Emerging evidence suggests that the skin microbiome plays an active role in regulating wound healing.
We hypothesise that the wound microbiome influences the healing outcomes - it could accelerate or delay wound healing in adults and children.
The research aims to improve our ability to understand skin diseases by using new molecular tools. Better understanding of the skin microbiome will in the future help improve antibiotic prescribing, minimise antibiotic resistance and better assess the effect of probiotics.
We apply next generation sequencing and laboratory in vitro model techniques to decipher the role of skin microbiome in wound healing and tissue repair particularly but not limited to burn injury. Skin commensals activate host pathways and influence inflammation, proliferation of keratinocytes and support epithelial regeneration, yet their potential in wound healing is underexplored.
Burn injuries remain a significant and increasing health burden in Australia and worldwide. While survival rates have significantly improved, healing outcomes remain unpredictable and challenging for clinicians. Many patients experience poor healing outcomes, mobility issues, scarring and life-long complications. Particularly, in young children their scars do not stretch as they grow, potentially requiring ongoing surgery, placing a lifelong burden on families and health systems.
Despite advances in burn care, clinicians cannot yet predict which patients will heal well nor do we fully understand the biological processes driving burn wound healing. It is crucial to understand why some patients heal poorly. By studying the missing link between skin microbiome and wound healing, our study aims to develop early risk stratification tools and microbiome-based interventions to improve healing outcomes in burn patients and other chronic wounds.
Skin Microbiome Network
The Skin Microbiome Network is a collaboration of leading researchers and clinicians who meet regularly to share knowledge, develop partnerships and drive innovation in understanding how the skin microbiome impacts health and disease.
If you are interested in finding out more, please contact the co-chairs Professor Asha Bowen or Dr Huda Ghori.
Funders
The Skin Microbiome Project is funded by the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccinations and Infectious Diseases and the Western Australia Future Health Research and Innovation Fund through the WA Department of Health.
