Skin injuries are challenging, not only because they cause pain, but also because they are psychologically taxing. Doctoral student Sallam Abdallah aims to understand the wound healing process using stem cell-based therapy. Now, she receives 50,000 SEK from the VFN program to continue her research.
Sallam Abdallah obtained her master’s degree in biology from The Hashemite University in Jordan. She then worked as a research assistant in the Human Genetics and Stem Cell group at the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, before beginning her doctoral studies in 2021 at Linköping University.
Why did you choose this area?
– The ability of stem cells to develop into different cell types can help unveil the mysteries of regeneration and repair in the human body. I am extremely excited about this project because my scientific research interests lie within stem cells and translational research.
– Linköping University is a highly active research and educational environment, with a worldwide reputation and great potential. I am impressed by the close collaboration between the university and the university hospital, where our research findings extend beyond the boundaries of research labs and scientific papers and are applied clinically.
Tell us about your research?
– Stem cells extracted from adipose tissue can be transformed into various cell types. This means they can be highly beneficial in the wound healing process.
– Investigating the effect of epigenetic modifications on adipose-derived stem cells in combination with three-dimensional structure will help us overcome the obstacles in the treatment of skin diseases and around wound healing and burns.
What will you use the money for?
– We want to build a portal where knowledge is translated into real applications. Through multidisciplinary research, we bring together academia, industry, and healthcare.
– Additionally, we will explore the possibility of integrating commonly used biomaterials for clinical dressings with our intervention, which could significantly improve the healing process.
What needs in healthcare does your research address, and what is the benefit for patients?
– We aim to reduce the risk of patients experiencing complications during the healing process. Thus, we hope that the need for long stays in healthcare facilities will decrease significantly.
– Surgeons and nurses who currently spend a lot of time and effort on surgical therapy and skin grafts will also benefit from our results. Moreover, our work may have socio-economic benefits, as the costs of treating difficult wounds are predicted to decrease.
Footnote: VFN stands for Verification for Utilization and is a program at Linköping University for activities that contribute to research results creating value. East Sweden Medtech funds four of the VFN projects.