Disturbances of wound healing and chronic wounds still pose a severe problem for medicine and affected patients. Furthermore, soft tissue defects that can for example arise after acute traumatic wounds or tumour surgery are a considerable challenge for the involved clinical disciplines.
The group around Rainer Mittermayr researches multiple aspects of the wound healing pathophysiology and develops innovative therapeutic strategies. Thereby, the use of specific wound dressings or advanced growth factor therapies as well as stem cells is examined. Another part focuses on testing the biocompatibility and behaviour of various materials based on implantations. This is done with and without cells or growth factors as well as by physical means. Specific research focus is put on:
- Development of new experimental models to examine various aspects of pathological wound healing (e.g. ischemia)
- Chronic wounds of different entity (e.g. on diabetic background)
- Application of growth factors and cytokines (free or bound to scaffolds) or cell therapeutic approaches to chronic wounds to influence the healing cascade
- Examination of physical alternatives to support the healing of the soft tissue
Special emphasis is put on the research of non-invasive physical techniques that should positively influence wound healing. This includes for example extracorporeal shock wave treatment which leads to an activation of endogenous regenerative power. A positive impact on the recruitment of stem cells to the location of the wound could be observed. Another method is low level light therapy, where light is used to accelerate the healing process and to improve the blood flow in the tissue.
Selected Publications
Hacker S, Mittermayr R, Nickl S, Haider T, Lebherz-Eichinger D, Beer L, Mitterbauer A, Leiss H, Zimmermann M, Schweiger T, Keibl C, Hofbauer H, Gabriel C, Pavone-Gyöngyösi M, Redl H, Tschachler E, Mildner M & Ankersmit HJ (2016). Paracrine Factors from Irradiated Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Improve Skin Regeneration and Angiogenesis in a Porcine Burn Model. Sci Rep, 6:25168.
(free PDF)
Weihs AM, Fuchs C, Teuschl AH, Hartinger J, Slezak P, Mittermayr R, Redl H, Junger WG, Sitte HH & Rünzler D (2014). Shock wave treatment enhances cell proliferation and improves wound healing by ATP release-coupled extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation. J Biol Chem, 289(39):27090-27104.
(free PDF)