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Project # 55
Damage Detectable Hydrogel

Team Lead: Farnaz Assadi
Other Team Members: Briana von Hedemann-Kovscek | Sisam KC | Somto Dibia
Faculty Advisor(s): Dr. Yi Hong
Department: BE
Project Type: REU
Title: Damage Detectable Hydrogel
Abstract: Wound healing is strongly influenced by local pH, with healthy skin maintaining a slightly acidic environment and damaged tissue shifting toward more basic conditions. When the skin is disrupted by abrasions, lesions, or surgical incisions, the protective barrier is compromised, exposing underlying tissue and triggering inflammatory and microbial responses that raise the local pH. This more alkaline environment is often associated with wound stress, infection, and delayed healing. Despite this, most conventional wound dressings remain passive and do not provide real-time feedback on wound status. In this study, a multifunctional hydrogel was developed using alginate functionalized with 4-aminophenylboronic acid (Alg-PBA) and crosslinked with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Alginate modification was achieved through EDC/NHS coupling and confirmed by spectroscopic characterization. Hydrogel formation occurred under controlled basic pH conditions, which promoted boronate ester crosslinking between Alg-PBA and PVA, while phenol red was incorporated as a pH-responsive indicator. The hydrogel was evaluated through swelling, injectability, and pH responsiveness testing to assess its structural behavior and sensitivity under physiologically relevant conditions. Results showed the formation of a stable and dynamic network capable of reversible color change and deformation without failure. Overall, these findings support the hydrogel’s potential as a responsive wound dressing that can both protect tissue and provide real-time visual feedback on wound conditions.
Poster: View Poster #55 (PDF)
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