Translating Academic Research Into Clinical Applications
Learn more about how our UHealth – University of Miami Health System physician-scientists are involved in burn research into healing, recovery, and rehabilitation.
Physician-Scientists
Miami Burn Center physicians are involved in ongoing scientific and clinical research. Three of our burn trauma surgeons are also on the faculty of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine:
Nicholas Namias
General Surgery, Surgical Critical Care
Louis Pizano
General Surgery, Surgical Critical Care
Carl Schulman
General Surgery, Surgical Critical Care
Unique University of Miami Health System Collaboration
Because Jackson Memorial Hospital is an academic medical center, our clinicians have unique opportunities to collaborate on burn research with other University of Miami and Miller School of Medicine faculty members. Miami Burn Center sponsors residents and students who assist with basic research and preclinical projects.
Wide-Ranging Clinical Research
Because we treat more than 600 patients each year, we see a diverse group of patients and treat burns of every level of complexity. We are uniquely positioned to pioneer the most advanced treatments to improve both immediate and long-term healing and recovery for burn patients.
Support Groups
Unique University of Miami Health System Collaboration
Because Jackson Memorial Hospital is an academic medical center, our clinicians have unique opportunities to collaborate on burn research with other University of Miami and Miller School of Medicine faculty members. Miami Burn Center sponsors residents and students who assist with basic research and preclinical projects.
Wide-Ranging Clinical Research
Because we treat more than 600 patients each year, we see a diverse group of patients and treat burns of every level of complexity. We are uniquely positioned to pioneer the most advanced treatments to improve both immediate and long-term healing and recovery for burn patients.
Burn Research Highlights
We focus on creating clinical solutions for patients dealing with challenging burn injuries, which include the following research:
- Laser resurfacing of burn scars to provide increased function, decrease post-recovery itchiness and pain, and improve appearance.
- Warm water circulation by catheter to control core body temperature from the inside and prevent hypothermia, allowing for longer, safer surgeries.
- Using whole-body vibration to help patients increase range of motion and decrease pain during physical therapy.
- Use of topical ointments in a slow, less-intense process to remove nonviable tissue and help prevent infection.
- Designing effective interventions against debilitating depression to treat the psychological issues of burn patients and their families.
- Methods of combating antibiotic resistance.
- New products to promote wound healing and new topical antimicrobial agents to prevent infection and increase patients’ comfort.
- Optimal nutrition to improve burn healing, including calorie intake and components.
- The effects of vitamin C on burn injury resuscitation when added to a patient’s fluid drip within the first 24 hours of treatment – it decreases fluid requirements, acts as an antioxidant, and may decrease the amount of time some patients spend on a mechanical ventilator.
- Use of hypothermia to decrease inflammatory response for burn patients in the operating room. We were the first burn center in the world to use an intravascular cooling device on burn patients while in surgery.
- Stem cell therapies to improve how wounds heal and reduce scar formation and discomfort, as well as to examine stem cell versus skin graft treatments – including one clinical trial sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense.
- Laser and stem cell combination therapies, in collaboration with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery and Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute.
Burn Research Highlights
We focus on creating clinical solutions for patients dealing with challenging burn injuries, which include the following research:
- Laser resurfacing of burn scars to provide increased function, decrease post-recovery itchiness and pain, and improve appearance.
- Warm water circulation by catheter to control core body temperature from the inside and prevent hypothermia, allowing for longer, safer surgeries.
- Using whole-body vibration to help patients increase range of motion and decrease pain during physical therapy.
- Use of topical ointments in a slow, less-intense process to remove nonviable tissue and help prevent infection.
- Designing effective interventions against debilitating depression to treat the psychological issues of burn patients and their families.
- Methods of combating antibiotic resistance.
- New products to promote wound healing and new topical antimicrobial agents to prevent infection and increase patients’ comfort.
- Optimal nutrition to improve burn healing, including calorie intake and components.
- The effects of vitamin C on burn injury resuscitation when added to a patient’s fluid drip within the first 24 hours of treatment – it decreases fluid requirements, acts as an antioxidant, and may decrease the amount of time some patients spend on a mechanical ventilator.
- Use of hypothermia to decrease inflammatory response for burn patients in the operating room. We were the first burn center in the world to use an intravascular cooling device on burn patients while in surgery.
- Stem cell therapies to improve how wounds heal and reduce scar formation and discomfort, as well as to examine stem cell versus skin graft treatments – including one clinical trial sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense.
- Laser and stem cell combination therapies, in collaboration with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery and Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute.