VIT researching use of polymer in skin transplant, says Chancellor Viswanathan

Presiding over the inauguration of the International Conference on Advanced Polymers for Science and Technology (APST-2016) organised by the University here, he said researches were carried out at the Universities in US and some European countries. 

It may be recalled that a process for inducing regeneration in skin was invented by Dr Ioannis V Yannas (then Assistant Professor in the Fibers and Polymers Division, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge MA) and Dr John F Burke (then Chief of Staff, Shriners Burns Institute, Boston MA). 

The material, a silicone-based polymer that could be applied on the skin as a thin, imperceptible coating, mimics the mechanical and elastic properties of healthy, youthful skin. 

In tests with human subjects, the researchers found that the material was able to reshape eye bags under the lower eyelids and also enhance skin hydration. This type of “second skin” could also be adapted to provide long-lasting ultraviolet protection, the researchers say. 

Scientists worldwide are working on engineering different medications into the polymer coating so that it could deliver drugs directly to patient’s skin without being washed off. Like treating eczema where the medicine needs to be trapped on the area to treat it. Viswanathan said India was in the third place in the manufacture of polymer products, next to US and China. 

“It is expected that the need of polymer products in India would reach 20 million tonnes during 2020,” he added. Inaugurating the conference, Dr KN Ganesh Director, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, (IISER) Pune, said there was significant growth in production of Polymer textile industry. 

Pointing out that research works were done in IITs and IISc, in this field he said “Graduation programme and research studies on polymer, initiated by IISER has been extended to the IISER institutes at Thiruvananthapuram, Mohali and Tirupati too.”