Graduate Student UIC Chicago, Illinois, United States
Introduction: Chronic biofilm‑infected wounds remain difficult to treat because antibiotics often fail to maintain effective concentrations at the site of infection. Engineered hydrogels provide a promising route for localized drug delivery, yet the influence of polymer charge on drug loading and release remains underdefined. Building on our work with glutathione‑functionalized PEG hydrogels, we asked whether tuning charge can enhance vancomycin retention and antibacterial performance. Here we describe electro‑complementary PEG hydrogels engineered to mediate charge‑specific interactions with vancomycin and evaluated them as sustained‑release depots for chronic wound therapy.
Learning Objectives:
Describe how hydrogel charge influences vancomycin loading, release, and activity.
Evaluate how hydrogel design affects antibiotic retention and diffusion behavior.
