Research

We fund research into the key challenges of post-burn problems in children. Our aim is to help discover groundbreaking solutions for treating burn wounds and preventing adverse outcomes from burns.

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Burns care has progressed significantly since the Second World War. In the 1950s, burn injuries covering more than one-third of the body were often fatal. Since then, advances in critical care, anaesthesia, nutrition, and skin grafting have greatly improved survival rates for burn-injured patients. However, the psychological and physical consequences of burn injuries remain significant challenges for survivors.

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The Children’s Burns Foundation works closely with the University of Manchester and other academic institutions to support clinicians and scientists in their efforts to reduce the psychological and physical burden of burn injuries.

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To date, we have provided grants to the burns research laboratory at the University of Manchester for essential equipment and materials. These have enabled researchers to investigate the genetic basis of changes in scar colour—a problem that can cause significant psychological distress for burn survivors.

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A recent grant from the Children’s Burns Foundation helped researchers discover that wounds caused by different mechanisms, such as knife injuries or burns from hot objects, heal differently. This means the processes that control burn scarring are distinct from other types of scarring and require targeted research to improve outcomes. Researchers are also exploring the genetic factors involved in changes in scar colour following burn injuries.

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Over the next three years, we are committed to investing over £30,000 in research aimed at improving the healing of burn-injured skin.