Human skin model to understand and prevent chemical skin injuries
Explant human skin perfusion model to study mechanisms of chemical injury and mitigation
Using donated human skin in a laboratory perfusion system, researchers will learn how chemical agents cause skin damage and test ways to reduce injuries for people exposed to vesicants.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11247506 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be told that researchers will use donated human skin samples kept alive in a perfusion bioreactor so the tissue responds similarly to skin in the body. They will expose the tissue to known chemical vesicants (such as nitrogen mustard and arsenic-derived compounds) to observe how cells are damaged and wounds form. The team will try candidate treatments in this model to see which approaches reduce injury. The project also includes setting up specialized lab facilities and training staff to handle toxic agents safely.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates to help this project are adults who can donate discarded surgical skin or consent to provide tissue samples at participating Pittsburgh-area hospitals.
Not a fit: People who cannot provide tissue or who live outside the collection area are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to treatments that reduce skin injury after chemical exposures and guide additions to the national stockpile.
How similar studies have performed: Ex vivo human skin perfusion systems have produced useful results in other skin-injury research, but applying them specifically to chemical vesicants is relatively new and less tested.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ejaz, Asim — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Ejaz, Asim
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.