Collection of clippings from infected nails
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Comparative analysis of onychomycotic nail tissue obtained from patients and from ex vivo infection models
IRAS ID
369061
Contact name
Albert Bolhuis
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bath
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Fungal nail infections (known as onychomycosis) are very common, affecting about 1 in 10 people worldwide. They are more likely to occur in older adults, people with diabetes, and those with weakened immune systems. These infections are usually caused by fungi that invade the hard surface of the nails.
Although often seen as just a cosmetic problem, fungal nail infections can cause real discomfort. They may lead to pain, difficulty walking, secondary infections, and embarrassment or distress—especially for people already at higher risk.
Current treatments are not very effective. When antifungals are taken as tablets, they may cause side effects or interact with other medicines, meaning some people cannot take them. When administered topically, that is, directly on the nail using creams or lacquers, they must be used for a long time—often a year or more—and even then, they often fail to fully clear the infection.
To improve treatments, we need a better understanding of how fungi infect nails. To study this, we have created a laboratory model using nail clippings donated by healthy volunteers, which we infect with fungi. This model works well and “lab-infected nails” can be examined with advanced imaging techniques and used to test therapies. However, we do not yet know how closely the lab-infected nails resemble real infected nails from patients. Knowing this is crucial for the model to be useful.
Our goal is to collect nail samples from patients with fungal nail infections and analyse them with the same techniques and methods that we have developed for our lab-infected samples. This will help us validate and refine our lab model so it can be used in antifungal and drug delivery research. Ultimately, this work will support the development of more effective topical treatments for fungal nail infections.
REC name
South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/SW/0080
Date of REC Opinion
1 Jul 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion