From Vision to Reality: How Raine Funding Helped Spark a Global Innovation

 

In 1991, Fiona Wood had a bold idea: what if science and technology could transform the way we treat burns - not just to save lives, but to restore dignity and reduce scarring? At the time, Fiona was already pioneering the use of cultured epithelial autografts (CEA) - skin grown in the lab from a patient's own cells - to heal severe burns. But she wanted to go further. Her vision was to combine cutting-edge medical visualisation with advanced cell culture techniques to improve wound healing and scar quality.

 

In 1996, the Raine Medical Research Foundation believed in that vision. With a three-year grant, Fiona and her team set out to tackle two enormous challenges:

Accurate assessm

ent of burn injuries – Using robotics and computer science, they aimed to create 3D imaging systems to measure burn depth and track healing over time.

Improving graft success – By studying cell adhesion molecules and antifibrinolytic therapy, they worked to make cultured skin grafts stronger and more reliable.

It was ambitious, multidisciplinary work - bringing together surgeons, computer scientists, and medical researchers. And it paid off. This early research laid the foundation for what became one of the most revolutionary advances in burn care: "spray-on skin" technology, now used worldwide to treat burns and save lives.

 

Reflecting on that pivotal moment, Fiona says:

"Right in the very beginning, it was the Raine Foundation that gave us an opportunity to start. Having that opportunity was extraordinarily important - when you've got an idea, how do you get it to the next stage? Well, the Raine Foundation was there for us."

Today, Professor Fiona Wood AO is celebrated globally - not only for her innovation but for her unwavering commitment to patients and science. She has transformed burn care, influenced surgical practice, and inspired countless researchers. Her story reminds us why funding early-stage ideas matters: because behind every breakthrough is someone brave enough to imagine it.

 

If you would like to support the Raine Medical Research Foundation, visit www.rainefoundation.org.au.