Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1307-622X
Date of Award
Spring 6-14-2025
Document Type
Thesis (Master's)
Department or Program
Engineering Sciences
First Advisor
Dr. Katherine Hixon
Abstract
Current standard-of-care for large skin defects involves autologous grafting of skin from another site on the patient’s body. This then leaves the patient with multiple sites of surgery and, while this method achieves closure and restores barrier function, scar tissue formation can result in contracture along with loss of appropriate function and appearance. This may result in patient disfigurement secondary to poor restoration of native color, texture, and mechanical properties of the newly “healed” skin at both the donor and recipient graft sites.
Tissue engineered skin substitutes (TESSs) have been explored as an alternative to skin grafting, providing a method to augment wound healing and minimize scarring. Various cell-free and cellularized TESSs have been studied in the literature; however, none have utilized a composite, bilayered electrospun/hydrogel construct with patient-derived cells to achieve accurate pigmentation that is consistent with native patient tissue.
The research described in this thesis works toward addressing this clinical need. Here we present:
1. Characterization and biocompatibility assessment of a bilayered construct
2. Isolation of patient-derived melanocytes, keratinocytes, and fibroblasts
3. Construction of a preliminary cell-seeded, bilayered TESS model that demonstrates proof-of-concept for a pigmented, patient-derived TESS
Ongoing work is directed towards utilizing this model to seed patient-derived epidermal (keratinocytes and melanocytes) and dermal (fibroblasts) cells within the bilayered construct to recapitulate the patient’s native pigmentation and texture, providing an alternative to tissue grafting.
Recommended Citation
Durant, Jewelia A., "A Pigment-Inclusive, Bilayered, Tissue-Engineered Skin Substitute as a Model for Autologous Skin Grafting" (2025). Dartmouth College Master’s Theses. 219.
https://digitalcommons.dartmouth.edu/masters_theses/219
