“This is the most life-like skin model that’s been developed anywhere in the world and will allow us to study diseases and test treatments more accurately,” Shafiee said.
The skin model, developed over six years, could revolutionise skin graft transplants, wound healing, and the study of skin disorders, according to Dr Shafiee.
“Until now, scientists have been limited in how we study skin diseases and develop new therapies. But with a skin model like this, that closely mimics real human skin, we will be able to study diseases more closely, test treatments and develop new therapies more effectively,” he said.According to Dr Shafiee, recent advancements in stem cell research have enabled scientists to create 3D skin lab models by taking human skin cells. Describing the process, he said human skin cells were reprogrammed into stem cells, which “can be turned into any type of cell in the body.”
“We placed these stem cells into petri dishes and grew them into mini versions of skin, called skin organoids. We then used the same stem cells to create tiny blood vessels and added these to the growing skin. It developed just like natural human skin, with layers, hair follicles, pigmentation, appendage patterning, nerves, and most importantly, its own blood supply,” he said.
Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani noted that the engineered skin could improve skin graft transplants and treatments for inflammatory skin disorders like psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and scleroderma.
He added that skin grafts are used for treating major wounds and burns, but ‘their effectiveness can be limited, and the risk of infection is high.’
“This skin model will enable us to further progress those treatments, along with wound healing, regenerative medicine and precision dermatology. Skin disorders can be difficult to treat, and it’s a real breakthrough to be able to provide hope for people living with chronic conditions,” he added.
