Australia plans living skin replacement for burn victims

AUSTRALIAN scientists are working towards creating a living, full-thickness replacement skin for burns victims and hope to begin animal trials later this year.

Research is under way to reproduce fully-functioning skin for transplant which could transform the lives of those left with serious burn injuries, a spokeswoman for the Sydney Burns Foundation said yesterday.

Burns victims are currently treated with skin grafts – pieces of their own skin taken from unharmed parts of their body – or with small sheets of skin grown in a laboratory using their skin cells.