Associate Professor
Leila Cuttle
Faculty of Health,
School of Biomedical Sciences
Biography
I'm a Principal Research Fellow working on paediatric burns and trauma research. I work for the School of Biomedical Sciences at the Centre for Children's Health Research, based at the Queensland Children's Hospital in South Brisbane. My research strives to improve outcomes for children with burn injuries and trauma and my work is focused in several different areas:- PROMOTE - burn prevention and first aid education messages nationally and internationally
- IDENTIFY - potential therapies to stop or reverse burn wound pathology and tissue destruction
- DEVELOP - better diagnostics and wound therapies for burn patients
- ESTABLISH - national and clinical collaborations and tissue bio banking across Australia and New Zealand, for future burn research and clinical studies or trials
I am a previous NHMRC Career Development Fellow, NHMRC Early Career Fellow, and recipient of an NHMRC Post-doctoral Fellowship. I am currently leading (CIA) an NHMRC Project Grant investigating biomarkers to optimise burn wound care, which is recruiting patients from the three largest paediatric burn centres in Australia.
My research has determined the optimal first aid treatment for burn injuries. This published work was used to develop guidelines for the treatment of burns internationally and for a “Cool Burns for 20 minutes” first aid public education campaign. This treatment has been shown to lead to decreased requirement for skin grafting operations, decreased admission to intensive care and shorter hospital length of stay for burn patients. It is really satisfying to know that research I have conducted has lead to improvement in the lives of people who have suffered from a burn injury.
Personal details
Positions
- Associate Professor
Faculty of Health,
School of Biomedical Sciences- Kelvin Grove Q Block Membership
Institute of Health Biomedical Innovation (IHBI),
IHBI Health Projects - Kelvin Grove Q Block Membership
Keywords
Burns, Burn Injury, Injury Prevention, Trauma, Traumatic Injury, Child Pain, Paediatric Burns, Paediatric Wound healing, Child Health, Physical Health, Psychological Health, First aid treatment, Pre-hospital Care, Burn Treatments, Hydrogel Dressings, Wounds, Skin, Epithelium, Wound healing, Re-epithelialisation, Repair, Regeneration, Scar tissue, Scarring, Pathology, Tissue Destruction, Apoptosis, Necrosis, Tissue Culture, In Vitro Wound Models, 3D Skin Models, In Vivo Wound Models, Biomarker Discovery, Proteomics, Blister Fluid, Saliva, Clinical Trials, Patient Data
Discipline
Medical Physiology, Medical Biochemistry and Metabolomics, Public Health and Health Services
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008
Qualifications
- PhD (University of Queensland)
- Bachelor of Science with Honours (University of Queensland)
Professional memberships and associations
- Head of the QUT Burns and Trauma Research Laboratory at the Centre for Children's Health Research, Queensland University of Technology.
- Group Leader in the Centre for Children's Burns and Trauma Research (CCBTR), a multi-disciplinary research team across several institutions (Queensland Health, QUT and UQ).
- Chair of the Research Committee for the Australian and New Zealand Burns Association, Director on the Australian and New Zealand Burns Association Board.
- Member of the Australian and New Zealand Burn Association (ANZBA), Member of the Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR), Member of Women in Technology (WiT), Member of the Australasian Wound and Tissue Repair Society (AWTRS) and previous committee member (2010-2018) and secretary (2012-2016)
- Previously organized the Australian and New Zealand Burn Association Annual Scientific Conference in Brisbane 2018 and 2011, and organized and chaired the Scientific Forum at those conferences. Also previously organized the Australasian Wound and Tissue Repair Society Conference at North Stradbroke Island 2018 (and organised the EMCR Program), the conference in Gold Coast 2014 and Sydney 2012 and also chaired an Early Career Researcher Masterclass Session as part of that conference.
Teaching
Teaching and Supervision of Research: I am looking for new research students in 2022 and I have several different research projects available. The main focus of my lab group is to conduct research which aims to improve the lives of children affected by burn injury through developing new therapies to enhance wound healing and reduce scarring and by understanding how burn injuries occur and how to prevent them.
