A collaborative research program involving Auburn Engineering and the College of Veterinary Medicine is developing a procedure to heal distal limb wounds in horses through stem cell therapy.

Adequate blood flow to a wound is vital to the healing process. Horses tend to sustain severe cuts and other serious wounds in the distal area – the leg region below the knee and hock. Because the distal area is mostly bone and tendon, it does not contain much muscle to carry blood to the wound to promote healing.

Through the partnership, researchers have developed a promising way toward a feasible wound healing treatment procedure.

“The engineered biomaterials are hydrogels that we are developing in our lab,” said Elizabeth Lipke, the Mary and John H. Sanders associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering. “They protect and hold these cells together to ensure that they reach their target and remain intact in order to form the type of regenerative cell desired.”

The team is analyzing its research data and preparing for next steps. They hope, ultimately, to develop a medical treatment that is commonly available to the equine industry.