Gas plasma technology for inflammatory skin conditions
A tunable gas plasma technology platform optimized for treating inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. By adjusting plasma chemistry parameters, specific reactive oxygen and nitrogen species profiles can be generated to deliver targeted anti-inflammatory stimuli, offering a novel non-pharmaceutical therapeutic approach.
Overview
Gas plasma technology generates a partially ionized gas that produces a variety of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS). These redox-active products can be precisely tuned by adjusting technical parameters, enabling a single plasma source to address different disease types. The technology is already approved in Europe for chronic wound and ulcer treatment. This proposal focuses on optimizing gas plasma conditions to develop an effective treatment for inflammatory skin conditions, including psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, by leveraging specific ROS mixtures that promote local anti-inflammatory responses in chronically inflamed tissue.
Technical specifications
- Tunable ROS/RNS profiles: Plasma chemistry can be adjusted to produce specific reactive species, including atomic oxygen, singlet delta oxygen, and other ROS types
- Clinical-grade plasma jet: Uses a marketed, CE-marked plasma jet platform already validated for dermatological applications
- Anti-inflammatory mechanism: Supplies controlled ROS stimuli locally to immune cells such as dendritic cells in inflamed tissue to induce tolerance and reduce inflammation
- Iterative optimization workflow: Over 50 plasma conditions will be characterized by emission profiles and ROS production, with the most effective eight selected for in vivo testing
- Preclinical validation models: Two mouse models of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis with multiple lesions per animal, comparing treated and untreated lesions across 10 animals per group
- Biomarker assessment: Liquid and tissue biopsies to evaluate local and systemic inflammation markers
Technology readiness level
The underlying gas plasma technology is clinically approved in Europe for wound treatment, providing a strong regulatory and technical foundation. However, the specific application to inflammatory skin conditions remains at an early preclinical stage. The research hypothesis has not yet been validated. Planned validation includes comparative testing of eight different plasma chemistries in established mouse models of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, with iterative refinement of plasma conditions based on treatment outcomes. The research team has prior experience demonstrating plasma-induced immunogenicity modulation in melanoma models and protein systems, supporting the scientific basis for this translational program.
About Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology
The Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP) is a non‑university research institute headquartered in Greifswald with additional sites in Rostock and Karlsburg; it is among Europe’s largest institutes for low‑temperature plasma research, employing about 200 staff. INP connects with industry via application laboratories and diagnostics platforms that deliver feasibility studies, prototyping, and contract R&D, built around a “from idea to prototype” model. Its footprint includes co‑located professorships and laboratories with the University of Rostock and a clinical collaboration in Karlsburg, enabling translational validation and access to real‑world test environments. Research is supported by base funding through the Leibniz Association—jointly by German federal and state governments—and competitive projects from BMBF, BMWK, and the European Union. A dedicated technology transfer function manages IP, licensing, and spin‑out pathways to bring innovations to market.
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