I have several other current projects and would welcome students for any of these. Please email me if you would like any information on the following:
- PhD or MPhil - Biomarkers of healing in burned children Being able to accurately diagnose wound severity and identify markers of poor outcome is important to provide best treatment and reduce scarring in children with burn injuries. In this project, blister fluid samples which have been collected from children treated in Australian burn clinics will be analysed for proteins and inflammatory markers. These markers will then be related to the patient’s wound healing outcomes to identify potential biomarkers that can predict patient healing trajectories. Validation of biomarkers previously identified will be investigated for use in point-of-care diagnostic immunoassays. This project will involve: working with patient samples and data, mass spectrometry/proteomic techniques and ELISAs/Western blotting. Students who have an interest in the clinical applications of laboratory work are encouraged to apply. Please contact me for more information (Leila.cuttle@qut.edu.au; 07 3069 7208).
I have several other current projects and would welcome students for any of these. Please email me if you would like any information on the following:
- Providing legal evidence for non-accidental burn injury (Honours/MPhil)
- Identifying DNA markers of burn and trauma (Honours/MPhil)
- Developing evidence-based burn prevention information for distribution through social media (MPhil/PhD)
Experience
Links and photos of my lab and research
https://research.qut.edu.au/btr/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/147560381@N07/albums/72157675281358953
http://www.ccbtr.com.au/
Read more
- Our research group webpage is here:
https://research.qut.edu.au/btr/
- For general photos of our lab group, check this out:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/147560381@N07/albums/72157675281358953
- If you want to see some more information on children's burns and trauma, our Centre for Children's Burns and Trauma Research website is here:
http://www.ccbtr.com.au/
Publications
- Iljas J, Röhl J, McGovern J, Moromizato K, Parker T, Cuttle L, (2021) A human skin equivalent burn model to study the effect of a nanocrystalline silver dressing on wound healing, Burns, 47 (2) p417
- Frear C, Cuttle L, McPhail S, Chatfield M, Kimble R, Griffin B, (2020) Randomized clinical trial of negative pressure wound therapy as an adjunctive treatment for small-area thermal burns in children, British Journal of Surgery, 107 (13) p1741
- Zang T, Cuttle L, Broszczak D, Broadbent J, Tanzer C, Parker T, (2019) Characterization of the blister fluid proteome for pediatric burn classification, Journal of Proteome Research, 18 (1) p69
- Frear C, Griffin B, Cuttle L, McPhail S, Kimble R, (2019) Study of negative pressure wound therapy as an adjunct treatment for acute burns in children (SONATA in C): protocol for a randomised controlled trial, Trials, 20 (1) p1
- Andrews C, Kimble R, Kempf M, Cuttle L, (2017) Evidence-based injury prediction data for the water temperature and duration of exposure for clinically relevant deep dermal scald injuries, Wound Repair and Regeneration, 25 (5) p792
- Andrews C, Kempf M, Kimble R, Cuttle L, (2017) Skin thickness measurements increase with excision and biopsy processing procedures, Wound Repair and Regeneration, 25 (2) p338
- Burgess J, Cameron C, Cuttle L, Tyack Z, Kimble R, (2016) Inaccurate, inadequate and inconsistent: A content analysis of burn first aid information online, Burns, 42 (8) p1671
- Gee Kee E, Kimble R, Cuttle L, Stockton K, (2016) Scar outcome of children with partial thickness burns: A 3 and 6 month follow up, Burns, 42 (1) p97
- Zang T, Broszczak D, Cuttle L, Broadbent J, Tanzer C, Parker T, (2016) The blister fluid proteome of paediatric burns, Journal of Proteomics, 146 () p122
- Brown N, Kimble R, Rodger S, Ware R, Cuttle L, (2014) Play and heal: Randomized controlled trial of Ditto intervention efficacy on improving re-epithelialization in pediatric burns, Burns, 40 (2) p204
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Leila, explore their research on ePrints (our digital repository).
