Kristiane Barington

Project title

Forensic age assessment of porcine granulation tissue

What is your project about?

The project is about achieving objective and accurate age assessments of porcine wounds. On a yearly basis approx. 130 cases of potential animal neglect are submitted for veterinary forensic investigation. The age assessment of the lesions is of utmost importance and is used to interpret the degree of negligence or in apportioning blame. Granulation tissue (tissue formed when inflammatory lesions heal) is of decisive importance when assessing the age of a lesion such as a wound. However, this age assessment is based on incomplete scientific evidence. My aim is to apply cutting-edge technologies to discover objective ways to obtain accurate age assessment of porcine wounds. Granulation tissue from porcine wounds will be evaluated for parameters that changes over time. The results will be combined in a mathematical model able to objectively assess the age of wounds.

How did you become interested in your particular field of research?

My interest in veterinary forensic pathology was sparked when I, as a newly qualified veterinarian, was employed at the University of Copenhagen to take part in the pathoanatomical examinations of cases of animal neglect. In the last 10 years, I have experienced how the annual number of forensic veterinary cases has more than doubled making it even more relevant to investigate how we can determine the age of wounds and other inflammatory conditions.

What are the scientific challenges and perspectives in your project?

Grossly, granulation tissue is visible in wounds after approximately 5 days, then gradually increases in thickness until day 10, after which the thickness appears to decrease. To improve age assessment of wounds we hope to discover new biomarkers and tissue patterns in granulation tissue. The challenge will be to find the combination of parameters (e.g., stem cells, gene products and proteins in the tissue) that exhibit a time dependent response in experimental and spontaneous wounds. The project involves a PhD student, a research assistant, and a network of collaborators with expertise in pathology, gene and protein expression, stem cells, artificial intelligence, and mathematics.

What is your estimate of the impact, which your project may have to society in the long term?

Veterinary forensic pathology is a relatively new field of research. This project will provide a comprehensive study of granulation tissue, which will have impact on veterinary forensic cases in Denmark and abroad. Moreover, the project will provide basic scientific knowledge on the formation and maturation of granulation tissue useful to other fields within human and veterinary medicine such as wound therapy and porcine models of lesions in humans.

Which impact do you expect the Sapere Aude programme will have on your career as a researcher?

I am very proud and happy to have received the Sapere Aude grant, as it is a stepping stone to fulfill my ambition to become one of the leading researchers in the field of veterinary forensic pathology. The opportunity will strengthen my research profile and my network of collaborators in Denmark and abroad, as well as give me important management experience.

Background and personal life

I live with my husband and our two children aged 3 and 6. In my spare time I love to spend time with my family and friends and do gardening in our tiny garden.