A new research centre specialising in wound healing and tissue repair has been launched this week by RCSI. The Skin Wounds and Trauma (SWaT) Research Centre, led by the RCSI School of Nursing & Midwifery, will have a particular focus on pressure ulcer prevention and management.

Wound management is a significant issue in healthcare. Based on data published by the International Wound Journal and by the European Wound Management Association, almost 5% of the population is affected by a wound at any given time, and up to 6% of healthcare budgets are spent on the management of these often-preventable wounds.

The nurse-led research centre will bridge connections between research training, leadership and healthcare policy development in order that the research outcomes can inform clinical decision-making.

Centre director, Professor Zena Moore, formerly served as the president of the European Wound Management Association, the largest wound care organisation in the world. She was the first appointed clinical nurse specialist in tissue viability, pioneering the growth of this clinical speciality in Ireland.

Speaking at the launch of the SWaT Research Centre, Prof. Moore said: "The launch of this research centre marks an important step forward in encouraging partnerships that will develop better practices for wound and trauma care, ultimately saving lives.

"It is expected that by 2025 more than 20% of Europeans will be aged 65 years or over, with a particularly rapid increase in numbers of over-80s. The prevalence of wounds increases with ageing; therefore, it is reasonable to predict that the burden of global wound care will increase unless current prevention and management strategies are challenged," said Prof. Moore."It is now more important than ever that we develop and evaluate more effective and efficient wound prevention and management strategies."

RCSI CEO Cathal Kelly said: "We are very proud that RCSI is home to this critically important nurse-led research centre. The work here will have wide-reaching impacts that will improve patient care and reduce costs for health systems.

"The research at this centre will further RCSI's strategy to create scientific breakthroughs, innovations and insights that will enhance patient treatment and care."

RCSI is ranked among the top 250 (top 2%) of universities worldwide in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (2019) and its research is ranked first in Ireland for citations. It is an international not-for-profit health sciences institution, with its headquarters in Dublin, focused on education and research to drive improvements in human health worldwide. RCSI is a signatory of the Athena SWAN Charter and was awarded Investors in Diversity accreditation in 2018.