Home Our Research Planned Therapies Healing burns: skin, scar Burn healing and skin projects

 RCCC Treatment of Burns and Inflammation,
Healing without Scarring, Skin Replacement Projects


Clinical Challenges Project Proposed Therapies
Burn inflammation and injury extension; Scarring; Wound infection Therapies to limit injury progression, control inflammation, prevent infection, and promote non-scar healing after burns and battle trauma

Intravenous therapy; topical therapies

Scarring Adipose-derived therapies for wound healing, tissue repair and scar management Adipose-derived therapies for accelerating wound healing and minimizing scarring
Skin loss in burn wounds when autografts are not immediately available
Burn repair with skin substitutes cultured from the patient's own cells Permanent, engineered, adjunct to traditional skin grafts for treatment of extensive, deep burns


Therapies to Limit Injury Progression, Control Inflammation, Prevent Infection, and Promote Non-scar Healing After Burns and Battle Trauma

Improved management of burn wounds aims to minimize both the immediate problems associated with burns and the long-term functional impairment, usually caused by scarring. 

The RCCC team is tackling the progression of burn injury – both its severity and its extent – by developing both intravenous and surface wound treatments. The intravenous treatments use combinations of drugs and cells. The surface treatments depend on biomaterials in the form of novel bandages or gels that incorporate drugs known to penetrate the skin.    


Detail of absorbable patch to prevent
burn injury progression

Stony Brook University, Center of Tissue Engineering, Richard Clark, MD

Stony Brook University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Adam Singer, MD

Northwestern University, Wound Healing Research Laboratory, Thomas Mustoe, MD

 

Rutgers, New Jersey Center for Biomaterials, Joachim Kohn, PhD


Polymeric, Antimicrobial Wound Dressing Providing Sustained Release of Iodine


RCCC researchers have created a tunable iodine delivery system in an absorbent wound dressing that releases iodine on demand and does not require frequent dressing changes, resulting in better patient comfort. This wound dressing technology is highly suited to battlefield conditions and the treatment of wounded warfighters. The researchers’ pro­totype product and process is now ready for pilot plant scale-up.





 

 

 



Adipose-Derived Therapies for Wound Healing, Tissue Repair and Scar Management

The working hypothesis of the Katz group is that constructs composed of autologous adi­pose-derived leuko-vascular-stromal cells and human acellular dermal matrix can achieve expedient closure of open wounds while limiting wound contraction and favorably impacting the final aesthetic and functional outcome. The researchers’ objective is to develop a dermal equivalent/replacement that is akin to a full-thickness graft but uses read­ily available adipose tissue as a cell source. By minimizing the need for dermal harvest from the patient, one can minimize donor morbidity and/or lessen the time needed for cell expansion and product manufacture thereby enhancing therapeutic availability. Additionally, by providing a full-thickness dermal equivalent, one can minimize wound contraction and still provide the best possible texture and color match for wound healing and tissue repair.

Adipose-Tissue-derived stem cells
Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Florida, Adam Katz, MD

Wound Healing Research Laboratory, Northwestern University, Director, Thomas Mustoe, MD 



Burn Repair with Skin Substitutes Cultured from the Patient’s Own Cells

Restoration of the body’s largest organ and its first rampart of self-defense, the skin, following extensive blast or burn injury is a limiting step in the wounded warrior’s recovery. Traditional techniques for burn closure rely on grafting portions of remaining skin to other sites. Often there is too little skin remaining for harvest compared with the large area requiring coverage.

To fill this need, the Boyce group has: (1) developed a permanent (autologous) two-layered engineered skin substitute (ESS); and (2) conducted clinical trials demonstrating decreased
need for harvesting remaining skin when using ESS.

Further clinical trials are planned in order to advance the ESS.

Regenicin has formed a strategic alliance with Lonza Group Ltd. for the license and exclusive proprietary technology related to the autologous cultured skin substitute.

ESS success
University of Cincinnati, Departments of Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, Steven Boyce, PhD 

University of Cincinnati, Department of Surgery, Dorothy Supp, PhD 

United States Army Surgical Institute, San Antonio, TX

Lonza Walkersville, Inc., Cell Therapy Division, Kim Warren

Regenicin Inc., Randall McCoy