(45b) Engineering Antimicrobial Skin: In Situ Tissue Functionalization Using Atmospheric Pressure Plasmas

Ambient-condition ionized gas plasmas are being used for an increasing variety of biological and biomedical applications. Prominent areas of research include microbial disinfection and surface antisepsis, wound healing, cancer treatment, and modification and functionalization of biomaterials. Plasma-initiated polymerization and surface modification has been widely studied as a method of imparting biological functionality, for example, to increase cell adhesion, decrease protein fouling, and enhance antimicrobial activity. However, the majority of surfaces modified by plasma have been inorganic surfaces, such as medical implants, modified ex situ. We have developed a proof-of-principle method for in situ functionalization of living tissues using an ambient-condition gas plasma jet, and we describe potential applications for this functionalization including imparting antimicrobial activity to skin tissue among other potential applications.