The current gold standard for treating large wounds such as burns is transplantation of split-thickness skin grafts (STSGs). This method relies on the transfer of skin from a donor site on the patient to cover the wound. Improvements to the STSG method include meshing and micrografting, which both rely on complicated surgical techniques. Unfortunately, they result in poor functional and esthetic outcome and the creation of a wound at the donor site.
The introduction of cultured epidermal autografts (CEAs) by Rheinwald and Green in 1975 partly circumvented some of the main limitations of STSGs. Initial protocols had several drawbacks, including complexity, long duration of cell expansion and in vitro epithelialization, and the focus on the epidermis alone – leaving the dermis of the patient to heal by scar formation.
Strategies for tissue engineering of skin have been developed, but constructs that convincingly recapitulate the qualities of native skin have not yet been demonstrated. In large part, this is due to the limitations of environmental control and a lack of understanding of the regenerative capacities of skin constituents.
The overarching aim of this project family is to develop a novel comprehensive method for transplantation of skin. The method is based around foundational technology that we have already shown to be useable for its intended purpose: porous gelatin microcarriers (PGM) as a vehicle for transplanting cells in a clinically relevant setting. Multiple tissue engineering research avenues, rooted in previous experience, are then synergized to maximize the opportunity for positive outcomes. The projects aim at evolving the methodology by leveraging cutting edge biofabrication techniques to generate new treatment methods. The proposed methodology will be developed from the laboratory to the clinic, with the ambition to improve the treatment of burns and other large wounds.
