioning, histological staining, and imaging of skin tissues and cells. Overall, our goal is to improve wound healing while reducing systemic antibiotic exposure, thereby contributing to the global fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). We are seeking partners with complementary expertise in clinical microbiology, biofilm-associated infections, in vivo wound-healing models, and translation and regulatory aspects to jointly advance these materials toward clinical application.

• Brief description of your project / the project you would like to join:

  Our project focuses on the development of smart, thermoresponsive liquid-crystal (LC) systems from natural compounds for skin drug delivery of anti-infective agents and the topical treatment of infected wounds. These LC materials react to elevated temperature in inflamed and infected skin, enabling on-demand, controlled release of anti-infective agents while minimizing systemic antibiotic exposure, directly supporting antimicrobial stewardship within a One Health framework. We engineer bio-based, stimuli-responsive wound dressings in two formats: (1) Polymer-dispersed LC films fabricated via 3D printing, where LC microdroplets with customizable antibiotic loading are embedded into renewable natural polymer matrices; and (2) Electrospun polymer-LC nanofibers with high porosity and surface area, improving exudate absorption and oxygen permeability to enhance the oxidative killing of major wound pathogens. Our proof-of-concept studies include prototype testing against clinically relevant bacteria such as S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, as well as evaluation of biocompatibility on skin cells (fibroblasts and keratinocytes). We assess temperature-triggered antibiotic release, antibacterial efficacy, and oxygen permeability of these smart wound dressings. We are seeking collaboration with partners who bring expertise in infection and biofilm models, skin microbiology, preclinical wound-healing evaluation, and regulatory/translation pathways.

Dr. Mariia Nesterkina

• Organisation: Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS)
• Position:
• E-mail: mariia.nesterkina@helmholtz-hips.de
• Phone: +491724981884
• Web: www.helmholtz-hips.de/en/research/smart-pharmaceutical-materials-and-systems/