TTUHSC Surgery Burn Center of Research Excellence (BCoRE) | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Burn Center of Research Excellence (BCoRE)

TTUHSC BCoRE Director Kendra Rumbaugh holding a glass jar in the air while two TTUHSC students look up at it standing next to her

Advancing Burn Injury Research From Cell-Level Science to Whole-Person Care

Our vision is to serve as a Center of Excellence in burn injury research, advancing knowledge across the full spectrum—from microscopic cellular changes to whole-person clinical care and the broader societal impact of burn injuries. This work encompasses injury prevention, disaster planning, initial response and resuscitation, critical care, pain management, infectious complications, nutrition, surgical treatment, wound care, psychosocial support, and long-term rehabilitation.

Mission

Our mission is to facilitate collaboration in basic science and clinical research across microbiology, biochemistry, medicine, surgery, nursing, physical therapy, psychology, and occupational therapy to increase scientific knowledge related to burn injuries and their complications. This includes developing new tools and strategies for the clinical care of acutely injured patients, describing the epidemiologic characteristics of burn injuries, and creating protocols for injury prevention and disaster or mass-casualty planning. We also aim to investigate novel approaches to managing acute and chronic wounds, establish integrated protocols for pain control, stress disorders, long-term rehabilitation, and reintegration into daily life after burn injury, and leverage emerging technologies—such as machine learning, image processing, and artificial intelligence—to improve patient care. Additionally, we seek to utilize the built environment to support more streamlined and effective treatment of acutely injured patients.

Objectives

  • Develop research collaborations between clinical and basic science departments within TTUHSC
  • Develop research collaborations between TTUHSC and UMC
  • Broaden the impact of our scientific work through publications, presentations at national meetings and collaborations with outside institutions involved in burn research
  • Broaden the impact of our scientific work through innovation and entrepreneurship (TTUHSC Innovation hub, Regional and NSF I-Corp grants)
Kendra Rumbaugh headshot

Kendra Rumbaugh, PhD
Director, Burn Center of Research Excellence (BCoRE)

 

Abdul Hamood headshot

Abdul Hamood, PhD
Core Faculty/Advisory Board, Burn Center of Research Excellence (BCoRE)
Professor

 

Jenna Kesey headshot

Jenna Kesey, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, CWS
Adjunct Faculty, Burn Center of Research Excellence (BCoRE)
Assistant Professor

 

The topic of burns and wounds has been a fertile ground for research at TTUHSC for several years, with multiple peer reviewed publications and presentations at national and international meetings. The burn research program has also facilitated the involvement of TTUHSC faculty, residents, medical students and undergraduates in basic science and clinical research, providing the first research opportunity for many junior investigators. The designation as a TTUHSC Research Center of Excellence will serve to recognize these efforts both intra and extramurally, as well as develop the basic and clinical science infrastructure in order to be competitive for grant funding at both local and national levels. Formalization as a center will also facilitate access by students from all schools at TTUHSC as well as promote collaboration with outside organizations and individuals. Finally, a designated center of excellence will promote national recognition of the scientific work being done at TTUHSC and help recruit talented individuals interested in this area of research at all levels.

Burn care has historically been a multidisciplinary field from its inception as a separate specialty in the 1950s, with physicians, nurses, wound care technicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists being recognized as equally important to the well-being of the burned patient. Perhaps in no other field of medicine is the concept of a team approach so firmly embedded. This is evident even at the national level with the American Burn Association (ABA) leadership comprised of representation from all specialties. This approach is well suited to translational research and collaboration, and is a likely factor in the high research productivity of the burn center despite a relatively small core physician faculty.

BCoRE Related Activities

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Kendra Rumbaugh, PhD
Director, Burn Center of Research Excellence (BCoRE)