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Eliza Atkinson

Eliza Atkinson and Dr. Anja Mueller research Identification of Degradation Products of Biodegradable Hydrogel Skin Scaffolds.

Mentor: Dr. Anja Mueller
Research:  Polymeric Hydrogel Skin Scaffold Degradation Analysis of Varying pH and Temperature

Third-degree burns are difficult to treat and one of the present treatment options is temporary skin scaffolding. While these skin scaffolds provide a structural framework for cells and encourage wound healing, current skin scaffolds are not biodegradable and need to be removed during the healing process leading to scarring. This research project uses a hydrogel skin scaffold composed of a mixture of plant-based polysaccharides in hopes of developing a biodegradable scaffold that mimics the rate of wound healing. In this project, we begin to identify the degradation rate and products of the hydrogel at differing pH and temperature.