Mr Jacob Jones1, Dr Shiva Akbarzadeh1,2, Dr  Cheng Lo1,2

1Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne , Australia, 2Burns Unit, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia

Abstract:

The current gold standard treatment for full thickness burns is split-thickness skin grafting, however, this is not applicable to patients with burn injuries greater the 40% total body surface area as donor skin availability is reduced. Bioengineered skin substitutes are an emerging field for the treatment of deep tissue injuries, such as burns, that restore both dermal and epidermal tissues acting as an alternative for stable wound repair. Although, there is currently no commercially available product that mimics the structure and function of native skin in its entirety. A tissue engineered skin substitute with cultured keratinocytes and BTM biopolymer scaffold has been tested in pigs by others and  demonstrated to be safe and efficacious, it was however, difficult to trace cultured keratinocytes responsible for wound repair post grafting. Moreover, the BTM porosity did not allow for native skin architecture

This study aims to develop a novel skin substitute to be tested in pigs for full thickness wound repair through (i) the isolation and expansion of pig juvenile keratinocytes and fibroblasts, (ii) bromodeoxyuridine labelling of pig juvenile keratinocytes and (iii) the development of a 3D pig skin equivalent using a novel platelet-derived hydrogel. The graftability of this construct will be tested in future.

DEARMAN, B. L., STEFANI, K. E., LI, A. & GREENWOOD, J. 2013. “Take” of a Polymer-Based Autologous Cultured Composite “Skin” on an Integrated Temporizing Dermal Matrix: Proof of Concept. Journal of Burn Care & Research, 34, 151-160.

SHEVCHENKO, R. V., JAMES, S. L. & JAMES, S. E. 2010. A review of tissue-engineered skin bioconstructs available for skin reconstruction. Journal of the Royal Society, Interface, 7, 229-258.

THOURANI, V. H., INGRAM, W. L. & FELICIANO, D. V. 2003. Factors affecting success of split-thickness skin grafts in the modern burn unit. J Trauma, 54, 562-8.


Biography:

I am currently enrolled in a Master of Biomedical and Health Sciences. After successfully completing a bachelor degree in Biomedical Sciences at The University of Western Australia. I look to further develop my understanding of biomedical research and my passion for medical discovery using research techniques exisiting and emerging.