The project described below receives financial support from the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund and the State Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

The spectroscopy camera created by Diaspective Vision GmbH is to be further developed in conjunction with various molecular biological methods, in which the camera range is to be extended to a new wavelength area, to make bacterial biofilms (or bacteria) visible. The detection of bacterial markers in wound fluids and their correlation with the fluorescence spectra recorded is intended to develop an innovative and, most importantly, non-invasive method for rapid wound evaluation. Through the investigations of wound exudates, the KDK sub-project will play a central role in obtaining information about the bacterial load in chronically infected wounds. The molecular analysis of soluble wound components in response to infection (i.e., the detection of bacterial components, as well as human signaling- and messenger substances) runs parallel to the time-consuming, detailed microbial analysis. Since these soluble components can also be spectroscopically active, these investigations are important for two reasons: firstly, for the early analysis of microbial colonization, and secondly as an indication or confirmation of the presence of molecules that are to be detected by hyperspectral analysis. Since the methods of molecular-biology can also be used to estimate the quantities (semi-quantitative ELISA), the detection limitations of the hyperspectral camera could also be explored. This is of particular importance for their future use, as it is of great importance for the clinical routine to know and localize both the type and the number of microorganisms. With this diagnosis adapted to the respective patient (bacterial detection), it should later be possible to make bacteria visible directly in the wounds, if necessary even to identify them and thus to develop a time- and cost-efficient diagnosis that facilitates a rapid initiation of therapies adapted to the specific bacteria.

Scientific-technical management:
Dr. Kai Masur
Phone: +49 3834 554 3322
kai.masurinp-greifswaldde