In accordance with the College of Pretoria, analysis by a newly graduated PhD candidate has led to the event of a pores and skin alternative product that advances the potential of 3D bioprinted “pure” pores and skin options to conventional grafts. Dr. Hafiza Parkar is a lecturer within the Division of Pharmacology. Her work focuses on secondary intention wounds – resembling burns and ulcers – which can be left open to heal naturally fairly than being stitched.
“Creating superior dermal substitutes that replicate human pores and skin presents a promising resolution for treating secondary intention wounds,” mentioned Dr. Hafiza Parkar. “Present gold-standard remedies, resembling pores and skin grafts, are restricted by donor availability, immune rejection, and affected person comorbidities. Acellular dermal scaffolds (ADS) [cell-free skin-like structures that support healing] provide a promising various, the place decellularization removes cells and immunogenic parts whereas preserving the pores and skin’s pure extracellular matrix, decreasing rejection threat. ADSs are cost-effective, and their structural integrity and flexibility place them as a number one biomaterial for next-generation wound therapies.”
Utilizing novel decellularization methods, the ADS developed in her research demonstrated quicker and more practical therapeutic in animal fashions, each alone and when mixed with platelet-rich plasma. These findings help its potential for treating complicated and power wounds and enabled additional work towards 3D bioprinted ADSs via a transdisciplinary collaboration with UP’s Forensic Anthropology Analysis Centre.
“3D bioprinting permits us to create customizable acellular dermal scaffolds that may be tailor-made to the precise measurement, depth, and nature of every affected person’s wound, and even embody their very own cells,” mentioned Dr. Parkar. “This personalised strategy will improve the efficacy of the remedy and guarantee a greater match, doubtlessly resulting in quicker and extra environment friendly therapeutic, relieving the pressure on each the healthcare system and the affected person.”
