Skin Substitutes for Burns: New Hope
- Australian researchers are exploring new methods to treat severe burns, which remain a important global health challenge.
- Their research emphasizes combating infection and boosting tissue regeneration following severe burns.
- Dr.Zlatko Kopecki, a Research Fellow at UniSA's Future Industries Institute, stressed the need for innovation.
Australian researchers are at the forefront of revolutionizing burn treatment. Discover how advanced dermal substitutes offer new hope for burn survivors by promoting faster tissue regeneration adn combating infections. This groundbreaking research focuses on developing innovative skin grafts with antimicrobial protection, moving away from conventional methods. Innovations like Kerecis, a fish skin graft, and NovoSorb BTM, a synthetic matrix, show immense promise in reducing complications and improving patient outcomes. These new advancements are crucial, considering the rise of antibiotic-resistant infections worldwide. News Directory 3 highlights the critical need for technologies that aid complete skin function restoration and scarless healing.
Discover what’s next in the field of burn treatment.
Australian Researchers Pioneer New Burn Treatment Advances
Updated June 18, 2025
Australian researchers are exploring new methods to treat severe burns, which remain a important global health challenge. teams from the University of South Australia (UniSA), the University of Adelaide, and the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) are focusing on advanced dermal substitutes to improve patient outcomes.
Their research emphasizes combating infection and boosting tissue regeneration following severe burns. Customary skin grafting often falls short, leading to extended hospital stays and high costs, according to the researchers.
Dr.Zlatko Kopecki, a Research Fellow at UniSA’s Future Industries Institute, stressed the need for innovation. “Infections are a major cause of complications and mortality in burn patients,” Kopecki said. “We must innovate beyond conventional methods and develop therapies that regenerate tissue while actively preventing infections.”
Each year, about 2,423 Australians are hospitalized with burn injuries, with 74% requiring surgery, including skin grafts. Globally, burns cause 180,000 deaths and 10 million hospitalizations annually, costing healthcare systems $112 billion.
The review highlights the need for antimicrobial protection in skin graft substitutes, given the vulnerability of burn wounds to infection. Emerging technologies like Kerecis, a fish skin graft with antimicrobial properties, and NovoSorb BTM, a synthetic matrix resisting bacterial colonization, show promise.
Kerecis, derived from Atlantic cod, retains omega-3 fatty acids that promote wound healing. NovoSorb BTM’s polyurethane matrix provides structural support in infected wounds, aiding tissue regeneration.
“These materials demonstrate a shift towards multifunctional therapies that combine structural support with infection resistance,” said Dr.Bronwyn Dearman, Principal Medical Scientist at the RAH’s Skin Engineering laboratory and Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Adelaide.
Dearman added that such innovations are crucial as antibiotic-resistant infections increase worldwide.
The research suggests integrating antimicrobial agents into 3D dermal scaffolds to support cell growth, reducing reliance on antibiotics and temporary dressings. The ultimate goal is scarless healing, achieved by combining biomaterials with cell-based therapies to fully restore skin function.
What’s next
Future research will focus on integrating antimicrobial agents directly into dermal scaffolds to promote cell growth and minimize reliance on antibiotics, aiming for scarless healing and complete skin regeneration for burn survivors.