Philadelphia Scientist Says His Soy-Based Bandages Are Better
By Lynne Adkins
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A local professor is trying to change the way wounds are covered.
Medical dressings for hard-to-heal wounds are unique and quite expensive, according to Dr. Peter Lelkes, director of Temple School of Medicine's Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Engineering.
In response, he's developing a wound dressing made from soybeans.
"Soy is a plant protein that is abundant and which is 'green,' so it can be renewed," he explains. "It is inexpensive; it is bioactive, so it accelerates wound healing; it is not derived from animals, which has several issues including the avoidance of disease transfer."
He says the special dressings would also work well in a war zone, because the healing properties of soy last a long time.
