Previous Elective Recipients

Dr Anam Asad received a BBA/Scar Free Foundation Elective to undertake the project, Investigating hypothermia as a prognostic factor in survivability of individuals suffering from large acute burns: a retrospective review, at Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester.

The project was supervised by Mr Adam Reid.

Research Summary

"Burn injuries are common and are often fatal. Hypothermia commonly occurs in burn victims and studies show this can further increase the risk of death. The aim of our study was to identify any links between hypothermia and risk of death in patients presenting to our regional burns centre with severe burns. We reviewed a large database that included information from all patients who had been admitted to the Burns Centre from January 2015 to December 2020. A total of 317 patients were eligible for the review and we subsequently extracted and analysed the relevant data from these patients. The patients were divided into 3 groups based on their admission temperature: normothermic (>36.0 oC), mildly hypothermic (34.5-35.9 oC) and severely hypothermic (<34.5oC). We found that 67% of those who were severely hypothermic died which was significantly higher than the 15% of those who died in the mildly hypothermic group and the 3% who died in the normothermic group. Our results, therefore, show that burn victims with a lower temperature are at a greater risk of dying compared to those with a normal temperature. Strategies should be developed to try and prevent hypothermia in these individuals hence also reducing the risk of death".

Dr Turkman received a BAPRAS/Scar Free Foundation Elective to undertake the project Assessing the printability of nanocellulose composite bioinks for the 3D printing facial cartilage.

The project was supervised by Mr Tom Jovic at The Scar Free Foundation and Health and Care Research Wales Programme of Regenerative Medicine at Swansea University.

Research Summary

"This research aimed to develop a novel, natural nanocellulose bioink with ideal properties for three[1]dimensional (3D) bio-printing. This bioink was developed with a view to producing tissue-engineered constructs for use in reconstructive facial surgery. Extrusion-based 3D bioprinting is a tool in the field of tissue engineering, that combines material science, 3D printing technology and regenerative medicine. Natural polymers such as alginate (Alg), plant-derived nanocellulose (NC) and hyaluronic acid (HA) offer excellent characteristics for use as bioinks due to their biocompatibility and printability. In addition to this, Tunicate nanocellulose (TC) is an exciting new alternative which has clear advantages over wood-based nanocellulose blends (NCB) due to its very high purity and crystallinity index but is relatively underexplored in the context of tissue engineering. We determined the printability of new bioinks using three structurally different TC variants, and their behaviour post-printing both with and without crosslinking. Additionally, we determined the optimal crosslinking time for alginate-nanocellulose composite bioinks, followed by an assessment of the post-printing shape fidelity. Results showed that the optimal crosslinking time was 10 minutes and post-printing shape fidelity showed two of the three TC variants reduced in size following crosslinking, forming a stiff and stable structure. This promising initial data highlights a potential role for tunicate nanocellulose bioinks in tissue engineering cartilage for facial reconstruction, in particular when combined with alginate and HA. This type of work will contribute to revolutionising the way we reconstruct form and function, whilst negating the complications that accompany tissue grafting."

Dr Wilcox received a BSSH/Scar Free Foundation elective to undertake the project, BANTER – Blood biomarker Assessment of Nerve Trauma and Early Reinnervation, at Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, London.

The project was supervised by Mr Tom Quick.

Research Summary

"In this UCL-led study, researchers have made an important step towards validating a blood test that can detect nerve injury and measure its severity. Nerve injuries often lead to permanent loss of movement and pain leading to significant quality of life impairments for patients. It currently takes too long for nerve injuries to be identified and referred for assessment by clinicians with special expertise in this area who may be able to offer surgery to improve outcome. In many cases, this means many patients suffer worse outcomes than had earlier referral been made. A major reason for this is that swift identification of nerve injuries depends on patients being able to access facilities with expensive imaging and tests which measure the electrical properties of nerves (such as MRI scans and Electromyography). Even if patients are able to access this technology, clinicians often find them difficult to interpret. This project has made an important step towards addressing this issue by developing a cheaper, readily available and objective test which demonstrates the capacity to predict the presence and severity of a nerve injury from a small blood sample”.