TNMU and UK Researchers to Develop Innovative Treatments for Combat-Related Burn Injuries
Researchers from I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University have joined forces with colleagues from Keele University (United Kingdom) to carry out an important research project aimed at developing innovative cell-free regenerative therapies for the treatment of severe burn injuries sustained during armed conflict.
Dr. Oksana Kehoe of Keele University has secured international funding for the project, which has the potential to improve the treatment of patients with severe burn injuries. The project was announced on the official Keele University website.
The collaboration is one of 22 projects selected for support under the Seed Funding Programme of the UK–Ukraine Twinning Initiative, coordinated by Cormack Consultancy Group (CCG). The successful projects were chosen from 234 applications submitted by universities and research institutions from Ukraine and around the world.
The project will investigate the effectiveness of cell-free regenerative medicine approaches that could enhance wound healing and support clinicians in making more effective treatment decisions for patients with severe burn injuries.
According to Dr. Oksana Kehoe, the war in Ukraine has made this research particularly urgent and clinically significant.
She noted that Ukrainian hospitals are treating an increasing number of military personnel and civilians with blast-related burn injuries, contaminated wounds, extensive tissue loss, infectious complications, delayed wound healing, and severe scarring.
“These injuries are often accompanied by damage to arteries and veins, fractures, or extensive soft tissue defects, making treatment particularly challenging. There is therefore an urgent need to implement advanced regenerative approaches.”
TNMU’s participation in the UK–Ukraine Twinning Initiative, which has already connected more than 100 Ukrainian and UK higher education institutions, further demonstrates the University’s strong international standing and its commitment to global scientific collaboration.
The outcomes of this research are expected not only to improve survival and rehabilitation outcomes for people injured during the war, but also to establish a strong scientific foundation for treating civilian patients who suffer severe burn injuries in domestic accidents or fires during peacetime.
Through international research partnerships such as this, TNMU continues to strengthen the global integration of Ukrainian medical science and contribute to the advancement of innovative healthcare solutions.