A Light-emitting Wound Dressing for the Treatment of Diabetic Ulcers

The Challenge

Diabetic ulcers affect thousands of people across Tayside, with around 15% failing to heal, and some progressing to amputation. These wounds often contain multiple bacterial species, including antibiotic‑resistant strains, making treatment complex and outcomes unpredictable.

Our Solution

• We are developing a wearable light‑emitting dressing designed to kill bacteria and support wound healing.
• The project is delivered in collaboration with the Scottish Photodynamic Therapy Centre, combining clinical expertise with cutting‑edge light‑based technologies to advance new treatment options.

Patient & Public Involvement & Engagement (PPIE)

We are gathering insights from people living with diabetic ulcers to understand current treatment challenges and explore responses to the proposed technology. Engagement is carried out through SHARE, as well as direct conversations with doctors and podiatrists to collect meaningful user feedback for future development.

Project Lead

Ifor Samuel, St Andrews

idws@st-andrews.ac.uk