The University of Hull is establishing a £48m internationally leading translational wound research centre in East Yorkshire.
With a consortium of industry partners, the Wound Innovation Centre (WIC) will be at the forefront of global wound research. Research carried out at the centre will transform the quality of life for those impacted by chronic wounds.
The University has been awarded £16m from the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund. The centre will be match funded by industry partners including Polaroid Therapeutics (PTx) and Reckitt, creating a £48m research facility in East Yorkshire.
Currently the NHS spends approximately £8.3 billion per year on wound care, more than both obesity and cancer. There is a real and increasing need for effective wound care treatment, regionally, nationally and globally.
The WIC will bring together academics, clinical researchers and industry to increase understanding of and develop new approaches for the treatment of chronic wounds.
It will provide a unique environment in which world-leading teams can undertake discovery research and translate this into innovative wound care treatments, delivering direct improvements to local, national and global health and wellbeing. The new centre will act as a national hub for skin and wound research, catalysing new discoveries in this important but often overlooked area.
Mat Hardman, Professor of Wound Healing at Hull York Medical School and Director of the new centre, said: “Our new centre will drive world-leading discovery and applied research to transform the prevention and treatment of chronic wounds. It builds upon fundamental wound research within Hull York Medical School and the University of Hull across skin health, chronic wounds and wound healing, including and in partnership with industry and the NHS. This investment in state-of-the-art facilities and equipment will provide an environment where the next generation of researchers address major unanswered questions, delivering life changing solutions for patients who suffer with chronic wounds.
“It will act as a national hub for wound research, bringing together University and industry expertise. This means the centre will be ideally placed to rapidly translate pioneering wound research into real-world applications. This will be unique in the UK, creating an environment to foster future national and international funding bids, and drive innovation in wound treatment, an area which is too often overlooked.
“Current treatments for wounds are woefully inadequate – and we now have an opportunity to change this. By combining our remarkable expertise in wounds with our strategic partners we will help transform the quality of life for people around the world struggling with wounds daily.”
The centre will be located on the University of Hull’s campus, in East Yorkshire and will be complimented by extensive refurbishment at Castle Hill Hospital (part of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust), to provide world-class clinical facilities for early stage wound treatment studies.
Professor Dave Petley, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Hull, said: “This centre will enable a step-change in world-leading discovery research and innovation. It demonstrates the shared commitment of the University of Hull, including Hull York Medical School, PTx, Reckitt and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to delivering world-class research and innovation to improve the health and wellbeing of patients, carers and their families.”
Ran Frenkel, CEO and Co-Founder of PTx said: “We are excited to further strengthen our collaboration with Professor Hardman and his exceptional team in establishing the Wound Innovation Centre. This pioneering facility represents a seamless integration of cutting-edge wound care research and real-world applications. By bridging the gap between Polaroid Therapeutics’ innovations and pressing clinical needs, we aim to accelerate the development of new therapies—especially in tackling challenges such as antimicrobial resistance and chronic wounds. The Centre will serve as a crucial hub for expediting breakthrough treatments, providing invaluable support not only to startups but also to established companies working at the forefront of global wound care research.”
Bruce Charlesworth, Chief Medical Officer for Reckitt said: “Partnering with academic institutions is a core part of strategy for Reckitt, and we are extremely proud of our longstanding relationship with Hull, which began when the University was founded. This latest partnership to further our understanding of skin health is relevant to several of our global brands, such as Dettol and Veet. Wound healing, skin irritation and disinfection are all critical areas of research which will be enhanced through this collaboration.”
Amanda Stanford, Acting Group Chief Executive for NHS Humber Health Partnership said: “As a major provider of wound care to thousands of people across the region each year, it’s exciting to be at the forefront of a partnership which has so much potential. Hull Hospitals already have a strong national and international track record where research and development are concerned, so the opportunity to work collaboratively in this important field of healthcare research is one we just had to be a part of. In the longer term, the new Centre for Translational Wound Research not only has the potential to deliver financial savings but, crucially, to improve the quality of care and speed with which wounds are treated too. Such an innovative journey towards an improved patient experience is one that we’re now thrilled to be a part of.”
The University of Hull has a proven track record in health research – from scientific discovery, through to clinical and applied health research. This latest announcement, together with other initiatives such as the launch of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Research, the Wolfson Advanced Imaging Centre and the Medical School’s Skin Research Centre, shows that the University is at the forefront of initiatives to improve health – positioning our region as an internationally important hub for health research and innovation.