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The project led by Prof. Dr. Uğur Uslu, Head of the Parasitology Department in the Basic Sciences Division of our University's Faculty of Medicine, titled "Development of a Wound Dressing Loaded with Lucilia sericata Larval Excretions / Secretions in Wound Treatment and Evaluation of its Therapeutic and Antimicrobial Activity Using Integrated Methods," has been awarded funding under the TÜBİTAK 1003 Priority Areas R&D Projects Support Program, titled "Traditional and Complementary Medicine (GETAT) Applications in the Management of Neurodegenerative/Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Chronic Pain Commonly Seen in Our Country."

In 2004, the use of medical maggots in wound debridement was approved by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). Maggot Therapy was approved by the Turkish Ministry of Health in the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Practices Regulation dated October 27, 2014, and numbered 29158.

The nanofiber wound dressing to be developed within the scope of the project aims to enable the rapid and effective treatment of necrotic, purulent, exudative, gangrenous wounds, wounds with insufficient blood circulation or resistant to antibiotic treatment, diabetic foot and pressure ulcers, as well as burns and abscesses. The project aims to treat resistant skin infections using the Larva Debridement Therapy (LDT) method, which combines the nanofiber dressing with the secretions and extracts of the aseptic larvae of the Lucilia sericata fly. Compared to conventional treatments, LDT is known to be a simple, safe, effective, low-cost method that provides rapid healing. The outputs to be obtained from the project have high originality and widespread impact potential in terms of both R&D and product development. Alternative production technologies to be used in the nanofiber material to be converted into wound dressings will offer significant advantages in terms of material-product compatibility, ergonomic use, and competitive strength.

It is anticipated that the product to be developed within the scope of this project, which will be carried out in collaboration between industry and academia, will be produced with local and national resources and contribute to the country's economy. The project will be carried out in collaboration with Istanbul Medeniyet University, Selçuk University, Erciyes University, and Klass Medikal Cihaz San. Müh. Ltd. Şti. Prof. Dr. Uğur Uslu, Head of the Department of Parasitology at our University's Faculty of Medicine, is part of the project team as Project Manager. We congratulate Prof. Dr. Uğur Uslu on the TÜBİTAK project, which has been launched at the Aseptic Medical Larva Laboratory within our university's Science and Advanced Technology Application and Research Center (BİLTAM), and wish him continued success.