Mr Thomas Jovic

Interim Update

Exploring 3D-Printed Skin Grafts with Hyaluronic Acid

Mr Thomas Jovic, a clinical academic in plastic surgery, is leading a promising study at Swansea University to improve treatment options for people with severe burns and other soft tissue injuries. His work is supported by our most recent £10,000 Pump Prime Award from the BMRF.

This research builds on earlier success with 3D-printed cartilage and now takes on a much greater challenge: 3D-printing skin.

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Why is skin so hard to 3D print?

Unlike cartilage, which is relatively simple in structure, skin is made up of multiple layers - each with different cell types and functions - and it requires a blood supply to survive. Successfully 3D-printing skin means replicating not just these layers, but also the complex environment that allows skin cells to grow, heal, and integrate into the body. Thanks to recent advances in technology, this goal is now within reach.

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What is hyaluronic acid, and why use it?

The team is exploring hyaluronic acid (HA), a substance found naturally in the body, as a potential “bio-ink” - a printable material that can support the growth of new tissue. So far, the researchers have successfully refined HA and used it to print simple sheets and grids. This is a major step forward, as HA has historically been a difficult material to 3D print on its own.

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Why does this matter for burns patients?

For patients with extensive burns, traditional skin grafts often aren't possible because there simply isn't enough healthy skin left to use. This research could offer a new solution: using a small sample of a patient’s own skin to grow larger grafts on a 3D-printed HA scaffold. This approach has the potential to improve healing and reduce complications.

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What’s next?

The project is on track. Over the next year, the team will begin testing the HA scaffolds with clinical skin samples to see how well they support early cell growth - a crucial step towards creating usable grafts in the future.