ABSTRACT OF RESEARCH BEING UNDERTAKEN

This is a research project that addresses the significant problem of wound healing in EB. The central element involves engineering “smart templates” that guide the regenerative response of wounded tissue. The “smart template” will be capable of sensing the environment that it is in and take necessary actions. This will have direct applications in wound healing and broader implications in tissue engineering.

The rationale that drives this project is based on an understanding of the body’s natural processes and incorporates the use of natural biodegradable materials and the signals that the human body deciphers. Hence, the goal of this work is to provide, as part of the skin substitute, a dermal rudiment that is capable of directing true skin regeneration and to treat patients with debilitating wounds, such as those in RDEB.

It is hoped that this work will lead to clinical trials for the treatment of wounds and further investigative work in tissue engineering.