Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Skin Tissue INTegrity under Shear

Project description

Research training network on mechanisms of skin damage under shear forces

The mechanical and biological properties of human skin may be affected in persons immobilised on a bed or in a wheelchair, in amputees wearing a prosthesis, or in cases where medical devices are attached to the skin. These situations can result in pressure ulcers, particularly in the elderly and in diabetics. Moreover, the skin is sensitive to the various personal care products used in daily life, resulting in various forms of irritation. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the STINTS project will create a network of highly specialised researchers who will investigate the biomechanical and biochemical events leading to loss of skin integrity during skin exposure to prolonged pressure and shear forces. The aim is to minimise the significant impacts of debilitating skin conditions such as pressure ulcers on healthcare systems and patients’ quality of life.

Objective

The mechanical, chemical and biological properties of human skin may be challenged when in contact with another surface e.g. immobilized persons supported on a bed or in a wheelchair, amputees wearing a prosthesis, and individuals with orthoses or functional medical devices attached to the skin. This can result pressure ulcers, particularly in the elderly and those with comorbidities such as diabetes. Skin condition is also critical during interactions with personal care products such as creams, shavers, grooming devices, therapeutic lamps or massage equipment, which can result in various forms of irritation. The main scientific aim of STINTS is to understand the complex biomechanical and biochemical pathways leading to loss of skin integrity, following the exposure of the skin to prolonged pressure and shear forces that ultimately result in damage at the cellular level. The objective is to reduce the huge societal and financial costs of pressure ulcers by improving (a) the design of more effective preventative aids (mattresses, shoe insoles, incontinence products etc.), (b) early stage diagnosis (non-invasive biomarkers and sensors, and smart materials) and (c) ultrasound therapy. The new understanding of skin behaviour will also be exploited by application to personal care products (razors that cause minimal skin irritation and skin creams with more efficacious skin hydration and barrier properties). These objectives will be achieved by the deployment of experts in multi-scale computer simulation, experimental cellular and tissue biomechanics, biophysical monitoring, sensor design, medical devices and materials, and clinical studies. STINTS will create an ambitious environment of supradisciplinary inter-sectoral research training for early stage researchers that combines the needs for the creative skills of academic and industrial researchers, the entrepreneurial drive of the private sector and clinical innovation.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MSCA-ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN)

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-ITN-2018

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 303 172,56
Address
Edgbaston
B15 2TT Birmingham
United Kingdom

See on map

Region
West Midlands (England) West Midlands Birmingham
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 303 172,56

Participants (7)

Partners (8)

My booklet 0 0