Dr Sofia Ferreira awarded LEO Foundation grant to advance wound healing research

Significant skin damage, for example from burns, trauma or major surgeries can often lead to poor wound healing and skin fibrosis. This is where the body repairs the wound with dense, non-functional connective tissue, instead of healthy, elastic tissue. This scarring process can result in permanent loss of function and, in severe cases, debilitating skin pathologies that restrict movement and prevent full reintegration into society after injury.

A unique source of inspiration for Dr Ferreira’s team is the spiny mouse - the only known mammal capable of regenerating skin wounds completely, with minimal scarring.

Dr Ferreira’s group will study how different types of skin cells in the spiny mouse contribute to fibrosis-free healing, aiming to uncover mechanisms that could one day be harnessed to promote scarless wound repair in people. In particular, they will explore ways to enhance human skin cell migration, proliferation, and plasticity. 

The LEO Foundation Serendipity Grant supports novel and unexpected scientific discoveries and has been awarded to Dr Ferreira, together with Professors Fiona Wood and the late Mark Fear at the University of Western Australia. This work will build on the lab’s previous LEO Foundation grant of £463,000 awarded in 2024.