{"id":2347,"date":"2026-06-18T11:13:27","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T09:13:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.sem-webagentur.de\/usz\/projekt\/healthy-skin-for-burn-victims\/"},"modified":"2026-09-23T14:13:03","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T12:13:03","slug":"healthy-skin-for-burn-victims","status":"publish","type":"projekt","link":"https:\/\/usz-foundation.com\/en\/projekt\/healthy-skin-for-burn-victims\/","title":{"rendered":"Healthy Skin for Burn Victims"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

New Skin from the Lab<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Importance of the skin barrier<\/strong>
Severe burns involving extensive skin loss are among the most critical medical emergencies. Rapid restoration of the skin barrier is vital for survival, as open wounds serve as a gateway for life-threatening infections and blood poisoning (sepsis).<\/p>

Extensive burns: A challenge<\/strong>
When burns cover more than 30 percent of the body\u2019s surface, doctors reach their limits: Patients lack enough healthy skin for a graft. To date, there is no established standard treatment for these critical cases. That is why the team led by Bong-Sung Kim from the Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery at the USZ wants to explore new approaches.<\/p>

Skin from the patient\u2019s own body\u2014grown in the lab<\/strong>
In the future, the research team plans to grow thin layers of skin cells, known as keratinocyte sheets, in the lab to cover wounds. Only the patient\u2019s own cells are used for this purpose, which is why the body does not reject the new skin. Furthermore, this approach eliminates the need for high-risk animal-derived components. The method developed by Bong-Sung Kim\u2019s team also allows the skin cells to grow faster and last longer\u2014a time-saving advantage that can save lives.<\/p>

The next step: Human trials<\/strong>
The project has already reached important milestones and is on the verge of clinical trials (Phase 1 study). These trials will demonstrate safety and tolerability in humans for the first time. By providing earlier, safe wound coverage, the risk of serious complications is expected to be reduced and the chances of survival significantly improved.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Customized Project Partnerships<\/strong>Every foundation has unique priorities. Together with you, we develop a customized project partnership that best reflects your mission. We identify suitable initiatives at the USZ that align with your funding goals and maximize impact. In this way, your foundation makes an important contribution to solutions for the healthcare of tomorrow and helps to tangibly improve patients\u2019 quality of life. <\/p>

‘s Strategic Projects: <\/strong> Our strategic projects are shaping the future of medicine. These forward-looking initiatives have the potential to improve patients’ quality of life in the long term and directly contribute to advancing the USZ’s strategy. A panel of high-caliber experts reviews the selections and ensures the highest quality and a strategic focus for the funding.<\/p>

Thematic Funds<\/strong>: Make a targeted contribution to a medical specialty that is important to you. Whether it\u2019s cancer research, neurology, or cardiovascular medicine\u2014with a thematic fund, your contributions go directly to innovative projects and research initiatives in the area of your choice. We ensure that your funds are used for their intended purpose and provide you with transparent updates on the progress made. <\/p>

Sub-Foundation<\/strong> Would you like to achieve your philanthropic goals efficiently and over the long term? A sub-foundation is the ideal solution. Under the umbrella of the USZ Foundation, you can support the medicine of the future and focus entirely on your charitable causes at the University Hospital of Zurich. You define your foundation\u2019s purpose yourself, in line with our overarching mission. We handle the professional administrative management and contribute our many years of expertise. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Contact<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t