Faculty mentor/PI email address
beachley@rowan.edu
Keywords
nanoyarn, suture, biomedical, engineering, surgery, wound healing
Date of Presentation
5-6-2026 12:00 AM
Poster Abstract
Abstract Title: PCL and PEGDMA Nanoyarns Feasibility for Antimicrobial Suture
Nanofibers represent an innovative class of materials with diverse applications, including tissue engineering and drug delivery.1 Among the most promising areas of research is their use in surgical sutures, particularly for complex orthopedic injuries with high re-tear rates. Polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers have shown promise as alternatives to standard sutures as their unique properties support superior healing compared to standard materials.2 Our lab aims to further optimize these healing capabilities by adding Poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDMA), a molecule that tethers peptides to PCL nanoyarns, developing a suture with greater antimicrobial penetrance and decreased surgical infection rates compared to current methods. This study determines the amount of PEGDMA can be added in solution with PCL while still maintaining the mechanical properties that are effective for wound closure.
As PEGDMA was added to PCL electrospinning solution, yarn mechanics decreased. A decrease in modulus was observed with the ratio 99:1 PCL:PEGDMA compared to pure PCL samples, but solutions with increasing amounts of PEGDMA had a relative plateau in modulus after this, and break force remained relatively constant throughout all PCL and PCL-PEGDMA solutions.
While small amounts of PEGDMA reduced mechanics by ~50%, it appears that large amounts of PEGDMA can be added without additional drops in mechanics. This is a promising result as, with further optimization, we expect these PCL-PEGDMA blend sutures to maintain wound closure, allowing us to produce our planned antimicrobial nanofiber sutures for optimal wound healing.
Disciplines
Equipment and Supplies | Medicine and Health Sciences | Nanomedicine | Surgical Procedures, Operative
Included in
Equipment and Supplies Commons, Nanomedicine Commons, Surgical Procedures, Operative Commons
PCL and PEGDMA Nanoyarns Feasibility for Antimicrobial Suture Applications
Abstract Title: PCL and PEGDMA Nanoyarns Feasibility for Antimicrobial Suture
Nanofibers represent an innovative class of materials with diverse applications, including tissue engineering and drug delivery.1 Among the most promising areas of research is their use in surgical sutures, particularly for complex orthopedic injuries with high re-tear rates. Polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers have shown promise as alternatives to standard sutures as their unique properties support superior healing compared to standard materials.2 Our lab aims to further optimize these healing capabilities by adding Poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDMA), a molecule that tethers peptides to PCL nanoyarns, developing a suture with greater antimicrobial penetrance and decreased surgical infection rates compared to current methods. This study determines the amount of PEGDMA can be added in solution with PCL while still maintaining the mechanical properties that are effective for wound closure.
As PEGDMA was added to PCL electrospinning solution, yarn mechanics decreased. A decrease in modulus was observed with the ratio 99:1 PCL:PEGDMA compared to pure PCL samples, but solutions with increasing amounts of PEGDMA had a relative plateau in modulus after this, and break force remained relatively constant throughout all PCL and PCL-PEGDMA solutions.
While small amounts of PEGDMA reduced mechanics by ~50%, it appears that large amounts of PEGDMA can be added without additional drops in mechanics. This is a promising result as, with further optimization, we expect these PCL-PEGDMA blend sutures to maintain wound closure, allowing us to produce our planned antimicrobial nanofiber sutures for optimal wound healing.