The US military is backing a new skin-engineering technique for burns victims developed by an Auckland startup.
Scientists at Upside Biotechnologies say that using a 10c coin-sized piece of your skin they can grow enough to cover your entire body – in under a month.
They claim the skin engineering technique – which is yet to be clinically trialled – is faster and safer than other skin culture methods often used to treat badly burned patients, including skin grafts.
A cross-section of Upside’s engineered skin product, PelliCel® with immunohistochemical stains showing the top layer, epidermis in red and the lower, dermal layer in blue. (Supplied) Photo: Supplied
Because the technique is non-invasive and requires minimal supervision, there's a possibility the process could be automated, with self-contained 'skin factories' eventually working away unmonitored.
The US army is backing the technology as a method of treating troops who've been badly burned on the battlefield, away from hospitals and labs.
Vaughan Feisst, Robert Feldman and Rod Dunbar of Upside Biotechnologies Photo: (Supplied)
