HASTINGS – Shabri LLC has been awarded a $306,864 grant from the National Institutes of Health to advance the development of an antimicrobial prosthetic liner designed to help reduce the risk of infection for people with lower-limb amputations.
University of Nebraska at Kearney graduate Rakesh Srivastava, founder and CEO of Hastings-based Shabri and Innovative Prosthetics and Orthotics, serves as project director and principal investigator.
Prosthetic liners provide cushioning and protection between the residual limb and prosthetic socket, but conventional liner materials can also trap heat and perspiration. The resulting warm, moist environment can encourage bacterial growth and contribute to skin problems and infection.
The Shabri research project uses an antimicrobial liner fabric made with chitosan nanofibers combined with medical-grade polyurethane nanofibers. Chitosan is a naturally derived material known for its antibacterial properties and biocompatibility. The technology is designed to provide antimicrobial protection without relying on antibiotics.
“As both a prosthetist and an amputee, I understand how important skin health and comfort are to a person’s ability to use a prosthesis every day,” said Srivastava, who earned a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications management from UNK in 2002 and a master’s degree in instructional technology with an emphasis in assistive technology in 2006.
“We are always looking for ways to solve real problems that affect people with limb loss. This NIH grant allows our team to rigorously evaluate a technology that we believe has the potential to make prosthetic liners safer and better for the people who depend on them.”
During the Phase I project, researchers will work to optimize the antimicrobial fabric, evaluate its ability to resist bacteria and biofilm formation, test its mechanical performance and biocompatibility and determine how well it withstands perspiration, repeated wear and routine cleaning.
The goal is to develop a proof-of-concept prosthetic liner combining the antimicrobial fabric with an optimized silicone support structure. Successful completion of the project could lead to additional development and preparation for safety and efficacy clinical trials for a Phase II research effort.
“Our approach to antimicrobial protection is fundamentally different from conventional strategies,” said Yury Salkovskiy, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomechanics at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and co-principal investigator. “Instead of relying on antibiotics, which can cause unwanted side effects, our liner uses engineered polymers that actively kill harmful bacteria while also promoting the healing of skin injuries that can develop on the residual limb during everyday prosthesis use. We believe this technology could transform prosthetic liners by making them safer, more protective and better suited to the needs of people living with major limb loss.”
The project brings together a multidisciplinary team from Shabri, UNO and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, combining expertise in prosthetics and orthotics, biomedical engineering, materials science, polymer chemistry, microbiology, cell biology, biomechanics and additive manufacturing.
The collaboration is designed to move the technology from laboratory research toward practical manufacturing while keeping the needs of prosthetic users central to the development process.
For Srivastava, the project continues a long-standing focus on combining clinical experience with technology and research to improve prosthetic care. He has spent more than three decades in prosthetics and orthotics and has lived with an above-knee amputation for more than four decades.
Launched in 2019, Shabri is a research, development and manufacturing company focused on advancing technology for prosthetic, orthotic and other medical applications. The company operates its primary laboratory in Hastings and a second laboratory and office on the UNO campus, where Srivastava serves as an adjunct faculty member.
Innovative Prosthetics and Orthotics, started in 2006, provides comprehensive prosthetic and orthotic care from patient care locations in Hastings, Grand Island and Omaha while also serving patients in Kearney, Lincoln and surrounding communities.
Originally from India, Srivastava is a board-certified prosthetist and orthotist. He was recognized with the UNK Distinguished Alumni Award in 2018.