I-Corps: Translational Potential of a Vascularized Shelf-Stable Skin Scaffold for Complex Wound Healing

This I-Corps project focuses on the development of a novel, shelf-stable skin scaffold designed to accelerate healing in complex wounds. Such wounds include injuries that occur in inflamed or infected tissue environments, such as diabetic ulcers, radiation burns, traumatic injuries, and chronic wounds. Current treatment options often fail in these settings due to poor vascular integration, high infection risk, and limited durability. This scaffold is intended to reduce hospitalizations, enhance healing outcomes, and decrease long-term healthcare costs. Designed for rapid deployment and storage without refrigeration, the solution has the potential to improve wound care in civilian, military, and resource-limited environments. This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with a first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of the technology. This technology is based on the development of a pre-vascularized, acellular dermal scaffold fabricated using three-dimensional bioprinting and supercritical carbon dioxide decellularization. The construct incorporates perfusable microvascular networks and retains native extracellular matrix components to support host integration. The solution is designed to enable rapid vascularization, modulate immune response, and provide mechanical robustness in compromised tissue. By eliminating cold-chain requirements and enabling off-the-shelf usability, the scaffold represents a scalable platform for next-generation wound healing applications in clinical, trauma, and austere care settings. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.