Design And Fabrication Of Human Skin Substitute For Medical Research

The substitutes of skin are important to evaluate actual accidents in common life. Skin substitutes are important for clinical use, especially in the management of acute burn injuries and for post burn reconstructions, models for experimental testing for health care device-patient inter-cosmetics.

Project Title

Design And Fabrication Of Human Skin Substitute For Medical Research

Project Area of Specialization

Biomedical Engineering

Project Summary

The substitutes of skin are important to evaluate actual accidents in common life. Skin substitutes are important for clinical use, especially in the management of acute burn injuries and for post burn reconstructions, models for experimental testing for health care device-patient inter-cosmetics.

 Our research is focused on development of such devices that mimics important parameters of friction, deformation behaviour and skin hydration influencing tribological behaviour of human skin. In-vivo model evaluation has many disadvantages such as poor reproduction and differ measurements. There are many skin substitutes available commercially, each of which has been designed with specific purposes and skin characteristics.

Considering the above points, we are focused to develop artificial skin that can be capable of simulating in vivo human skin frictions. Behaviour for both dry and moist skin conditions, and which had mechanical properties within the range expected of human skin. Furthermore the drug delivery of prepared human model will be investigated for continuous drug delivery as model for delivery of drugs.

In order to develop a simulating model of skin, the research is in process  on synthetic materials that could be used as mechanical skin substitute’s among which  silicone elastomers and polyurethanes are the most commonly employed materials. However, A major disadvantage of these materials is that they are hydrophobic and unable to absorb sufficient moisture to effectively simulate skin friction behaviour under varying environmental conditions. Thus water absorbent material to simulate human skin may be required which can perfectly behave similar to human skin.

Project Objectives

The main objective of this project is to prepare human skin model : Thus, the objectives in sequence may include:

• To dissolve polyurethane raw materials for the preparation of human skin model 
• Preparation of synthetic polyurethane based human skin model which may simulates the human skin.
• Evaluation of surface properties of prepared skin model such as wetting absorbency.
• Loading and unloading of drugs with predetermined protocols to confirm drug delivery of synthetic skin model.

Project Implementation Method

We aim to design artificial skin model using polyurethane as core material due to its (properties). With a thorough research on suitable materials, it is preferable to design skin model using its excellent properties. Polyurethane chips are available in market as a raw material, suitable for experimentation. Isocyanate is used to dissolve polyurethane chips and convert it to fine polyurethane product which would be easier to produce even horizontal sheets/layers using moulds so as to simulate the layer model of skin. Different methodologies and testing measures will be applied to obtain the dissolve polyurethane model in the form of skin film substrate. The surface of skin model could be modified in different ratios of substrates so as to meet the similarities with actual skin model up to an extent. The modified skin model would be treated with various soluble drugs along with treatment with different material substrates. Furthermore, detailed characterization of human skin model will be performed using different characterizations such as physical evaluation etc.

Benefits of the Project

Some of the benefits that can be achieved from the implementation of this project research  are as given :

• A better artificial skin model substitute would provide efficient results compared with experimentation on animal skin. The results vary when applied to different skin models and better results are not obtained.
• Animal rights would be ensured as no more animals would be harmed in such research for skin models.  It offers hope for new treatment methods for skin diseases which wouldn't involve the use of animals.
• Transdermal drug delivery method could be easily performed with it and result are expected to be similar with actual human skin model .
• No more risks tests be encountered with human skin  . This model can  be widely used for dermatology tests, cosmetics tests, in-vivo tests ,laboratory tests etc.
• It can also be modified for haptic surgical simulators used in clinical purposed by enhancing its tactile features.

It invites future scopes from multi-dimensions. The future of technology is focused on synthesis of artificial simulants of human body so as to reduce the risk and harm to human beings & animals for test purposes. It also ensures the safety precautions of human & animals rights. The proposed model can also be produced on large scale measures for wider applications.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

At the end of our research, we would become successful in designing  an artificial skin simulant model as a substitute  used for medical research purpose  based on polyurethane substrate. The surface, mechanical & behavioural properties of designed model would be focused to meet the actual skin model using various measurement & evaluation techniques. The model would be a result of modified substrate ratios, soluble drugs and materials. Evaluation parameters between actual and simulant model would be compared through Characterization techniques, Physical testing and drug release through model. 

Final Deliverable of the Project

Hardware System

Core Industry

Medical

Other Industries

Health

Core Technology

Wearables and Implantables

Other Technologies

Sustainable Development Goals

Good Health and Well-Being for People, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Life on Land

Required Resources

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