Awards
- Type
- Keynote Speaker/Expert Panel Member/Invited Speaker for a Conference
- Reference year
- 2021
- Details
- Invited Keynote Presentation "Evidence emerging from the bench". In: Wounds 2020 Conference, Brisbane 4-6 May 2021 ¿ Plenary 1 Emerging Evidence & Innovation on 4th May
- Type
- Editorial Role for an Academic Journal
- Reference year
- 2020
- Details
- Invited to be on the editorial board of Wound Repair and Regeneration (50 board members internationally) Q1 Surgery 74/451 & Q1 Dermatology 23/146, SJR 0.97,IF 2.471
- Type
- Membership of Review Panels on Prestigious Grant Applications
- Reference year
- 2020
- Details
- Grant review for NHMRC Ideas Grants in 2020 and 2019
- Type
- Appointment to State/National/International Reference Group or Government Committees
- Reference year
- 2019
- Details
- Appointed as the inaugural Chair of the ANZBA Research Committee and Board Director on the ANZBA Board
- Type
- Keynote Speaker/Expert Panel Member/Invited Speaker for a Conference
- Reference year
- 2019
- Details
- Invited International Talk: Biomarkers for paediatric burn wound healing. In: 12th Asia-Pacific Burn Congress 17th August 2019
- Type
- Recipient of a Nationally Competitive Research Fellowship
- Reference year
- 2017
- Details
- NHMRC Career Development Fellowship 1; APP#1130862 Better healing for children's burn injuries; 2017-2020; $425,048
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2014
- Details
- Awarded a medal by the Stuart Pegg Paediatric Burns Centre, Royal Children's Hospital and Health Services District, for services to children¿s burns
- Type
- Advisor/Consultant for Community
- Reference year
- 2012
- Details
- Asked to advise on policy regarding burn first aid treatment and hydrogel dressings by burn care advisors in London, following my presentation at the International Society of Burn Injuries conference in Scotland, September 2012.
- Type
- Recipient of a Nationally Competitive Research Fellowship
- Reference year
- 2012
- Details
- Fellowship Type: NHMRC Principal Research Fellowship
Project Title: Improving the pre-hospital treatment and acute management of burned children
External Reference :1035907
Years Awarded: 2012-2015
Total Funding Awarded: $355,276
- Type
- Advisor/Consultant for Industry
- Reference year
- 2011
- Details
- The Clinical Practice Guidelines of Queensland Ambulance Service were updated in April 2011, to change the treatment irrigation time of burn wounds from 10 to 20 minutes and to revise the recommendations regarding the use of hydrogel dressings on burn wounds, on the basis of my research.
Research projects
- Title
- The use of Biomarkers in Children to Predict Healing Potential and Optimise Burn Wound Care
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 1160492
- Start year
- 2019
- Keywords
- Burn Injury; Pathology; Wound Healing; Diagnostic Applications; Child Health
- Title
- Better healing for children's burn injuries
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 1130862
- Start year
- 2017
- Keywords
- Burn Injury; Pathology; Injury Prevention; Wound Healing; Wound Re-epithelialisation
- Title
- Improving the pre-hospital treatment and acute management of burned children
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 1035907
- Start year
- 2012
- Keywords
- burns; burn injury; wound healing; wound repair; pathology
Supervision
Current supervisions
- Saliva Biomarkers for Physical Healing and Psychological Wellbeing in Paediatric Small Area Thermal Burns
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Joanne Voisey, Associate Professor Tony Parker, Associate Professor Chamindie Punyadeera - Developing a New Cell Therapy to Advance Burns Treatment
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Damien Harkin, Professor Mia Woodruff
Completed supervisions (Doctorate)
- Quantitative Characterization of Paediatric Burn Blister Fluid (2018)
- Validating the relationship between burn temperature, duration of exposure and tissue injury severity for scald burns (2018)
- A holistic exploration of paediatric partial thickness burn care in the outpatient setting (2016)
- The Impact of a Child's Pain, Anxiety and Stress on Burn Re-epithelialisation (2014)